Tokyo Verdy: The Original Giant Returns
Tokyo Verdy: The Original Giant Returns
They were the J.League’s first superstars and its first champions — then they fell out of the top flight for 16 years. Tokyo Verdy’s return is one of Japanese football’s great revival stories.
Tokyo Verdy — founded as the famous Verdy Kawasaki — were the dominant force at the birth of the J.League, winning the championship in both 1993 and 1994 with a star-studded side featuring Kazuyoshi Miura (“Kazu”) and Ruy Ramos. After years of decline they slipped out of the top division and spent 16 seasons away from J1 — until they finally returned in 2024, fittingly opening the season against Yokohama F. Marinos at the National Stadium, just as the league began in 1993.
In this guide
1. Who Tokyo Verdy are
2. The league’s first kings
3. Sixteen years, and a return
4. Why they matter
1. Who Tokyo Verdy are
Japanese football’s original glamour club.
Tokyo Verdy are one of the most storied names in the Japanese game. As Verdy Kawasaki, born from the Yomiuri club, they were the face of the J.League’s explosive launch in 1993 — glamorous, star-laden and used to winning.1 ⚠ League positions change every season — check the latest.
2. The league’s first kings
In the J.League’s first two seasons, Verdy Kawasaki were simply the best team in the country, winning the championship in 1993 and 1994. Their squad — Kazuyoshi Miura, Ruy Ramos, Tsuyoshi Kitazawa, Nobuhiro Takeda and more — were national celebrities who helped turn football into a mainstream Japanese sport almost overnight.1
3. Sixteen years, and a return
What makes Verdy’s story so poignant is how far they fell. The glamour faded, results declined, and the club eventually dropped out of the top flight, spending 16 seasons in the second tier — an extraordinary exile for a founding champion. Their return to J1 in 2024 closed the circle: their opening match came against Yokohama F. Marinos at the National Stadium, echoing the league’s very first game in 1993.2 ⚠ Their current league standing changes — confirm the latest.
4. Why they matter
- They’re the J.League’s origin story. First champions, first superstars, first icons.
- They’re a revival story. A 16-year exile ended by a return to the top.
- They carry history into the present. A living link to how Japanese football began.
In five lines
- Tokyo Verdy began as Verdy Kawasaki, the dominant club at the J.League’s 1993 launch.
- They won the championship in 1993 and 1994 with stars like Kazu Miura and Ruy Ramos.
- After a long decline they spent 16 seasons out of the top flight.
- They returned to J1 in 2024, opening against Yokohama F. Marinos at the National Stadium. ⚠
- They remain one of Japanese football’s most historic names.
The clubs and stories of Japanese football
Explore the J.League’s history-makers and the road to the World Cup.
Sources & notes
- Verdy Kawasaki / Tokyo Verdy — J.League champions 1993 & 1994; star squad (Kazu Miura, Ruy Ramos et al.). J.League history; Football Channel
- 16-year top-flight absence; 2024 J1 return; opener vs Yokohama F. Marinos at the National Stadium. SPAIA; Web Sportiva
A club profile dated 14 June 2026. League positions and squads change — flagged ⚠ items should be confirmed against official J.League / club sources.
📅 更新履歴
| 日付 | 変更内容 |
|---|---|
| 2026年6月14日 | 初回公開 |
✅ ファクト再検証
最終検証日：2026年6月14日
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