July 22 Report
On the 9th day of the Hokkaido Shiraoi camp, the players were given their first day off of this camp.
They spent their time in various ways—strolling around the Shiraoi area, savoring fresh seafood and gourmet meat and vegetables nurtured by the rich land, or resting at the hotel—each enjoying their time as they wished.
Enjoying the northern land to the fullest and recharging their energy, the camp enters its final phase in the remaining three days to prepare for the start of the 2026/27 season.
CAMP VOICE vol.9 Kento HASHIMOTO Player
Q. How do you feel about the progress and challenges of the camp?
A. My condition has steadily improved, and I have been able to play for a reasonable amount of time in matches. As a team, I believe we have built upon our foundation from the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Concept League, and since there are new demands from head coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI, we are currently trying to meet those.
Q. In the camp's first match against Montedio Yamagata, you also became a starting point for scoring.
A. Since the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Concept League, how to make the most of the left wing’s strengths has been one of the major themes for me as the partner. In attack, it’s about leveraging the left wing’s advantages, while in defense, the hierarchy is reversed. In the recent practice match against Yamagata, I think we found one answer or one correct approach on how to utilize it.
Q. Are you also feeling a sense of progress regarding the defensive challenges?
A. I believe the demands will increase as the level rises. There may be more intense situations, so I think there are many things that can only be gained through actual matches. From practice, Head Coach Tokizaki also says, "Let's pay attention to the details," so I think it will be crucial to see how well we can defend when the game becomes severe in real situations.
Q: Increasing the intensity of the high press, differentiating it from the middle block, and building up the details seem to be leading to a stronger defense, right?
A: I believe everyone can do it. When it comes to defense, habits become a source of strength. There aren't many special tactics or surprising methods that catch the opponent off guard in defense. Rather, the fundamental principles are important: the goal is in the center, preventing crosses reduces the risk of conceding goals, and winning the ball high up creates scoring opportunities. These principles are fairly well established, so it comes down to each player's awareness, individual ability, and the team's organizational strength being tested. Although there were some goals conceded in the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Concept League, the impression was that they were quite few, and we have reviewed the patterns of conceding goals in meetings. I think it is necessary to be conscious of this starting from practice.
Q. During the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League period, you were competing for your position with Yuto NAGATOMO. How did you feel about that time?
A. It was definitely special. As time gradually passed, I started to accept that position and situation, and it became something I thought of as normal. However, watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup and seeing NAGATOMO on that stage, his presence and play made me realize that I had been competing against an incredible player, and I also felt that I had grown significantly through that experience. I believe NAGATOMO dedicated four years for those 15 minutes he played in the match against Sweden. I learned that even after dedicating four years, you might only get 15 minutes on the field or lose in the Round of 32—there is a harsh world above. I only knew NAGATOMO during the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League period, but by touching just a little on his actions and way of thinking, I felt that those four years built up for that 15 minutes ended fleetingly, which made me reflect deeply.
I realized that there is a world two or three levels above just playing matches for FC Tokyo. I joined this team with the goal of playing matches for Tokyo and winning the league. I am not satisfied with anything yet, but I strongly felt that if I don’t look beyond that, I will remain just that kind of player.
Q. With that in mind, please tell us about your aspirations for this season.
A. First and foremost, I will absolutely win the league. Focusing solely on winning, I know that a long season will have its ups and downs. To become a team worthy of the championship, I want to first avoid injuries and maintain my position throughout the entire year. Moreover, I aim to achieve far better results and performance than in the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League, and not just be a player valued by my teammates, but become the kind of player that other clubs say, 'Tokyo’s left-back is really good.'
FOCUS ON – Photo of the Day –
'FOCUS ON' selects one photo taken by the official photographer.
On the 9th day of the camp, we selected a photo capturing Yukinori YAMAKAWA, the kit man working at the lodging, and Takuya SATO from the equipment team.
Behind the scenes staff work tirelessly day and night to ensure players and staff can spend their time comfortably. Their tasks are diverse, including preparing the training ground, managing equipment, and sorting daily laundry.
Putting love into each and every task, they are spending careful and dedicated days even in Hokkaido Shiraoi Town, their first camp location.
