Players from Frontale and local actors also featured; Kawasaki’s Inage Shrine displaying ema until the 7th.

Inage Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiba City, Japan, believed to have been founded in the 9th century. It is historically associated with the Inage clan, a powerful samurai family who served as lords of the region during the Kamakura period. Today, it is known for its serene forest setting and traditional architecture, attracting visitors for its historical significance and peaceful atmosphere.

Kawasaki Ward is one of the seven wards of Kawasaki City, located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, and is the city’s central administrative and commercial core. Historically, the area developed rapidly from the late 19th century as a key industrial and transportation hub, particularly after the establishment of the Keihin Industrial Zone and major railway connections. Today, it is known for its bustling stations like Kawasaki Station, modern skyscrapers, and cultural sites such as the Kawasaki Daishi Temple, a major Buddhist temple founded in 1128.

Kawasaki City is a major industrial and residential hub in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, located between Tokyo and Yokohama. Historically, it developed rapidly from the early 20th century as a center for heavy industry, including the Keihin Industrial Zone. Today, it is also known for cultural sites like the Kawasaki Daishi temple and the annual Kanamara Penis Festival.

Ema are small wooden plaques used in Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan for writing prayers or wishes. This tradition dates back to the Nara period (710-794 CE), when people would donate horses (the word “ema” literally means “picture-horse”) to shrines as offerings to the gods. Today, visitors inscribe their wishes on the plaques and hang them at the shrine in the belief that the kami (spirits or gods) will receive them.

The “Zodiac Horse” is a reference to the Horse, one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, a system dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). In Chinese culture and astrology, the zodiac Horse symbolizes energy, freedom, and success, with each year in its 12-year cycle believed to impart these traits to those born under its sign.

Daruma dolls are traditional Japanese hollow, round figurines modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. They are symbols of perseverance and good luck, typically purchased with blank eyes—one eye is painted when setting a goal, and the other is filled in upon the goal’s achievement. Their history dates back to the 17th century in Takasaki City, which remains a major production center.

The J1 League is Japan’s top professional football division, founded in 1992 as the J.League to revitalize the sport in the country following the success of the national team. It marked a historic shift from a semi-professional company-team system to a fully professional club model, with the Kashima Antlers winning the inaugural championship. Today, it is one of Asia’s most prestigious leagues, known for its passionate supporters and development of both domestic and international talent.

Kawasaki Frontale is a professional football (soccer) club based in Kawasaki, Japan, competing in the J1 League. Founded in 1955 as the Fujitsu SC, a corporate team for the Fujitsu company, it adopted its current name in 1997 and has since become one of Japan’s most successful clubs, winning multiple J1 League titles. Its home matches are played at the Todoroki Athletics Stadium in Kawasaki.