American Football in Japan
Mills Bowl
Pacific Rim Bowl 
Pacific Rim Bowl logo.

Mills Bowl
Mills Bowl logo. The helmets of Southern Oregon University (white) and Kwansei Gakuin University (blue) face each other atop footballs stylized to look like American and Japanese flags.
(Southern Oregon University Raiders v. Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters)
Mills Bowl 1  1985  Southern Oregon University (W 49-24) Kwansei Gakuin University  at Osaka/Kobe 
Mills Bowl 2 1986  Southern Oregon University (W 21-17) Kwansei Gakuin University  at Raider Stadium, Ashland, Oregon 
Mills Bowl 3 1987  Kwansei Gakuin University (W 27-9) Southern Oregon University  at Osaka 
Mills Bowl 2021  Scheduled game canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic  at Raider Stadium, Ashland, Oregon 
Mills Bowl 4 2024  Southern Oregon University (W 54-24) Kwansei Gakuin University  at Raider Stadium, Ashland, Oregon  (May 4)
 Notes:
 • Kwansei Gakuin University is colloquially known as Kangaku.
 • The “Father of Modern Japanese Football”- Coach Chuck Mills:
     ✱ In 1971, his Utah State Aggies, became the first U.S. college American Football team to play in Japan, in Silk Bowl 3, against the Japanese University All-Stars at National Stadium, Tokyo.
     ✱ It served as the literal textbook for how Japan structured its modern college football system.
     ✱ The Chuck Mills Trophy, the Japanese equivalent to the Heisman Trophy, is explicity named for him.
     ✱ For decades he flew over to present Japan's top collegiate player with the trophy at the Koshien Bowl
     ✱ Coach Chuck Mills passed away on January 18, 2021, at the age of 92 in Hawaii.
     ✱ The subsequent game intended to honor his memory was officially canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic
     ✱ The first three SOU v KGU games were retroactively named Mills Bowls 1 through 3 when the game was resurrected.
 • Mills Bowl 2 in 1986 saw Kwansei Gakuin University become the first Japanese university team to play in America.
 • Mills Bowl 5 was planned for 2025, but had to be canceled due to logistical problems in Japan.
 • While in Ashland for the 1986 game against SOU, Japanese coach Akira Furukawa and coach Jim Nagle of Ashland High (1983-2002) co-founded the concept of
     the Pacific Rim Bowl.

 

Pacific Rim Bowl
Pacific Rim Bowl log. The words around a circulae yin/yang symbol, left side the Japanese flag, right side a stylized American flag.
(Kansai High School All-Stars v. Ashland High School Grizzlies, Oregon)
Pacific Rim Bowl I  1988  Ashland Grizzlies (W 13-0) Japan All-Stars  at Nagai Stadium, Osaka
Pacific Rim Bowl II  1990  Ashland Grizzlies (W 21-7) Japan All-Stars  at Walter A. Phillips Field, Ashland
Pacific Rim Bowl III  1993  Ashland Grizzlies (W 21-14) Japan All-Stars  at Nishinomiya Stadium, Osaka
Pacific Rim Bowl IV  1995  Japan All-Stars (W 17-14) Ashland Grizzlies  at Walter A. Phillips Field, Ashland
Pacific Rim Bowl V  1997  Ashland Grizzlies (W 20-18) Japan All-Stars  at Nishinomiya Stadium, Osaka
Pacific Rim Bowl VI  1999  Ashland Grizzlies (W 21-20) Japan All-Star  at Walter A. Phillips Field, Ashland
Pacific Rim Bowl VII  2001  Japan All-Stars (W 48-0) Ashland Grizzlies  at Nagai Stadium, Osaka
Pacific Rim Bowl VIII  2003  Japan All-Stars (W 26-0) Ashland Grizzlies  at Walter A. Phillips Field, Ashland
Pacific Rim Bowl IX  2005  Japan All-Stars (W 28-6) Ashland Grizzlies  at Oji Stadium, Kobe
Pacific Rim Bowl X  2007  Japan All-Stars (W 27-21) Ashland Grizzlies  at Walter A. Phillips Field, Ashland
Pacific Rim Bowl XI  2009  Japan All-Stars (W 20-0) Ashland Grizzlies  at Flash Field, Osaka
Pacific Rim Bowl XII  2011  Ashland Grizzlies (W 26-0) Japan All-Stars  at Walter A. Phillips Field, Ashland
Pacific Rim Bowl XIII  2013  Ashland Grizzlies (W 32-30) Japan All-Stars  at Oji Stadium, Kobe
Pacific Rim Bowl XIV  2015  Ashland Grizzlies (W 31-23) Japan All-Stars  at Raider Stadium (SOU), Ashland (Jul. 31)
Pacific Rim Bowl XV  2017  Japan All-Stars (W 34-7) Ashland Grizzlies  at Oji Stadium, Kobe
Pacific Rim Bowl XVI  2019  Japan All-Stars (W 45-18) Ashland Grizzlies  at North Bend High School, North Bend (Jul. 26)
Pacific Rim Bowl 2021  Scheduled game canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic  
Pacific Rim Bowl XVII  2023  Japan All-Stars (W 47-14) Ashland Grizzlies  at Oji Stadium, Kobe
Pacific Rim Bowl XVIII  2025  Japan All-Stars (W 49-0) South Valley Wolfpack  at Walter A. Phillips Field, Ashland (Jul. 25) 
 Notes:
 • SOU is Southern Oregon University.
 • The Ashland Grizzlies is Ashland High School.
 • From 1988 through 2025, the Japan All-Stars roster was selected strictly from Kansai region high schools.
 • Starting in 2025, the American side expanded. To boost roster depth, the Ashland H.S.Grizzlies joined forces with their neighboring rivals, the Phoenix High School Pirates.
     The combined Southern Oregon squad uses the name South Valley Wolfpack to represent the broader Rogue Valley region.
 • Starting in 2027, the selection pool will integrate players from both the Kanto and Kansai high school federations.
 • Ashland and North Bend are in Oregon. Kobe and Osaka are in Japan.
 • Legendary Ashland High coach Charlie Hall (2005-2016) spearheaded multiple campaigns for the Ashland Grizzlies in the Pacific Rim Bowl.
 • Hall began his coaching career as an assistant under Coach Chuck Mills at Southern Oregon University, creating a bridge between the two historic international bowls.
 • As Athletic Director of Ashland High, Coach Hall saved this bowl game by through a partnership between the Grizzlies and Phoenix High School. The combined forces form
     the “South Valley Wolfpack”.

See the major Japanese Bowl games at this page: Japan American Football Association page.

See U.S.A. v. Japan games for Japan v USA games • Friendship Bowl • Camellia Bowl • Tomodachi Bowl.

JHSAFF logo, Japan High School American Football Federation.

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This list is compiled and designed by Paul S. Luchter
  Updated 7/17/2026
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