American Football in Japan
USA-Japan Friendship Bowl • Tomodachi Bowl
Camellia Bowl • Tomodachi Bowl
| USA-Japan Friendship Bowl | ||
| (Kanto Collegiate Football Association v US military base squads) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Friendship Bowl 1 | 2012 | Kanto Collegiate All-Stars (W 37-23) Team USA at Kawasaki Stadium, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Mar. 11) |
| Friendship Bowl 2 | 2013 | Kanto Collegiate All-Stars (W 29-24) Team USA at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 10) |
| Friendship Bowl 3 | 2014 | Kanto Collegiate All-Stars (W 17-14) Team USA at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 9) |
| Friendship Bowl 4 | 2015 | Team USA (W 21-10) Kanto Collegiate All-Stars at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 8) |
| Tomodachi Bowl | ||
| Tomodachi Bowl 5 | 2016 | Team Rising Sun (Kanto All-Stars) (W 24-14) Team USA at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 13) |
| Tomodachi Bowl 6 | 2017 | Team Rising Sun (W 27-14) Team USA at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 12) |
| Tomodachi Bowl 7 | 2018 | Team Rising Sun (Kanto Selection) (W 42-8) Team USA at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 11) |
| Tomodachi Bowl 8 | 2019 | Team USA (W 23-3) Team Rising Sun (Kanto Selection) at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Kanagawa (Mar. 10) |
| Tomodachi Bowl 9 | 2020 | Spring League (USA Selection) (W 36-16) Japan National Team (Mar. 1) |
| Tomodachi Bowl 10 | 2021 | Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic |
| Camellia Bowl | ||
| (Japan High Schools v. DoDEA High Schools from Korea, Japan & Okinawa) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Camellia Bowl 1 | 2010 | Team USA (W 51-21) All-Kanto U-19 at Kawasaki Stadium, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Mar. 21) |
| Camellia Bowl 2 | 2011 | Canceled due to Great East Japan Earthquake (Mar. 12) |
| Tomodachi Bowl | ||
| (The DoDEA High Schools added players from Guam beginning in 2017) | ||
| Tomodachi Bowl I | 2012 | Team USA (W 64-13) Team Rising Sun at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 11) |
| Tomodachi Bowl II | 2013 | Team USA (W 71-10) Team Rising Sun at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 10) |
| Tomodachi Bowl III | 2014 | Team USA (W 50-7) Team Rising Sun at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 9) |
| Tomodachi Bowl IV | 2015 | All-Kanto Team Rising Sun (W 100-22) Team USA at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 8) |
| Tomodachi Bowl V | 2016 | Team USA (W 26-6) Team Rising Sun at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 13) |
| Tomodachi Bowl VI | 2017 | Team Rising Sun (U19 Kanto Selection) (W 27-14) Team USA at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 12) |
| Tomodachi Bowl VII | 2018 | Team Rising Sun (W 42-8) Team USA at Amino Vital Field, Chofu City, Tokyo (Mar. 11) |
| Tomodachi Bowl VIII | 2019 | Team USA (W 23-3) Team Rising Sun at Reid Field Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Kanagawa (Mar. 10) |
| Tomodachi Bowl IX | 2020 | No Game & Youth/HS series & discontinued thereafter (Mar. 1) |
| Notes: | |
| • The "Tomodachi Bowl" moniker was established in 2012 to honor U.S. military relief efforts (Operation Tomodachi) following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. The 2011 match was canceled due to the disaster. | |
| • This archive tracks two separate series sharing identical dates/stadiums: the Elite Collegiate Friendship Bowl (won consistently by Japan's university all-stars) and the Youth/High School Tomodachi Bowl (dominated early on by U.S. DODEA base high schools). | |
| • The 100-22 blowout on March 8, 2015, occurred because Japan's U-19 team utilized elite university freshmen and sophomores, completely overwhelming the U.S. team composed strictly of high school base players. | |
| • A college Camellia Bowl took place in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1948. | |
| • A college Camellia Bowl took place in Sacramento, California, 1961 to 1980. | |
| • A college Camellia Bowl took place in Montgomery, Alabama, 2014 to 2023. Renamed the Salute to Veterans Bowl in 2024. |
See the major Japanese Bowl games at this page: Japan American Football Association page.
For additional college & high schools against Japan All-Star teams, See the Pacific Rim Bowls page for the Mills Bowl and Pacific Rim Bowl games..
For other American college teams against Japan All Star teams See the Dream Bowl page for the Epson Ivy, Dream & Silk Bowl games.
For games in Japan between two N.C.A.A. college teams, see the Mirage Bowl page for the Pioneer, Silk, mirage & Coca-Cola Bowl (Coca Cola Classic) games
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This list is compiled and designed by Paul S. Luchter
Updated 7/31/2026
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