Sport and history

With the 135th anniversary of the Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club approaching, Kansai Scene takes a look at the fortunes of one of Japan's oldest sports clubs.

The KR&AC has a long and fascinating history, which spans three centuries and is rooted in the turbulent emergence of modern Japan. For those with even a passing interest in the occidental, the story is a veritable checklist of major events in contemporary Japanese history.

Over two centuries of isolation from the outside world ended for Japan in 1853 when US Commodore Matthew Perry led an armed expedition on a mission to 'open' Japan. Under pressure from European warships in Japanese ports, the government opened the country and concluded treaties with foreign powers, establishing designated settlements for foreigners in the five Japanese ports of Nagasaki, Yokohama, Niigata, Hakodate and Kobe. Japan began a rapid process of industrialisation and modernization under the young emperor Meiji, the so-called Meiji Restoration.

The foreign settlements served as springboards for the modernisation of Japan and Kobe developed its own unique style of administration, architecture and economic activity and provided a venue for international exchanges on various levels.

This was the setting for modern Japan's fledgling international community and the background to the founding of the KR&AC.
On the 23rd of September 1870, Alexander Cameron Sim (Scotsman, pharmacist and all round athlete), met with 31 other sports enthusiasts and founded the KR&AC.

This was less than three years after the Port of Kobe had been opened when the foreign population, excluding Chinese, stood at only 300. The Club opened a boathouse and gymnasium in an area south of what is presently the Flower Road.

In 1875, with the assistance of Prince Ito, one of the founders of modern Japan, an area within the Foreign Settlement was designated "as a perpetual trust for the common recreation of Foreigners and Japanese".

In 1877 a club gymnasium was constructed on this Recreation Ground site and the first sports held. However, three years later a typhoon destroyed both the boathouse and the gymnasium. This would be the first of many challenges, both natural and man-made, that would test the resilience of the club to the core.

The KR&AC and its counterpart in Yokohama, the YC&AC, contributed to the introduction of western sports to Japan, acting as incubators for non-Japanese sports such as football, rugby, baseball, rowing and tennis.

The clubs would often organise games against crewmembers from visiting warships and other vessels. The Japanese, students in particular, observed with considerable interest. In this informal manner western sports were first introduced to Japan. The annual Interport sports fixture between the two clubs, first held in 1871 is still keenly competed today.

The KR&AC can look back on a proud contribution to the introduction of western sports to Japan. The first rowing regatta in the Kansai region was held by the KR&AC in 1870. The first official football match in Japan was held between the KR&AC and YC&AC on February 18th, 1888.

The world football authorities acknowledged this fact by inviting the same two clubs to play their annual Interport fixture, fully 113 years later, at the Yokohama stadium ahead of the 2002 Korea Japan World Cup Finals.

Japan's first Olympic medalist was taught the crawl method in the professional swimming pool at the club's Mirume site, which also saw the introduction of water polo to Japan. Rugby, tennis and hockey in Japan were all aided in their development in no small part by the KR&AC.

In 1894 Japan finally succeeded in negotiating the abolition of the former treaties and as a result, the foreign settlements, including that in Kobe, ceased to exist as official entities. With the end of extra-territoriality the club was now subject to the will of the Japanese authorities.

This saw the beginning of significant changes for the KR&AC. In the late 1800s with the Port of Kobe ever expanding, the club sold its sea-front holdings and moved four miles East to Mirume, where Kobe Steel now stands. Over the next 40 years the club enjoyed a golden period with varied social and sporting activi-ties taking place. The Club acted as a focus for gatherings of the foreign community and international societies. The golden period would soon come to an end as the dark clouds of the Pacific War gathered.

In 1939, with the Japanese war machine gearing up, the KR&AC was forced to sell its Mirume holdings, lock stock and barrel, to Kobe Steel Works, which at the time was manufacturing war materials. New grounds were purchased and new club premises were completed in the summer of 1940. But in 1941, before they could even be used, the club was again forced to sell up as it was near the site of a contemplated aircraft factory.

When war broke out in 1941 the club was in the position of having cash reserves and no fixed assets other than the Recreation Ground gymnasium and clubhouse in Kano-cho, so KR&AC was hit hard by hyper inflation.

In January 1944 the Japanese army commandeered the Recreation ground club-house and gymnasium. The club moved to premises at Suwayama but was ejected by the Japanese military police, unhappy with the clear view of the city it provided.

The Club then purchased a property in Kitano-cho only to lose its only home and investment when it was destroyed by allied air raids shortly there-after.

In March 1945 the club moved into a temporary home at the Shoiya Club, which in July was occupied by the Japanese Naval Authorities. Bereft of a home, the Club suspended all activities until the end of the war.

At the end of the war the Recreation Ground, which had been sequestered by the Japanese Military, was subsequently commandeered by the occupation forces. Four years later the US Military returned the club's premises and the club was officially re-opened in February 1953.

The club had overcome its darkest years when at times there seemed little hope of survival. It natu-rally took time to revive the friendly competitive games with Japanese teams and to rebuild the clubs sporting facilities. However, through the determination, sacrifice and collective effort of its mixed international membership the club pulled itself to its feet again.

The KR&AC had always played an active role in the community, especially in times of emergency. In the aftermath of the great earthquake of 1923, the club opened its facilities to shelter refugees from Yokohama. In January 1995 after the Great Hanshin Earthquake the club once again made its facilities available to earthquake victims. Its sports ground was shut for over a year to provide vital storage space for cleared debris.

These days the KR&AC grounds are in Isogami Park in central Sannomiya. On September 23rd, 2005 the club will celebrate its 135th anniversary. In its long history, through extremes of fortune that would have felled many an organisation, the KR&AC has pioneered western sports in Japan and more importantly led in the work of cementing international friendship through sports.

Today, the KR&AC has an active international membership comprising of many nationalities, including Japanese. Outside of an active social and recreational scene, the sports roster includes Football, Rugby, Tennis, Hockey, Cricket and Softball as well as indoor activities such as Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and Karate.

Club President, Julian Ehrhardt is keen to stress that the general preconceptions of old international clubs as stuffy, inhospitable and elitist do not apply to the KR&AC:

“We are very much a home away from home for a lot of our members, an escape from the pressures of life in Japan. There are other clubs open for those who want to play high society. We pride ourselves on offering a warm welcome and a place to relax and forge friendships.

It is that bond that has seen The Club through so many challenges in over 130 years and that bond will take us far into the future.”

Contact the KR&AC for details of membership offers for Kansai Scene readers: www.krac.org

Text & photos: Renee Karena