Remembering Kunishige Kamamoto — Saburo Kawabuchi on the Legendary Talent
Tombstone Epitaph 2025] This year, too, a national star, a famous actor, and a great host passed away. We bring you his words of regret along with his treasured photos.
Kunishige Kamamoto
Passed away on August 10, aged 81
Even off the pitch, he was loved for his bold personality and once famously gave a wake-up call to then-coach Philippe Troussier when results weren’t coming.The powerful legend of an extraordinary genius
—Saburo Kawabuchi, Advisor, Japan Football Association
I still remember the shock of seeing him for the first time. At that time, Kamamoto was still a high school student. Our national team coach told us, “There’s a player as big as a bear,” so I thought he’d be a slow, lumbering player. But when we faced him, he dribbled so quickly that he reached the goal in an instant and fired a shot at a speed I had never seen before.
During the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, he was my rival for the forward position, and at the time I thought, “There’s no way I’ll lose to someone eight years younger than me.” But by the end of the four-month pre-Olympic training camp, he had completely taken the position (laughs).
My fondest memory is the match against Argentina at the Tokyo Olympics. I scored the equalizer, and we won 3–2, with Kamamoto providing the assist. He reacted to a pass deep in the opponent’s half and, just like Mitoma’s one-millimeter style, made a return pass from the very edge of the goal line. Since we were always pushing each other to improve, I knew “If it’s Kamamoto, he’ll definitely reach it,” and I was ready.
In one game, a free kick from Kamamoto hit an opponent’s thigh so hard it left a dark bruise. That power was truly beyond standard. Players like Hidetoshi Nakata and Keisuke Honda were also fantastic, but while many players have excelled internationally, Kamamoto’s scale was on another level—he was a truly special presence.
—From “FRIDAY”, December 19–26, 2025 combined issue
PHOTO： Ryu Kanzaki