Athletes often face the problem of not being able to freely choose their clothes because their well-trained physiques are a disadvantage. To solve this problem, Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , offers a wide range of "super men's" sizes, providing a space where they can enjoy fashion more freely.

The Yokohama GRITS, featured in this article, are a professional ice hockey team established in 2019. As an intense sport often called "combat on ice," the players are known for their well-trained physiques. Choosing clothes is no problem for them, but what's even more challenging is that they are dual-career athletes, juggling a full-time job as company employees during the week while also being professional athletes. We asked these professional ice hockey players, who move between various styles from reliable suits for work to uniforms for games and casual wear on their days off, about their clothing dilemmas.

Yokohama's entry will bring a breath of fresh air to the Asian ice hockey scene.

You may already know that ice hockey is one of the four major sports in the United States, alongside baseball, basketball, and American football, and that it is the national sport in Canada. The NHL, which recruits top players from Europe, sees star players earning over 1 billion yen a year, making it a dream stage for aspiring professional ice hockey players.

In Japan, there are as many junior ice hockey teams as there are ice rinks across the country, and the Tokyo Ice Hockey Federation has over 100 teams. The highest level of competition is the Kanto University Ice Hockey League, which has a deep pool of players and is categorized into Divisions I through V, with fierce battles taking place every season.

However, there are only five professional teams in Japan. Realistically, the path to becoming a professional is very narrow. Moreover, even talented players often choose not to pursue a professional career after graduating from university, ending their athletic careers at this stage. It's undeniable that volleyball remains a minor sport in the professional world.

In fact, the history of professional ice hockey in Japan is surprisingly long, with the third amateur sports league being established in 1966, following baseball and soccer. In 2004, its popularity was rekindled, partly due to a TV drama themed around ice hockey. At this time, Japan merged with a Korean team to hold the Asia League tournament, and the following year, teams from China and Russia also joined, resulting in an eight-team Asia League. For the past five seasons or so, Japan has been trailing behind overseas teams, but in the past, Japanese teams held the championship trophy almost every year.

Last year, a new team joined the Asia League: the Yokohama GRITS.

Dual careers reveal a new future for professional sports.

Yokohama GRITS is a new professional sports team that promotes team building through a "dual career" model. Many of the players have professional contracts but also hold other jobs, balancing their athletic careers by participating in games on weekday evenings and weekends. Many of the staff supporting the players also have dual careers, and the public relations and advertising department is comprised of top professionals such as producers from major Tokyo television stations, advertising agencies, and video production companies, all striving to ignite the popularity of ice hockey in Japan, starting from Yokohama. Their business model is attracting attention as a new way of managing professional sports teams in the modern era.

Team captain and key defender Hideharu Kikuchi is another individual who balances a career in foreign finance with being a professional ice hockey player. He won the university championship and joined the Tohoku Free Blades. After that, he played for a team in Shanghai, China for three seasons before returning to Japan and continuing to play in Tohoku, but he decided to retire at the age of 30.

"Since encountering ice hockey in elementary school, I've always dreamed of making ice hockey a major sport in Japan. Even after retiring as a player, that feeling hasn't changed. To convey the appeal of ice hockey throughout my life, I need words. That's why I decided to pursue a sales career as my second career."

"I want to be able to convey the appeal of intangible things rather than tangible ones. If I can do that, I should be able to convey the appeal of ice hockey as well," thought Kikuchi, and took a year off from the sport to immerse himself in his current job. During that time, he encountered the Yokohama Grits and decided to participate in the founding of the team, which aims to balance work and sports as a "dual career." He returned to playing last season. This season, with the league games not progressing as planned due to the coronavirus, he has kept his body in top condition by practicing three times a week and going to the gym without fail. When he takes off his jacket, his physique is like that of a martial arts fighter, with a strong chest and thighs like a football forward.

On weekdays, Mr. Kikuchi is a strict financial professional. While he follows the trend of going without a tie in the summer, he says that wearing a tie is a must from autumn to spring. Apparently, his company culture doesn't allow him to come to work in modern styles like a T-shirt and jacket or a turtleneck and suit.

"I don't wear ready-made clothes, so I have both my suits and shirts custom-made. Because they're custom-made, I can't just casually buy new clothes, so I tend to wear the same navy suit and plain white shirt all the time. I don't like flashy clothes, so I often wear plain navy ties, which inevitably leads to simple outfits."

Ice hockey games are played on Saturdays and Sundays. Since the teams in the Japan League are scattered across Hokkaido, Aomori, and Tochigi prefectures, Fridays during the season are travel days. On those days, the rule is to wear a navy suit and a tie in the team's colors.


"I work during the week and play matches on the weekends, so I don't really put much effort into casual wear, but even then, I tend to prioritize size when choosing clothes. If it fits my body, I can't be picky about brands..."

That being said, he seems to be particular about imported brand outerwear. The down jacket he's wearing that day is from a well-known premium down brand. As a professional winter sports athlete, it's clear that he considers winter outerwear to be a key element of his outfit.

"I'd actually like to try out different styles, but even with the same brand and size, some items just don't fit. I had a bad experience with online shopping once and learned my lesson (laughs). That's why I prefer to try things on before buying them."

Try a different kind of sophisticated casual dress look!

The first outfit is a gray suit style from BOSS. The fabric, made by Carlo Barbera of Italy, has a check pattern that is visible from a distance, and the smooth texture conveys a sense of luxury. This is the brand's slimmest category, "Extra Slim Fit," but it is a super size that fits Kikuchi's impressive physique perfectly. It creates a beautiful silhouette with a well-defined waist.




"I always wear navy suits, so this gray suit feels refreshing. I like that it's not a matte gray because it has a pattern. I also just realized how comfortable trousers with drawstrings can be. It's strange how even with these trousers, it still looks like a proper suit. Of course, I'd be perfectly fine wearing this to work."

At first glance, it looks classic, but the jacket has three patch pockets and the pants have a drawstring waist, so it can also be worn casually. So, I tried changing the inner layer to a crewneck sweater. Kikuchi seems a little embarrassed by this casual, set-up-like look.

"I knew this style of dressing was trending, but I never thought it would suit me. I had this fixed idea that if I were to wear a sweater with a suit, I'd wear a shirt with a V-neck, so I never really considered going straight for a crew neck. I wouldn't wear this to work, but it might be good for when I go out to dinner with my wife on the weekend."

Next up is a cotton stretch suit from J.PRESS. The V-zone has a slightly casual feel with a button-down shirt and knit tie. Kikuchi-san can't hide his bewilderment at both the beige suit and the casual V-zone, but he maintains a dignified presence.

"I've never worn a beige suit before, but the fabric is stretchy, so it's comfortable to wear. But it feels a bit strange because I'm not used to it, like I'm not myself. I think I can go to work in this style, but I'm sure people will be asking me, 'What's up with you today!?' (laughs)."

▶Related article : Former J-League player sheds his all-black attire as he takes on a new challenge in a new environment
What kind of clothes can cover up the "baseball physique" that people with lower body concerns have?
Even large American football players can wear it stylishly!

Photograph: Tastuya Ozawa
Text: Yasuyuki Ikeda

＊All prices include tax.
＊The information in this article is current as of the time of publication. Product information may be revised or changed without notice.