Okinawa Kariyushi F.C.

Okinawa Kariyushi F.C. was established in 1999 as the official football club of the Kariyushi Hotel Group, a hotel chain based in Okinawa. The team saw early action in competitions within the prefecture of Okinawa, including a runner-up finish in the Okinawa Times Cup Prefecture Football Championship, a qualifying tournament for the Emperor's Cup.

Starting in 2001, the club began competing in the first division of the Okinawa Prefectural League, in an attempt to earn promotion to the Japan Professional Football League. Former Tokyo Verdy player Ruy Ramos was hired as the team's player-manager in 2002, and the team established a satellite team known as Kariyushi Saussha for development purposes. In the same year, they played for the first time as representatives of Okinawa Prefecture in the 81st Emperor's Cup.

In 2002 and 2003, Okinawa Kariyushi F.C. finished in first place in the Kyushu Football League and advanced to the Emperor's Cup, with a promotion to the Japan Football League at stake. However, the team lost in the preliminary rounds in both tournaments. Following the 2003 season, Ramos and several other players left the team after a major disagreement and started a separate club, FC Ryukyu. This led to the club's disintegration, and the team's 27-man roster was disbanded.^[1]

In 2006, Okinawa Kariyushi F.C. began a series of reorganization efforts, centered around its satellite team Kariyushi Saussha, and rejoined the Kyushu Football League. The following year, the club advanced to the Emperor's Cup for the first time in four years, earning the right to participate over FC Ryukyu. Due to burgeoning travel and operational costs, club management subsequently announced a three-year plan to pay off debts while suspending player salaries, in order to maintain financial standing to remain in the Kyushu Football League.^[2]

In 2008, the first year of the three-year plan, Okinawa Kariyushi F.C. finished atop the Kyushu Football League, but lost to Yokohama FC in the third round of the Emperor's Cup. In 2009, the club advanced to the Emperor's Cup for the second consecutive year, but suffered a 4–0 loss to Nagoya Grampus in the second round, missing a chance to earn promotion.

On 10 December 2009, club president Shigeru Yuanaga announced that Okinawa Kariyushi F.C. would be permanently dissolved at the end of January 2010. Shigeru stated that the team's operating expenses, including travel costs and player salaries, had become too much for the club to bear, and a series of sponsorship negotiations with outside companies had fallen through.^[3] Following the announcement, several of the team's players and managers moved to FC Ryukyu.

"Kariyushi" is the word in the local dialect meaning "happiness" and "auspicious things". "I will aim for the local people's dreams and hopes, and aim for a team to give vitality", was the team's motto.

Team colours were Orange and Marine Blue, representing the sun and the sea of Okinawa. Goalkeeping kits were green (home) and yellow (away).

Key

• Pos. = Position in league; GP = Games played; W (PK) = Games won (Games won by penalty kicks); L (PK) = Games Lost (Games lost by penalty kicks); F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points gained

• FC Ryukyu
• Okinawa SV