Tochigi Honda Heat

Honda Motor Co, Ltd. established its rugby club in 1961 at the Suzuka Factory. The team gained promotion to the Kansai A-League for the 1978 season, and then finished sixth in the seven-team competition for that year. Honda remained a fixture in the Kansai A-League, being demoted only once (for the 1985 season) before it was renamed the Top West A-League in 2003–04 with the introduction of Japan's Top League.^{[citation needed]}

Honda did not qualify for inclusion in the Top League for inaugural season—that had to wait for another six years—but the team continued to play in the Top West A-League. After winning the league in 2008-09 under New Zealander John Sherratt, Honda Heat was promoted. The team played one Top League season in 2009–10 before being demoted and another in 2011–12 before being demoted again to Top West A, where they remained for three seasons.^{[citation needed]}

Honda won the Top West A-League in 2014–15, and was promoted once again for the 2015–16 season of Top League, finishing at 11th place.^[4] So the team stayed for another term, this time ending the tournament at place 16th of 16 and being relegated to the newly introduced second-tier Top Challenge League.^[5]

The season 2017–18 was played as a round-robin tournament, the Heats managing to win and become promoted automatically for the 2018–19 Top League season, back to first tier status.^[6]

In late June 2026, following the conclusion of the 2025–26 Japan Rugby League One season, Honda Motor Co, Ltd. announced that its rugby team will be renamed the Tochigi Honda Heat ahead of the 2026–27 season, reflecting the team's relocation from Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, to Utsunomiya in Tochigi Prefecture.^[7][8] Alongside the name change, the club is introduced a refreshed visual identity, including a new emblem, logo, and an updated version of its mascot, "HEAT-KUN". The rebrand is intended to mark a new chapter for the 65-year-old team while honouring its history in Mie and strengthening its connection with its new home in Tochigi.^[7]

Honda said the move was part of a broader effort to deepen community engagement through rugby. The team plans to expand grassroots rugby development, school outreach programs, and participation in local events across Tochigi.^[7] A new clubhouse and training facility in Utsunomiya is scheduled to open by the end of August 2026, serving as both the team's operational base and a hub for community activities. Honda says these initiatives align with its vision of using sport to inspire people to pursue their goals and enrich communities.^[7]

The current Honda Heat squad for the 2026–27 season is:^[9]

• John Sherratt: April 2008 – March 2010^[10]
• Danny Lee: May 2017 - May 2021^[11]
• Taihei Ueda: June 2023 – present^[12]
• Kieran Crowley: 2024 - onwards

• Top League Challenge Series