Rugby World Cup: Teams set for unique Japanese welcome

World Rugby and the Rugby World Cup 2019 organising committee have announced details of the uniquely Japanese welcome that the 20 teams will receive next month.

Official participation medals and caps will be presented at each of the ceremonies.

The Springboks Rugby World Cup welcome

The Springboks first official RWC 2019 engagement will be a ceremony on September 14 in Urayasu City, close to Japan’s capital Tokyo.

The ceremonies are an opportunity for the local community, the Japan RFU and World Rugby to officially welcome all teams to Japan and to the Rugby World Cup.

The ceremonies will take place in iconic locations spread across the length and breadth of Japan, from the northern island of Hokkaido to the tropical island paradise of Okinawa, more than 2,600 kilometres to the south.

Locations for the 20 ceremonies include the famous Zōjōji Temple at the foot of Tokyo Tower in centre of the capital, a historical sumo wrestling hall in Osaka and one of the finest examples of Western neo-classical architecture from Japan’s Meiji era, the Bunshokan in Yamagata City.

“During the ceremony, all 31 playing team members will receive their Rugby World Cup 2019 Cap (a rugby tradition), while the entire team, including coaches and management will receive the Rugby World Cup 2019 Participation Medal,” a World Rugby press release reads.

“Designed by Japanese master craftsman and national living treasure Minori Yoshita, the medals capture Japan’s seamless blend of respect for tradition, with its deep spirit of innovation.

“The medal face is adorned with Japan’s beloved sakura, the ubiquitous cherry blossom held so dear by all Japan.

“The sakura motif frames the unmissable Rugby World Cup 2019 logo symbolising the coming together of Japan as it welcomes the global rugby community, with the Rising Sun and Mount Fuji blended into World Rugby’s iconic logo.

“The reverse side features a silhouette of rugby’s greatest prize, the Webb Ellis Cup encapsulated in a circle representing the 20 competing nations at Rugby World Cup 2019.

“Born in 1932 and recognised as a National Living Treasure of Japan in 2011, Minori Yoshita is the master of the world famous Nishikiyama Kiln. He is an expert in Yūri-kinsai, a highly specialised gold leaf-application technique used in Japanese pottery and porcelain. The technique is the inspiration behind the prominent sakura motifs adorning the Rugby World Cup 2019 Participation Medals.”

The Rugby World Cup organising committee take Japan’s reputation for hospitality very seriously.

Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee CEO Akira Shimazu said: “In Japan we take the welcome and hospitality we afford to our guests very seriously. The word ‘ometenashi’ describes the spirit of hospitality in which all visitors are offered the very best welcome possible. We look forward to welcoming all 20 teams and presenting them with a Rugby World Cup medal symbolising both our gratitude and welcome. These medals capture the most iconic symbols of Japan – our beloved cherry blossoms and the rising sun atop of Mount Fuji, combining them with the unmistakable image of the Webb Ellis Cup. They signify the bonds of friendship and respect that bind the world of rugby as Japan proudly hosts Asia’s first Rugby World Cup.”

World Rugby hope that hosting the RWC in Japan will help the game expand beyond its traditional base.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Rugby World Cup 2019 will be a truly unique celebration of Japanese culture and tradition and rugby’s character-building values and the teams are at the heart of the story. The official welcome ceremonies symbolise the start of the tournament and will showcase the truly nationwide warmth of the support that the world’s best teams and their fans will receive in Japan.”

RWC welcome ceremony details

TEAM	DATE	VENUE
Fiji	Friday, 13 September	Abashiri City, Hokkaido
Ireland	Friday, 13 September	Chiba City, Chiba Pref.
Argentina	Friday, 13 September	Fukushima City, Fukushima Pref.
Japan	Friday, 13 September	Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo
New Zealand	Saturday, 14 September	Minato Ward, Tokyo
South Africa	Saturday, 14 September	Urayasu City, Chiba Pref.
Namibia	Saturday, 14 September	Kamitonda Town, Wakayama Pref.
Russia	Saturday, 14 September	Saitama City, Saitama Pref.
France	Sunday, 15 September	Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Pref.
Scotland	Sunday, 15 September	Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Pref.
Italy	Sunday, 15 September	Sakai City, Osaka Pref.
Samoa	Monday, 16 September	Yamagata City, Yamagata Pref.
England	Monday, 16 September	Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Pref.
Wales	Monday, 16 September	Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Pref.
Canada	Wednesday, 18 September	Nagato City, Yamaguchi Pref.
USA	Wednesday, 18 September	Yomitan Village, Okinawa Pref.
Australia	Wednesday, 18 September	Ebetsu City, Hokkaido Pref.
Georgia	Wednesday, 18 September	Nagoya City, Aichi Pref.
Tonga	Thursday, 19 September	Sapporo City, Hokkaido Pref.
Uruguay	Thursday, 19 September	Kitakami City, Iwate Pref.