Kazushi Mitsuhira

1.1. School and Youth Football

Mitsuhira began his youth football career with Ohne SC before joining Verdy SS Sagamihara from 2000 to 2002 while attending Hadano Municipal Ohne Junior High School. He then continued to play football during his time at Hadano Minamigaoka High School from 2003 to 2005. Despite his later success, he was considered a relatively unknown player during his high school years.

1.2. University and Special Designated Player

From 2006 to 2009, Mitsuhira attended Kanagawa University and played for its football club. His performance in a practice match caught the attention of the then-coach of Kanagawa University's football team, leading to his enrollment. In his second year (2007), he scored 18 goals in the Kanto University Second Division League, playing a pivotal role in the team's promotion to the First Division. In his third year (2008), he scored 10 goals in the Kanto First Division League, ranking fifth in scoring.

In the same year, while still a university student, Mitsuhira was registered as a Special Designated Player for Shonan Bellmare. During this period, he made 4 appearances in the J2 League and scored 1 goal. He attracted interest from multiple professional clubs, including FC Tokyo, but ultimately chose to join Shonan Bellmare due to their early offer. His official joining was announced in August 2009 for the upcoming season.

2.1. Shonan Bellmare and Oita Trinita (First Stint)

Mitsuhira officially joined Shonan Bellmare in 2010. He made his professional debut on March 20, in the third match of the season against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute. On May 5, in the tenth match against Vissel Kobe, he scored his first J1 League goal, an equalizer in the 78th minute. In his first season, he made 17 appearances across all competitions, scoring 3 goals.

In 2011, Mitsuhira was loaned to Oita Trinita in the J2 League. Under manager Kazuaki Tasaka, he was converted to a right wing-back, utilizing his speed to frequently advance towards the goal, where he scored 5 goals. He extended his loan to Oita for the 2012 season, stating his desire to achieve more with the club. During this period, he improved his defensive play by understanding one-on-one spacing. Offensively, despite being heavily marked during set pieces, he scored numerous goals with high-flying headers, netting a career-high 14 goals. He was the team's top scorer alongside Yasuhito Morishima and contributed to Oita's promotion to the J1 League. At the end of the season, he was selected for the "J2 Exciting 22" based on fan votes.

2.2. Kyoto Sanga F.C.

After the expiration of his loan to Oita, Mitsuhira made a permanent transfer to Kyoto Sanga F.C. in 2013. He played as one of the two strikers in a two-top formation or as a right winger in a three-top formation. He made 38 league appearances that year. In the third match of the J2 season against Avispa Fukuoka, he came on as a substitute in the 87th minute and scored the winning goal in injury time (90th+1 minute), securing the team's first win of the season. In the 34th match against Kataller Toyama, he scored a notable goal by nutmegging an opponent. He participated in the J1 Promotion Play-off for the second consecutive year since his time at Oita, but Kyoto Sanga was defeated by Tokushima Vortis in the final, failing to achieve J1 promotion. Over his two years with Kyoto Sanga, he made 66 league appearances and scored 15 goals.

2.3. Oita Trinita (Second Stint)

In 2015, Mitsuhira returned to Oita Trinita on a permanent transfer, three years after his first stint. He remained with the club in 2016 even after their relegation to the J3 League. Despite being limited to 15 appearances due to injuries, including a left hamstring strain that sidelined him for about four weeks, he scored 10 goals, ranking second on the team. Notably, he scored two goals in consecutive matches: the 29th match against YSCC Yokohama and the final match against Gainare Tottori. His contributions were instrumental in Oita's J3 League championship win and their immediate return to the J2 League.

In 2017, playing again in J2, he started in 31 matches, scoring 5 goals. His direct volley goal in the 79th minute of the 18th match against Yokohama FC was praised by overseas media outlet "sportkeeda" as a "shocking goal".

In 2018, he initially struggled for playing time, starting only 3 of his first 12 appearances. However, he maintained his condition by "not blaming others but rather turning the arrow towards himself." He returned to the starting lineup in the 26th match against FC Gifu, where he scored a goal, remarking that if he didn't perform, his season would be over. Following this, he re-established himself as a regular starter. In October, he scored 3 goals, including a decisive goal against league leaders Matsumoto Yamaga FC, contributing significantly to the team's momentum. This performance, combined with his role as a mood maker on and off the pitch, earned him the J2 League Monthly MVP award for October. He finished the season with 10 goals, marking his first double-digit goal tally in J2 since 2012. Oita Trinita won all 8 matches in which he scored, ultimately contributing to their third promotion to the J1 League.

In 2019, his first J1 season since his rookie year, Mitsuhira had limited playing opportunities in the first half of the season. However, he saw increased playing time in the latter half after Noriaki Fujimoto transferred. He appeared in 24 official matches and scored 7 goals, including a streak of three consecutive goals in J1 matches from the 26th match against Shonan to the 28th match against Nagoya Grampus. His contract with Oita Trinita expired at the end of the 2020 season, and he departed the club.

2.4. Ventforet Kofu

In 2021, Mitsuhira joined Ventforet Kofu. In the 2022 Emperor's Cup, he scored the opening goal in the quarter-final against J1 side Avispa Fukuoka, helping the club reach the semi-finals for the first time in its history. In the final against J1's Sanfrecce Hiroshima, he was involved in a trick play from a corner kick, scoring the opening goal. His performance throughout the tournament, with 4 goals in 4 Emperor's Cup appearances, significantly contributed to Ventforet Kofu's first-ever Emperor's Cup victory and their first major domestic title.

4.1. Playing Style and Characteristics

Mitsuhira primarily plays as a forward or midfielder. He is right-footed and is known for utilizing his speed on the field. He is 69 in ^{(175 cm)} tall and weighs 150 lb ^{(68 kg)}. He has a knack for scoring goals with powerful headers, particularly from set-piece situations, which was evident during his time at Oita Trinita. He has also demonstrated improvement in his defensive game, particularly in one-on-one situations. Mitsuhira attributes his development in tactical awareness, such as movement and positioning, to his time under coach Takeshi Oki at Kyoto Sanga, stating, "The current me exists thanks to Oki-san."

Mitsuhira has earned a reputation as a "miracle worker" because in every year he has scored double-digit goals (2012, 2016, 2018, 2022), his club has achieved a significant milestone: Oita Trinita secured promotion three times, and Ventforet Kofu won the Emperor's Cup.

4.2. Personal Life and Anecdotes

Mitsuhira is known by the nickname "Sanpei" (サンペイ^Japanese). He possesses a bright personality and is widely regarded as a mood maker, capable of enlivening the atmosphere around him. His role as a positive influence on and off the pitch was cited as one of the reasons for his J2 Monthly MVP award in October 2018.

He enjoys fishing as a hobby. During his first stint at Oita Trinita, he and several teammates pooled their money to purchase a bass fishing boat, which they then donated to the club's player dormitory.

On September 7, 2017, he announced his marriage to a woman not involved in the public eye. An amusing anecdote from his time at Ventforet Kofu is that he once mistakenly addressed his coach, Akira Ito, as "Welly," the nickname of the team's physical coach, Wellington Vaucuel Coelho. Mitsuhira has also mentioned that he has poor eyesight but does not wear contact lenses.

6.1. Club

• Oita Trinita
  • J3 League: 2016
• Ventforet Kofu
  • Emperor's Cup: 2022

6.2. Individual

• J2 Exciting 22: 2012
• J2 Monthly MVP: October 2018