Thespakusatsu Gunma

The club was founded in 1995 in Kusatsu, one of the most well-known spa resorts in Japan, as Liaison Kusatsu Football Club.[1] The players were students of the specialized training college Higashi Nihon Soccer Academy. When the school closed in 1999 due to financial difficulties, the players decided to stay in Kusatsu and keep the club alive. In 2002, the club was incorporated as K.K. Kusatsu Onsen Football Club with a future promotion to the J. League in mind and adopted the new team name Thespa Kusatsu (ザスパ草津, zasupa kusatsu), meaning "The Spa, Kusatsu".[1]

Because of J. League restrictions on stadiums, they play at Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma (Shikishima Athletics Stadium) in nearby Maebashi, the prefectural capital since the club was promoted to J. League Division 2 in the 2005 season.[2]

From 1 February 2013, the club adopted the new name "Thespakusatsu Gunma", to give the impression of the club as a representative of the entire Gunma Prefecture, while still leaving the name "Kusatsu" in it, as well as the logo of the club as it is.[3][4]

After 12 years spent in the J2 League, Thespakusatsu Gunma was relegated to the J3 League for the first time in their history, having finished as the last-placed team in the 2017 J2 League. Gunma returned to the J2 League ahead of the 2020 season, being promoted back to J2 after two years spent in J3.

Key

As of 16 August 2023.[5] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  JPN Keiki Shimizu 2 DF  JPN Hayate Shirowa 3 DF  JPN Hiroto Hatao 4 MF  JPN Yuki Kawakami 5 MF  JPN Chie Edoojon Kawakami 6 MF  JPN Tatsuya Uchida 7 FW  JPN Riyo Kawamoto 8 MF  JPN Yuzo Iwakami 9 FW  JPN Shuto Kitagawa 10 MF  JPN Ryo Sato 13 FW  JPN Hayate Take (on loan from Blaublitz Akita) 14 MF  JPN Tomoyuki Shiraishi 15 MF  JPN Koki Kazama 17 MF  JPN Atsuki Yamanaka 18 FW  JPN Luna Iwamoto 19 DF  JPN Kazuma Okamoto

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 MF  JPN Yudai Nakata 21 GK  JPN Masatoshi Kushibiki 22 DF  JPN Yuriya Takahashi 23 FW  JPN Shu Hiramatsu 24 DF  JPN Shuichi Sakai 27 MF  JPN Koji Okumura 29 DF  JPN Ryota Tagashira DSP 30 FW  JPN Toranosuke Onoseki 33 DF  JPN Hajime Hosogai 35 FW  JPN Taishi Tamashiro DSP 36 DF  JPN Daiki Nakashio 38 MF  JPN Taiki Amagasa 39 FW  JPN Akito Takagi 42 GK  JPN Ryo Ishii 44 GK  JPN Koji Yamada 47 MF  JPN Ryuji Sugimoto (on loan from Tokyo Verdy)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 41 MF  JPN Yu Tabei (on loan at Reilac Shiga) — MF  JPN Shumpei Fukahori (on loan at Ehime FC)

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  JPN Kazune Kubota (on loan at FC Gifu) — MF  JPN Keita Toyama (on loan at Tiamo Hirakata)

For the 2023 season.[6]

Position	Name
Manager	Tsuyoshi Otsuki
Assistant manager	Akira Muto
First-team coach	Kentaro Yoshida Shunsuke Nakano
Goalkeeper coach	Hidetoyo Watanabe
Trainer	Ryo Murakami Yutaka Yamamoto
Physical coach	Yutaka Aoki
Conditioning coach	Koki Katakai
General manager	Kosuke Hara Riku Takahashi Ryota Osawa

• Official Site (in Japanese)