Student teams played a major role in Japanese rugby for many years. Later, club teams were formed by young university alumni because the quality of the students teams could no longer be maintained owing to the war and reforms to to the school system. Then a rugby championship for company workers, starting in 1948, contributed to the promotion of corporate rugby. Before the war, it is said that only the Korean Railroad team could stand up to the student teams.
The first corporate championship was held between the three teams of Kintetsu, Toshiba and Haitan-kodan. Later, government teams joined from the fourth championship, which was renamed the National Corporate Rugby Football Tournament. At the same time, a local preliminary system was adopted, making this a tournament to determine the best corporate team. The matches were alternately held at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium and at Hanazono Stadium.
The scene from the opening ceremony of the early Showa era.
The Kintetsu fifteen who won the 14th Corporate Rugby Football Tournament in 1961.