Japan's love of rugby may have taken a slight hit after the national team's loss to South Africa last week in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals, but the tournament has let fans here discover new teams to root for, New Zealand in particular.
"I got into the appeal of rugby with the World Cup being hosted by Japan," says Kazushi Toyota, a Tokyo-based photographer. "In particular, the All Blacks are on another level, and I've known of them since even before I became interested in rugby. I plan to follow them and their successes after the games. They are the best!"
One local fan who has a unique perspective on the All Blacks is Luke McAlister, who, once upon a time, played flyhalf for the team.