Arte Takasaki
Encyclopedia
are a football club based in Takasaki
, Gunma Prefecture
, Japan. They play in the Japan Football League
. Their team colours are black and red.
Arte means art in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
The club won all the games in the 2000 Gunma Prefecture League Division 2. They won the 2001 Division 1 championship again without dropping any point. They won the Kanto Regional League Division 1 in 2003 and gained a JFL status in 2004 after winning the play-off.
In 2005, they dropped "Gunma" from their name. It is widely believed that this was a move to appeal more to people in Takasaki area rather than whole Gunma after Thespa Kusatsu
became the first J. League
side in the prefecture.
In January 2006, they adopted new name Arte Takasaki.
The 2007 season has taken a new tumble for them, already guaranteed a last place finish, and will need to rely on at least one team's promotion to J2 to avoid relegation. Losing to Gifu
on the last day of the season 2-0, they were theoretically guaranteed a reprieve that was made official once Gifu and Kumamoto
were approved for promotion to J2.
In 2008, they fared not much better, finishing with only Mitsubishi Mizushima
below them, and again they were reprieved when Tochigi
, Toyama
and Okayama were promoted.
Following a fairly safe 2009, the team again stood at the tip of relegation after finishing 17th in 2010, but kept their place in the division by defeating company team Sanyo
Sumoto
S.C., the 3rd place team from the Regional Promotion Series tournament, in a promotion/relegation series.
. The club is trying to persuade the local governments concerned to build a soccer-specific stadium
on the former Takasaki Horserace Track site. However, it is not clear how the site will be utilised in the future because many different parties such as the prefecture, the city and private entities have their titles to the site and it seems to take time to solve the issue.
Takasaki, Gunma
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1900.Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen stop....
, Gunma Prefecture
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
, Japan. They play in the Japan Football League
Japan Football League
The is the 3rd tier of the Japanese association football league system, following J. League Division 1 and J. League Division 2. Also known as the JFL, it is generally considered as the top amateur league in Japan although in reality it is a semi-professional league as many full-time footballers...
. Their team colours are black and red.
Arte means art in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
History
The club was founded as Makkī F.C. Kantō in 1996. Educational Corporation Horikoshi Gakuen took over the club in 2000. The reorganised club was briefly called Gunma F.C. Fortona but rebranded as Gunma F.C. Horikoshi due to a trademark issue.The club won all the games in the 2000 Gunma Prefecture League Division 2. They won the 2001 Division 1 championship again without dropping any point. They won the Kanto Regional League Division 1 in 2003 and gained a JFL status in 2004 after winning the play-off.
In 2005, they dropped "Gunma" from their name. It is widely believed that this was a move to appeal more to people in Takasaki area rather than whole Gunma after Thespa Kusatsu
Thespa Kusatsu
is a professional football club based in Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club plays in J. League Division 2. J. League Division 2 is the second professional football league in Japan....
became the first J. League
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
side in the prefecture.
In January 2006, they adopted new name Arte Takasaki.
The 2007 season has taken a new tumble for them, already guaranteed a last place finish, and will need to rely on at least one team's promotion to J2 to avoid relegation. Losing to Gifu
F.C. Gifu
is a Japanese football club based in Gifu Prefecture. Gifu were promoted to J. League Division 2 for the first time at the end of 2007, and played their first season in 2008 where they finished 13th. The team colour is green.-History:...
on the last day of the season 2-0, they were theoretically guaranteed a reprieve that was made official once Gifu and Kumamoto
Roasso Kumamoto
is a Japanese football club based in Kumamoto, the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture. Roasso Kumamoto was promoted to J. League Division 2 for the first time at the end of the 2007 season, and played their first season in 2008 where they finished 12th...
were approved for promotion to J2.
In 2008, they fared not much better, finishing with only Mitsubishi Mizushima
Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima F.C.
are a football club based in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. They play in the Okayama Prefectural League Division 1.-History:The club was founded in 1946 to provide recreational activities in the war-torn Mizushima area of Kurashiki city...
below them, and again they were reprieved when Tochigi
Tochigi S.C.
are a football club based in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. They play in the J. League Division 2. Their team colour is yellow.Tochigi, uniquely, is the only major Japanese professional club to retain the word "soccer" in its English name, despite efforts by football authorities to...
, Toyama
Kataller Toyama
Kataller Toyama is a football club in Japan that was formed from the merger of the old ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP F.C. clubs. They currently play in J...
and Okayama were promoted.
Following a fairly safe 2009, the team again stood at the tip of relegation after finishing 17th in 2010, but kept their place in the division by defeating company team Sanyo
Sanyo
is a major electronics company and member of the Fortune 500 whose headquarters is located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo targets the middle of the market and has over 230 Subsidiaries and Affiliates....
Sumoto
Sumoto, Hyogo
is a city located on Awaji Island, Hyōgo, Japan. The city was founded on February 11, 1940.As of March 31, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 50,087 and a density of 267 persons per km²...
S.C., the 3rd place team from the Regional Promotion Series tournament, in a promotion/relegation series.
Stadiums
They play their home games mainly in Takasaki Hamakawa Athletic Stadium but also use Shikishima Athletic Stadium and Shikishima Soccer and Rugby Stadium in MaebashiMaebashi, Gunma
is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1892, by the samurai Makuba Kawai.On December 5, 2004 the town of Ōgo, and the villages of Kasukawa and Miyagi, all from Seta District, were merged into Maebashi....
. The club is trying to persuade the local governments concerned to build a soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Korea coined by Lamar Hunt, to refer to a sports stadium either purpose built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multipurpose...
on the former Takasaki Horserace Track site. However, it is not clear how the site will be utilised in the future because many different parties such as the prefecture, the city and private entities have their titles to the site and it seems to take time to solve the issue.
Current squad
As of February 14, 2011Retired number
To commemorate Kosuke Kato who died of a heart attack during a practice session in February 2005, his number 30 is retired.External links
- (Japanese) Official Website