Mikitani House is a place for young athletes who left home to pursue soccer everyday, to fulfill their dreams of becoming a professional athlete. A players’ dormitory is indispensable for sports teams aiming for long-term growth. What does daily life look like for the academy’s rising talents inside the dorm? We got special permission from Vissel Kibe to cover Mikitani House, which is located right next to the training facility.

Nutritious meals provided after training sessions help the players recover while also strengthening their bodies. A peaceful, natural environment helps athletes optimize their physical recovery and conditioning. Mikitani House provides an environment where young athletes can focus entirely on soccer, allowing them to maximize their potential during their critical development years. How do the players’ mindsets shape their daily lives? What does the nutritionist bring to her interactions with the players? Vissel Kobe’s philosophy to cultivate internally driven athletes became clear.

Mikitani House stands in a quiet residential area adjacent to the training facility. Extensions have been added since its completion in 2009 to make it what it is today.

Approximately 30 young players live together in Mikitani House. While many other dormitories have strict rules and regulations, there are no detailed restrictions here. With specific time frames are set for training and meals, everything else is left to the players’ own judgment. Player Juzo Ura says it’s important for each individual to live autonomously.

“I usually wake up at around 6:30 in the morning, take a shower, and have breakfast. Since I have training at 10, I work backward from there to plan my day―I leave the dorm at 9 and head to the training facility early to do stretching. I think preparation before practice and post-match recovery are essential to preventing injuries, so I take my time for that. After training and strength work, the rest is free time. I eat a proper meal, take a nap, and focus on recovering my energy. It’s nice that I can control my own lifestyle here, but I understand that it’s also completely up to me to put in the effort or slack off. It’s an environment that demands self-discipline as a professional soccer player.” (Juzo Ura)

Born in 2004, Ura hails from Fukuoka Prefecture. The “tidiest person in the dormitory” invited us to see his room.

Inside Ura’s room, we found neatly organized shoe boxes and carefully folded clothes, offering a glimpse of the life of an ordinary young person. What stood out the most were the autographed jerseys of former Vissel Kobe players Iniesta and Samper. He says that training together with top-team stars gives him an incredible sense of daily inspiration.

“I was incredibly happy when we won the J.League championship, but I was also frustrated that I couldn’t be on the pitch at that moment. That’s why I started working even harder.” (Juzo Ura)

When we visited the dining hall, we were greeted by the appetizing smell of delicious food. As befitting a dormitory for young players in their prime, things like onigiri (rice balls) and bananas are always available for easy nutrition. Menus are calculated to serve over 4,000 kcal per day across three meals. Mikuni, the nutritionist putting her skills to work, told us she designs the menus while also being mindful of each individual player’s condition.

“Since these are high school and university-aged players, I think about side dishes that will make them eat well, or cut back on high-fat items―all sorts of tricks to help them eat a solid amount. That said, they’re growing boys, so when I occasionally put out hamburgers or curry, they’re gone in an instant! I want the players to be conscious about nutrition and think about what they’re putting in their bodies instead of just forcing nutritious food on them, so I try to communicate a lot with them when I curate the meals.” (Mikuni)

Mikuni says she worked part-time in the kitchen at Mikitani House when she was a student. She left for a period, then returned in 2023 as head chef.

Precisely because these players are still developing, acquiring knowledge about nutrition themselves and building a strong body is also important. Mikuni says one of the joys of being a nutritionist is being able to watch the players grow.

“Seeing a player who was thin and small when they first moved into the dorm gradually getting bigger over the years gives me a real sense of purpose. It makes me happy to see that the means we provide are helping the players perform better.” (Mikuni)

Kaito Yamada, a player on the Vissel Kobe youth team, is a defender who has been selected for the U-17 Japan national team, but he is slender compared to the top-team players. He is currently consulting with the nutritionist to aim for weight gain.

“Center backs absolutely cannot be outmuscled. I’m very conscious of dietary management on a daily basis to build a strong body. Even when I eat out, I send photos of the food to the nutritionist to get advice.” (Kaito Yamada)

Born in 2006, Yamada is a native of Hyogo Prefecture. At 191 cm tall, he is currently working on gaining weight to make even better use of his height.

For youth team players, living under one roof with many teammates means bonds deepen easily. That environment is also a plus for Yamada.

“During exam season, we gather in the dining hall and study together, and on days off we sometimes go to the movies. Daily life here is really fun. Of course we watch games together too. Since we spend time not just playing soccer together but also our time off together, we naturally become close friends. And since we’re also teammates and rivals, I think it’s an environment where we’re always pushing each other to improve.” (Kaito Yamada)

Whether the comfortable living environment and nutritionally rich meals are put to use in soccer is entirely up to each player. They can mature as a player only through self regulation and self-direction. Mikitani House might be cultivating that kind of high professional awareness. Who will be the next player to take flight from here? Vissel Kobe’s future stars are making steady progress.

TEXT: Kodai Wada
INTERVIEW: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)
PHOTO: Teppei Hori