A14. Here is an explanation of where the names and mascots came from.

Consadole Sapporo
Hokkaido people call themselves dosanko (meaning "children born in Hokkaido"). Read backwards, the Japanese characters for this become ko-n-sa-do. Add the Latin sound ole at the end, and you get the name Consadole. This is the only J. League club in Hokkaido, and the name signifies bringing the passion of soccer to this northern land. The team mascot is modeled on the Blakiston's fish owl, the largest owl in Japan, which lives in Hokkaido.

Vegalta Sendai
Vegalta is a combination of Vega and Altair, the names of two stars that cross each other's path once a year on the night of Tanabata (July 7). The stars are said to represent a weaver and a cowherd who fell in love but, like the stars, could only meet once a year. Sendai, the home city of the team, is the venue for a huge Tanabata Festival that is famous all over Japan.

The team mascot is a golden-eagle character. In Greek mythology the golden eagle is said to bring victory. The reason for choosing a golden eagle is that the star Altair belongs to the Eagle group of stars.

Kashima Antlers
The name Antlers refers to the antlers of the deer that live in the deer park at Kashima Shrine. Local people love the deer because they are said to be helpers of the gods. And deer also have the image of strong animals who fight bravely with their sharp antlers. The team mascot is also a deer.

Urawa Red Diamonds
Also known as Urawa Reds. The red of the name, which is also the color of the team uniform, comes from a soccer comic called Akaki chi no irebun (The Dark Red Eleven), which was modeled on a local high school and took Japan by storm. The logo of Mitsubishi Motors, the company that created the club, is a diamond, and this influenced the choice of Diamonds for the team name. The team mascot is nicknamed Redia. It was designed by taking the initials of Mitsubishi Urawa Football Club - the name of the team when the J. League was launched - and using the shape of these letters to make a character. For example, Redia's ears look like the letter M.

JEF United Ichihara
JEF comes from the first letters of the names of the team's parent companies, JR East and Furukawa Electric. "United" signifies the coming together of these letters, and also the union of the team and the local community. The team mascots are two Akita-breed dogs, brothers called Jeffy and Unity.

Kashiwa Reysol
Kashiwa is one of the many J. League clubs that get their name from Latin languages. Reysol is a combination of two Spanish words, rey (king) and sol (sun), so it means "sun king." As well as expressing the vast power of a king, it suggests kindness and friendliness. The team mascot represents a "sun prince."

F.C. Tokyo
This name was chosen for a simple reason: the team is based in Tokyo and is a football club. It suggests that the team hopes for support from people all over the city. It is the only team in the J. League First Division that does not have a mascot.

Tokyo Verdy 1969
Verdy comes from the Portuguese word verde, meaning green. It has been used since the days of the club's previous incarnations as the semi-professional Yomiuri Club and the professional Verdy Kawasaki. It was chosen because green is the team color. The current name was adopted when the club moved its base to Tokyo in 2001. 1969 is the year that Yomiuri Club was launched. The team mascot is a condor character who is giving the thumbs-up in a Brazilian-style pose.

Yokohama F. Marinos
Marinos is Spanish for "sailors." The name combines the image of Yokohama, Japan's largest international port, with the idea of the team crossing the sea to the world. The team mascot, a sea gull character, is also a symbol of Yokohama as a port city.

Shimizu S-Pulse
The "S" of S-Pulse stands for "soccer," the team's hometown of Shimizu, and home prefecture, Shizuoka. Combined with Pulse (meaning "heartbeat") the name expresses the soccer passion of Shizuoka, which is known as a strong region for the sport. The team mascot is called Pal, another word for "friend," symbolizing the connection between the team and its supporters.

Jubilo Iwata
Jubilo is Portuguese for "delight." This choice of name is a reflection of the fact that Japanese soccer has been heavily influenced by the soccer of Brazil (where Portuguese is spoken). The team mascot is modeled on Shizuoka's prefectural bird, the black paradise flycatcher. This bird has a small body and flies in pretty patterns, so it symbolizes the fast, stylish attacking play of the Jubilo team.

Nagoya Grampus Eight
Grampus is another name for killer whales, which are a symbol of Nagoya. Eight comes from the badge of Nagoya City. In Japan the Chinese character for the number eight expresses the idea of getting wider and wider, and is thought of as a lucky number. The team mascot, called Grampus-kun, is also modeled after a killer whale. He moves faintly, but he is one of the most popular mascots in the J. League.

Kyoto Purple Sanga
The name Purple comes from the team color of the club's former incarnation, Kyoto Shiko Club. Sanga means "fellowship" in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. Sanskrit was chosen because Kyoto, used to be a lively center of research on the Sutras (sacred Buddhist texts), which are written in Sanskrit. Kyoto still has many Buddhist temples. The team mascot, a phoenix-like character, is also influenced by the decorations of famous temples.

Gamba Osaka
Gamba is Italian for "leg." This name was chosen because soccer is a sport you play with your legs. It also sounds like the Japanese gambaru (to try hard). The name is popular among the people of Osaka, who like plays on words. The team mascot, called Gamba Boy, represents a soccer-mad boy trying his hardest to win a game.

Vissel Kobe
Vissel is a blend of the English words "victory" and "vessel." It carries the image of a "winning boat," and was chosen to reflect Kobe's status as one of western Japan's most famous international ports. The team mascot is a cow, an animal closely associated with Kobe and Hyogo Prefecture, which are famous for their beef.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Sanfrecce was the most talked-about team name when the J. League was launched. It is a combination of the Japanese word san (three) and the Italian word frecce (arrow). It was chosen because of a saying by Motonari Mori, an ancient feudal commander in the area near Hiroshima. He said: "One arrow bends, but three arrows do not bend." The name symbolizes the unity of the team and fans. The team mascot, called Sanche, is modeled on a bear from the Chugoku region. It suggests kindness and friendliness to fans but also fierce strength against opposing teams.