Hiroshima Dragonflies is a professional basketball team based in Hiroshima. The team operates while following the “Hiroshima Way.” It is also very involved in peace activities. We interviewed team president Ura Nobuyoshi about the connection between sports and peace. 

Professional basketball team
Hiroshima Dragonflies

It has been eight years since the team was established in 2013. The team colors come from the vermilion Miyajima torii gate and blue ocean. The team is named after the Miyajima Tonbo dragonfly found only on Miyajima (Itsukushima) island. I have been the team president for five years. We started in the lower B2 Division and was promoted to the top B1 Division last year where we are playing now.

Presenting our Hiroshima identity 
to the world.

Basketball still has a low profile in Japan, but it is a major sport in the world, boasting the highest number of players. Meanwhile, Hiroshima is world famous. When we play, we aim to present ourselves to the world as a “Hiroshima team” as we carry the legacy of Hiroshima. 

In basketball, the players have a custom of high-fiving each other no matter what, even for an error. We value this basketball culture of respecting others and Hiroshima’s desire for peace. It is our mission to spread awareness that “sports is possible only when there is peace.”

Our mission and role
as a Hiroshima team.

We put in the most effort into our “Origami Crane Award” for awarding the player who contributed the most to fair play during the game. One player from our home team and one player from the visiting team are selected for the award. Also, when the visiting team leaves the court after the game, our home team players and staff take the time to applaud them. It is our Hiroshima Way to show respect for the other team. We want this gesture and the Origami Crane Award to spread to other B.LEAGUE teams.

Our team philosophy is “GRIT for the moment. In that moment, in that instant, never give up.” “GRIT” means “never give up” and “strength to completely do it.” With the tenacity of the people, Hiroshima recovered well from World War II. We also have that DNA in us and want to express that spirit. For example, opposing teams may think of us as very tenacious or never giving up. The people of Hiroshima can then see our efforts and identify with us.

The importance being relevant to the local community and
ideas for the future.

We first aim to be the B.LEAGUE’s No. 1 team in social welfare activities including SDGs. During the pandemic, we learned that sports can be an energizer in people’s daily lives and also that the local people were supporting us. For our team to integrate in the local community, we must earn the trust of the local people. To this end, we promise to be sincere to everyone and work to make them our proud fans. 

Also, the new arena being planned* should become another icon of Hiroshima. It would also bring inbound visitors and revitalize the locality. With the new arena as our base, our dream is to promote Hiroshima as part of the world.

Ura Nobuyoshi
Born in Hiroshima Prefecture and joined Niigata Albirex BB and Fukuoka BB Boys as a pro basketball player. In 2016, appointed as president of Hiroshima Dragonflies. In 2020, attained the cherished goal to join the top B1 division.

Hiroshima Dragonflies
Founded in 2013 as a professional basketball team based at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall (Nishi-ku, Hiroshima). The team is currently playing hard in the top B1 division (West Conference). 
Hiroshima Dragonflies: http://hiroshimadragonflies.com/
B.LEAGUE: https://www.bleague.jp/

*Construction plans for the new arena
The new arena is being planned to make it a world-leading arena business model in Hiroshima. It is to become a new icon of Hiroshima and not just for basketball. To build an arena that can express Hiroshima to the world, the “New Arena Preparation Team” was started in September 2020.
HP: https://hiroshimadragonflies-arena.com/