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HONOLULU – The Hawai’i baseball team will get the rare opportunity to take a team trip out of the country, heading to Japan for a week-long stay from Nov. 4-10.
In partnership with the Hawai’i Tourism Authority, the Rainbow Warriors will travel to the Tokyo area and will play two exhibition games against Waseda University and Keio University. In addition to the two games, the trip will include two practices and a number of cultural and sightseeing activities.
“What an amazing opportunity for our young people and our university to represent the great state of Hawai’i in Japan, playing two of the top universities in Keio and Waseda.,” said head coach Rich Hill. “I’d like to thank Senator Glenn Wakai and HTA for their commitment to fostering and furthering relations with Japan in this exciting era.”
Japan Tour Game Schedule
Fri., Nov. 7 (Nov. 8 in Japan) – vs. Waseda University, 5 p.m. HT
Sat., Nov. 8 (Nov. 9 in Japan) – vs. Keio University, 5 p.m. HT
“The UH baseball team is going to Tokyo as Ambassadors of Aloha. The goal is to develop relationships, which will lead to a pipeline of athletes, cultivation of a fan base, and eventually corporate sponsorship,” said Senator Wakai. “UH needs to pay its athletes to be competitive. We can continue to struggle to get money locally and from the mainland, or we can play to our strengths and look on the other side of the Pacific.”
“Hawai’i’s athletes have long served as our ambassadors to the world, carrying our values, our culture, and our aloha wherever they go,” said interim president and CEO of HTA Caroline Anderson. “When our University of Hawai’i athletes travel to Japan, they will help nurture relationships and shared experiences that inspire dreams of visiting Hawai’i. A dream trip to Hawai’i is rarely sparked by a single ad or commercial. The dream builds through friendships, connection and a true sense of welcome.”
“We know it will take time for travel from Japan to recover fully, especially with the current exchange rate making trips more difficult. However, the desire to visit Hawai’i has always been rooted in something more profound than economics — it’s grounded in memory, connection and a sense of belonging. By continuing to show up, invest in these relationships, and honor our shared connections, we’re ensuring that, when the time is right, the dreams of visiting Hawai’i become a reality.
UH returns a number of key players from last year’s team, including pitchers Isaiah Magdaleno, Sebastian Gonzalez and Liam O’Brien. Leading the position players will be multi-year veterans of the program Ben Zeigler-Namoa, Elijah Ickes and Kamana Nahaku.
“This is a unique opportunity for our Rainbow Warriors to have a memorable cultural and athletic experience that is at the core of being a student-athlete,” said director of athletics Matt Elliott. “They will represent Hawai’i, build relationships, and bring the Aloha spirit to Japan. I want to thank HTA and Senator Wakai for helping make this possible.”
The ‘Bows also brought in a large group of newcomers made up of a mix of experienced transfers from other four-year programs and junior colleges, in addition to a talented crop of freshmen. Included in the bunch of incoming players is Japan native and Pima Community College transfer pitcher Tsubasa Tomii, who starred for the 2017 Japan Little League World Series winning team.
The Hawai’i baseball program has begun to open up a pipeline from Japan, with a handful of Japanese players in recent years starring for the program. Two-way standout Itsuki Takemoto was a fan-favorite for the program from 2024-25 before being selected by the Athletics in this year’s MLB Draft. Maaki Yamazaki was a two-year starter at shortstop from 2018-19 and later returned to the program as a graduate assistant in 2024, while Shunsuke Sakaino (infielder, 2025) was born in Japan and lived there during his early childhood before moving to the United States.
The Rainbow Warriors are currently wrapping up their Fall Ball workouts, which are scheduled to conclude the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 2 with the annual ‘Ohana Fall World Series. Fans are invited to get an early look at the 2026 Rainbow Warriors. Admission is free and open to the public, however, concession stands will not be open.
Fall World Series Schedule
Fri., Oct. 31 – 5 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 1 – 4 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 2 – 1 p.m.
UH will then take on Hawai’i Pacific in an exhibition on Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium. That game will also be free and open to the public.
AloJapan.com