HONOLULU — The University of Hawaii at Manoa men’s basketball team will embark this summer on its first international trip in five years, traveling to Japan for a goodwill tour.
The ten-day tour — running August 8-19 — will include stops in Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Kyoto with the Rainbow Warriors playing an exhibition game versus professional teams in each city. It will be UH’s second foreign tour under head coach Eran Ganot and first since traveling to Australia in 2018.
Per NCAA rules, UH will be allowed 10 extra practices to help prepare for the tour. The Rainbow Warriors return eight letter winners and three starters from last year’s squad — and will welcome a number of newcomers, including transfers Matthue Cotton (Yale) and Justin McKoy (North Carolina).
“We’re very excited to embark on this incredible tour to Japan,” Ganot said. “College teams have the opportunity to go on a foreign tour every four years and we want to make sure we take advantage of this rare opportunity. The extra practices and the competition against pro teams will help us build momentum into our season and integrate our newcomers. The cultural experience and team bonding will be immense.”
The trip will also provide an important bridge to an emerging Japanese basketball community, which has recently seen many of its players make an impact on the collegiate and NBA levels.
“It’s been incredible to follow the growth of the game globally and Japan has been no exception,” Ganot said. “With two players currently in the NBA, you can see how it has inspired the next generation. There are excellent professional teams and coaches in Japan and we look forward to learning more and building those key relationships moving forward.”
Beside basketball, the Rainbow Warriors will immerse themselves in cultural activities, including visits to the Imperial Palace, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and a Tokyo Giants baseball game.
“As we all know, there is tremendous synergy between Hawai’i and Japan,” Ganot said. “We’ll take great pride in representing our program, university and state — and are so excited to share this unique and special experience with our student-athletes, staff, and fans. As in our past tour to Australia, this will be a very interactive experience and fans will be encouraged and invited to spend time with us.”
Those interested in joining the tour or helping sponsor the trip can contact Alex Yano with the UH basketball program at (808) 956-6501 or alexyano@hawaii.edu