ˈæftɚ ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾɪŋ fɹʌm tʃˈiːbə ˈaɪwə hˈaɪ skˈuːl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti, hiː dʒˈɔɪnd fuːdʒˈiːɾə ˈɪndʌstɹiz lˈeɪɾɚ bˈɛlmɛɹ hˈɜːɹɐtsˌuːkə, ʃˈoʊnən bˈɛlmɛɹ plˈeɪɪŋ ɪnðə dʒəpˈæn sˈɑːkɚ lˈiːɡ dᵻvˈɪʒən tˈuː.
After graduating from Chiba Eiwa High School in 1990, he joined Fujita Industries (later Bellmare Hiratsuka, Shonan Bellmare) playing in the Japan Soccer League Division 2.