It’s well known that Guido Buchwald not only has legendary status at VfB and in German football; Stuttgart’s honorary captain also enjoys high standing and great popularity in Japan to this day. His spell with the Urawa Red Diamonds, first as player then as coach, made him one of the first European stars in the Japanese J League. Together with Kärcher, VfB Stuttgart’s regional partner for Japan since this season, Buchwald recently travelled to the Far East and took part in several different campaigns organised by Kärcher as part of VfB’s internationalisation activities.
Artwork on the dam
Kicking things off was a visit to the Matsudagawa Dam, which an international team from Kärcher is not only currently cleaning but also providing with an impressive artwork in the coming weeks using pressure washing. Buchwald was given the honour of carving the image of the VfB badge.
Enthusiastic fans and a keen audience
At the CAINZ Misono Store in Urawa, numerous fans – including supporters of the Urawa Red Diamonds and members of the official VfB fan club in Japan – greeted the 1990 World Cup winner. Together with former VfB player Hajime Hosogai, Buchwald looked back on his time in Japan during a talk, before both made themselves available for autographs and selfies. The trip concluded with an invitation to Kärcher’s Japanese headquarters in Yokohama, where around 300 employees listened intently to a keynote speech by Buchwald about his experiences as a player and coach in the country.
“The reception from the Japanese football fans and their interest in VfB as well as in the Bundesliga are huge,” highlighted Buchwald following his return. “We will continue to build on that. I’m happy that I could contribute to the continued development of our ties to Japan and our partnership with Kärcher with this trip.”