Shinshu Brave Warriors

The Shinshu Brave Warriors is a professional basketball team that competes in the first division of the Japanese B.League. The team was formed in 2011 and as of the 2016–17 season played in the Central Division (Naka-chiku) of the B2 League. The team name comes from a desire to show the tradition of the Nagano prefecture, formerly called Shinshu. And to liken the players to the ninja and samurai warriors who fought and trained in the area in times past. Their official home is in Chikuma City, just south of the prefectural capital of Nagano City, however games are sometimes played in Nagano itself or in other nearby cities such as Matsumoto.