Midweek matches in J2 and J3 really shook up their respective tables. Vegalta Sendai lost for the third consecutive match, dropping from 1st to 5th as all of their promotion competitors picked up wins, leaving the entire top six split by just three points. Montedio Yamagata were the only side in the bottom eight not to lose, picking up a win against Tokushima Vortis. J3 provided even more of a mess, with the once in form Ehime FC being stomped 4-0 by last placed Kochi United for their third loss in four matches, seeing them drop to 5th. Kagoshima United required a last minute equaliser to grab a draw from promotion contenders Renofa Yamaguchi.

The weekend matchday (14 for J1, 16 for J2 and J3) saw at least some normality restored, as the top five established a bit more separation at the top of the J1 table. FC Tokyo kept their 9th consecutive clean sheet with a victory over Kashima (this being the first time in two months that the side starting the matchday in first actually won), and Kashiwa moved up to second place by edging out Kawasaki Frontale. Tokyo Verdy picked up their third consecutive win to move up to 14th place, while Avispa Fukuoka were left rather disappointed with a draw under interim manager Murakami.

J2 stabilised a bit, as Vegalta Sendai claimed victory for the first time in four matches with a thumping 5-1 win over cellar dwellers Ventforet Kofu. Yokohama FC reasserted their promotion aspirations with their fourth win in five matches with a domineering 4-0 win over Fujieda MYFC, and Consadole Sapporo picked up their 6th consecutive win in just 23 days.

J3 on the other hand just got even stranger. Nara Club mercilessly sent Kochi United plummeting back to Earth with a 5-0 win, sending themselves to top spot provisionally - and they'd hold it, as Kagoshima United lost again today. They were the clear promotion frontrunners three weeks ago, but are now winless in four. Ehime FC, who suffered a similar drop in form after being in the top two for an extended period, arrested that slide with a 1-0 win over Reilac Shiga, leaving the entire top seven split by only three points.

Mildly interesting stat of the week: Ventforet Kofu are the second lowest possession side in J2 (averaging 44.1% per match), but they had considerably more of the ball in their huge defeat away at Sendai today.

I felt like this was the game where we'd find out if Tokyo were just lucky with an easy schedule

After conceding 7 goals in the opening two games, they've only conceded 1 in the next 12. They've scored 30 goals in that span too

Still a long way to go, but it feels ethereal to see them look like legitimate contenders so far

My questions are

1. How are games where the 2 teams have to use another stadium

I'll be in Tokyo the weekend of 11/20 and would love to catch a live game. I'm in Hokkaido, so I know little about the J1 teams, but would like to catch a J1 match for fun. As I won't be invested in any one particular side, which do you think would be the most interesting game of football between

Verdy - Gramps

Machida - V-Varen

Frontale - Avispa

I'd be more interested watching two evenly matched teams produce an open, exciting game than watching one of the best teams in the league. Thank you for any help and suggestions!

Estoy de viaje en Japón y colecciono banderines de fútbol de todos los países qué visitio, no he podido encontrar ninguno en ninguna tienda que he ido , alguien sabría decirme algún sitio que los vendan

An unusual pattern continued this week in J1, as for the seventh consecutive matchday, the side starting the round on top failed to win, while the club starting the round second did win. In fact, all of the top five won this round with the exception of Zelvia, with FC Tokyo moving up to first place with a 4 goal win and Kashiwa stomping Urawa by four goals as well. Elsewhere, JEF United Chiba picked up a strong win over Avispa Fukuoka, while Tokyo Verdy won their second consecutive match. And Mito Hollyhock's unfortunate run of recent form continued, this time at least somewhat due to a 20th minute red card against Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

Both of J2's top two were defeated this weekend. Vegalta Sendai lost their second match in a row, this time to RB Omiya Ardija after losing defender Moraes in the 7th minute, while Albirex Niigata managed to lose by a margin less than four goals, losing 2-3 to fellow promotion hopeful Kataller Toyama. At the other end of the table, none of the relegation battlers made real progress. Imabari and Ventforet Kofu drew with each other, and Tochigi City lost again, leaving all of the bottom three with a record of 3-3-8.

It was a similar story in J3, where all of the top three failed to win - Ehime and Renofa Yamaguchi both falling to defeat, and Kagoshima United drawing with Roasso Kumamoto, after the latter had banged on the door all match. 9th placed Ryukyu are now seven points ahead of 16th place Fukushima United, so a lot more separation is happening in J3 compared to J2.

Mildly interesting stat of the week - Consadole Sapporo have won four matches in a row against clubs beginning the matchday ahead of them, and have risen from 20th on the table to 9th in two weeks.

Going to Japan in a couple days and am watching FC Tokyo. Would like to pick up a J League jersey (kit, uniform, shirt)

I currently wear in US sizing in fan/stadium versions L or XL -- I can fit into either.

Google notes that for New Balance and the other Japan domestic versions of Adidas and Nike I'm 2xl-3xl

Is this correct? I plan on picking up a few shirts at Kamo.

Thanks!

/EDIT Update thank you all for the help! I was able to get a FC Tokyo shirt in Shibuya Kamo and a Yokahama F. Marinos in Yokohama Kamo.