Rytas Vilnius and Japanese restaurant Kamikadze have renewed their partnership. This collaboration holds special meaning for the capital’s club, as restaurant founder and longtime team supporter Keishi Yamauchi embarks on a milestone tenth season alongside Rytas Vilnius.
Keishi Yamauchi, founder of Kamikadze, emphasizes that this milestone season represents far more than just a business agreement:
“I hold a firm conviction: whether in business or in my personal life, whenever I start something, I strive to dedicate myself to it for at least a decade.
Over ten years, you experience everything: not only joy and memorable triumphs, but also demanding, difficult stretches. Yet I believe that only by persevering through those hardships can you truly reach a new perspective and new horizons.
This season is deeply personal to me—it marks exactly ten years since I began supporting Rytas Vilnius. Over this decade, we have lived through a tremendous range of emotions together. We went through everything, but lifting the King Mindaugas Cup, capturing Lithuanian Basketball League titles, and reaching our historic pinnacle last year with the FIBA Champions League trophy has revealed a completely different reality than ten years ago. Today, we are champions.
For me, partnering with Rytas Vilnius has never been a simple commercial transaction between a sponsor and a club. From the first day I arrived in Lithuania, Vilnius became my home. This city has given me so much over the years, and I feel a natural desire to give back some of that warmth and success. Supporting Rytas Vilnius is one of the best ways I can do that.
Rytas Vilnius is one of the capital’s most vibrant symbols and an integral part of its community. It brings people together, delivering powerful emotions and a shared sense of unity. In creating Kamikadze, our aim has also been to build a place where people meet, enjoy great food and fellowship, and make lasting memories. That is why I believe our partnership holds meaning not just for the club and for us, but for the entire city of Vilnius and its people.
Looking back on these ten years, I realize that I have grown and grown stronger alongside Rytas Vilnius and this city. I hope this journey continues for a long time to come, and that together we will celebrate many more victories and witness even more historic moments.”
Martynas Giga, CEO of Rytas Vilnius, notes that such dedication serves as an inspiring example for the entire organization:
“Keishi is not merely a commercial partner whose logo appears on club merchandise or during games. He is a genuine, passionate member of the Rytas Vilnius family whom we see in the arena at every single game, cheering with all his heart for the team. Maintaining such loyalty and dedication for ten years—through the highs and the challenging moments alike—is a rare virtue in modern sports. We are immensely proud and grateful that this meaningful relationship continues. Keishi’s love for Vilnius and our club inspires all of us to leave everything on the court every time we play.”
Continuing their long-standing partnership, Rytas Vilnius and Kamikadze invite all supporters this milestone season to unite behind the team both inside the arena and across the fan-favorite Kamikadze restaurants.