Shonan Bellmare is a professional football club from Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, currently playing in the J1 League. The club is officially named Shonan Bellmare, with their home ground being the Shonan BMW Stadium Hiratsuka. The club was founded in 1992, with its distinctive colors of green and blue representing the sea and sky of the Shonan region. The name 'Bellmare' combines the Italian 'bella' (beautiful) and 'mare' (sea). The club's history has been a story of resilience, frequently oscillating between J1 and J2. A key era was their surprising run to victory in the 2018 J.League YBC Levain Cup, a major trophy that highlighted their potential as giant-killers. In recent years, Shonan has often been seen as a relegation battler in J1, but they are known for a spirited, hard-working style of play that often punches above its weight, producing several talented players who move on to bigger clubs. Their fan support is passionate and community-focused, filling their compact stadium with a lively, coastal vibe. Shonan Bellmare continues to be a club that embodies the fighting spirit of a smaller community against the giants of Japanese football.