20 years ago this very day we saw the arrival of a player who would become an icon in the eyes of the Celtic support, a player who would more than make his mark in the famous green and white hoops, and that player was none other than the King of Japan, Shunsuke Nakamura.
Japanese international football player Shunsuke Nakamura arrives at Glasgow Airport 28 July 2005 to sign for Celtic. Nakamura says he’s still committed to joining Celtic despite his new club’s 5-0 midweek thrashing by Artmedia Bratislava. (Photo IAN STEWART/AFP via Getty Images)
The cultured Japanese midfielder was signed by the newly appointed Gordon Strachan for a fee believe to be around £2 million from Italian side Reggina, and he wasted no time in showcasing his natural ability as he quickly became a vital cog in the wee Gordon’s Celtic side.
Naka had an aura and elegance about him. He he was a very cultured player who was capable of opening up the tightest of defences with that magical left peg, and he had no issues finding the back of the net either, especially from dead ball situations.
Japanese midfielder Syunsuke Nakamura of former Italian club team Reggina leaves Narita Airport 28 July 2005 for Glasgow to join t Celtic after signing a three-year contract. Nakamura, 27, moved to Reggina from Japan’s Yokohama Marinos in July 2002 and scored 11 goals in 80 Serie A games. (Photo by JIJI PRESS / JIJI PRESS / AFP) / Japan (Getty Images)/
His free kicks were legendary. If there was anyone you wanted to take a free kick within shooting range it was Naka. Man United at Celtic Park and his late title winner at Rugby Park are of the two of the most iconic strikes in Celtic folklore.
He could also conjure up a worldy without the aid of a dead ball, his swirling long range strike against Rangers in a memorable win at Celtic park in 2007 was quite simply sensational. Another superb strike against Dundee United also springs to mind, but there were that many bits of magic produced by the King of Japan that it would be tough to recall them all.
Japanese international Shunsuke Nakamura arrives at Glasgow Airport 28 July 2005 for a meeting with Celtic. Nakamura says he’s still committed to joining Celtic despite his new club’s 5-0 midweek thrashing by Artmedia Bratislava. (Photo IAN STEWART/AFP via Getty Images)
Naka would go on to make 166 appearances scoring 34 goals in his four years in Glasgow, winning six honours along the way.
Naka was simply one of the most gifted players to grace the Hoops, and he will forever be remembered as an iconic figure in the history of Celtic football club.
Matt Corr’s brilliant book on Naka’s first season as a Celtic player – Majic, Stan and the King of Japan is a brilliant read and is available on Celtic Star Books
Click on cover to order Majic, Stan and the King of Japan available at celticstarbooks.com
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Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, out 5 September 2025. Available to pre-order now.
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‘ Naka ‘ in Japanese means ‘ inside ‘. So when Shunsuke had the ball out wide and a central midfielder called for a pass, he was actually talking to him in his native language !
Shunsuke struggled a wee bit in Serie A. In the latter stages of his time there he was occasionally dropped and often substituted. Reggina were always in a relegation dogfight when in Serie A and they would play stuffy defence including home games. Shunsuke was not suited to this as you can imagine. He always had a big game in the cathedrals of Italian football such as the San Siro or Stadio Olimpico. As Celtic fans we are grateful those big clubs never responded to such showcases. In the end, Celtic were rewarded for some very astute scouting.