In honour of Asian Heritage Month, the Greater Toronto Hockey League is shining the spotlight on the Asian hockey community this May. Kicking off the series is the Canadian Japanese Hockey League (CJHL), home to many past and present GTHL and Metro Toronto Hockey League players.  

The CJHL was formed in 1961 by Mel Tsuji, who recently passed away in 2022. The league was first known as the Japanese Canadian Hockey League. The name was later changed to the Canadian Japanese Hockey League as league managers wanted to put an emphasis on the Canadian foundation of the players in the league.

In 1961-62, the CJHL crowned its first champion in league history: the Main Auto Body team (pictured).

In the early days of the league, player eligibility was exclusively for those of Japanese heritage. Today, the league welcomes any and all players of different ethnicities and skill levels, with approximately half of the league’s players being of Japanese heritage. Player recruitment is done largely via word of mouth, with many players in the league inviting friends and family members.

Today, the league is home to many Sansei and Yonsei (third and fourth generation) Japanese Canadians. It is estimated that over 5,000 players have participated in the league throughout its history. This number includes many former GTHL and Metro Toronto Hockey League (MTHL) players, and bench staff of Asian heritage.

For the last 35 years, Wayne Yamashita has been running the CJHL. The 2022-2023 season featured four teams in the CJHL: Team Japan, Smokes Poutinerie, Hockey Lion, and Progressive Health. The CJHL typically runs on Sunday nights at George Bell Arena. The closure of the facility this past winter forced the CJHL to move to nearby Central Arena for the foreseeable future. 

Click here to learn more about the Canadian Japanese Hockey League.