is a Japanese professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who is currently playing for

SC Sagamihara commonly known as SC Sagamihara (SC相模原, ''Esu Shī Sagamihara'') is a Japanese professional football club based in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. They currently play in the J3 League, Japanese third tier of professional football. Hist ...

, as a

defensive midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...

or a

centre back In the sport of association football, a defender is an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Defenders fall into four main categ ...

Career

In 2009, Shimakawa started his professional career at

Vegalta Sendai is a Japanese professional association football, football club based in Sendai, Miyagi, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. They currently play in J2 League, the Japanese second tier of professional football. History Founded in 1988 as ''Tohoku Elect ...

but never ended up making an appearance for the club. He made his debut whilst on loan at JFL club

Blaublitz Akita is a Japanese professional association football team based in Akita (city), Akita, capital of Akita Prefecture. The club currently play in the J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football league. Due to the club's former ownership b ...

in the 2012 season. Shimakawa played for two seasons on loan at Blaublitz Akita before joining them permanently ahead of the 2014 season, the club's first in the

J3 League or simply J3 is the third division of . It was established in 2013 as the third-tier professional association football league in Japan under the organization of J.League. The league is known as the for sponsorship reasons. The third-tier nation ...

. He scored his first professional goal in the 2015 season. Moves to a number of clubs followed and Shimakawa played in the top-flight of Japanese football for

Ventforet Kofu is a Japanese professional football club from Kōfu in Yamanashi Prefecture. The team currently competes in the J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football, hosting their home matches in the JIT Recycle Ink Stadium, located in Kōf ...

Oita Trinita is a Japanese football club located in Ōita, Capital of Ōita Prefecture. They currently play in J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football. Name origin The club's name, ''Trinita'', is the Italian translation of the word ' ...

and

Sagan Tosu is a Japanese professional Association football, football club based in Tosu, Saga, Tosu, Saga Prefecture. The club plays in the J2 League, the second tier of Japanese football, since 2025 following relegation from the J1 League in 2024 J1 Leag ...

. In 2024, he joined J2 League club

Tokushima Vortis is a Japanese professional football club located in Tokushima, capital of Tokushima Prefecture. The club currently playing in the J2 League, the Japanese second tier of professional football league. Name origin The name, "Vortis" was named in 19 ...

but announced his retirement just two months after the start of the season in April. He made 274 appearances, scoring 9 goals in a career spanning 14 years.

Career statistics

References

External links

Profile at Ventforet Kofu

Profile at Blaublitz Akita
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Shimakawa sings Akita Prefectural Anthem
1990 births Living people Association football people from Chiba Prefecture Japanese men's footballers J1 League players J2 League players J3 League players Japan Football League players Vegalta Sendai players Tokyo Verdy players Blaublitz Akita players Renofa Yamaguchi FC players Tochigi SC players Ventforet Kofu players Oita Trinita players Sagan Tosu players category:Tokushima Vortis players category:SC Sagamihara players Men's association football defenders 21st-century Japanese sportsmen {{Japan-footy-defender-1990s-stub