When Yuto Kawamura-Johnson moved from Japan to Winter Garden two months ago, he was nervous.
He wasn’t sure how he would fit in. He was an American football player with American roots, having been born in New Orleans, but he had never really played the game on American soil.
“He’s just a very humble kid, so when he first came over, he’ll tell you, he was just hoping to make the JV team,” West Orange coach Geno Thompson said. “But he’s definitely a ball player. He does a lot of good things.”
2025 Orlando Area High School Football Leaders
In just over a month at West Orange, Kawamura-Johnson has done so much more than just make the team. He’s one of the main receivers on varsity, helping the Warriors jump out to a 3-0 record.
“I was feeling excited and nervous at the same time,” Kawamura-Johnson said of returning to America. “Coming back to the states, it wasn’t a family decision. It was my decision. My brother and my mom and dad still live in Japan, but I wanted to break out of the shell.
“So I was definitely excited to show the world what I could do, but I was also nervous because I wouldn’t have the people who I had grown up with, who supported me, and fed me and put me under their wings.”
West Orange receiver Yuto Johnson, who moved to Winter Garden from Japan in July, has 14 receptions in 3 games, his first season in America. (Chris Hays/Orlando Sentinel)
But he didn’t exactly step off the plane and into the starting lineup at West Orange.
“At first It was nerve-wracking, and it still kind of is. It was a different culture. It was kind of scary,” Kawamura-Johnson said. “But I’ve gotten used to it and more acclimated.”
Thompson said there may have been little intricacies that Yuto had to learn, but for the most part, his transition was smooth.
“Overall, he is just a phenomenal kid, works hard, yes-sir,-no-sir kind of kid,” Thompson said. “Does exactly what he’s supposed to do. He’s a great teammate, and he’s willing to sacrifice for his brothers.”
Week 4 Super 16 Coaches Poll: Edgewater No. 1 ahead of Jones showdown
Kawamura-Johnson is the son of Joseph Johnson, a former West Orange football player, and Takako Kawamura. He grew up in New Orleans until about fifth grade, he said. That’s when the family moved to Japan, to be closer to his mother’s family.
Because his parents worked in the military, they were able to facilitate a move to Japan. But in the Land of the Rising Sun, Kawamura-Johnson wasn’t getting a full introduction to American football. He knew he was a good player.
His dad played. His cousins are former Orlando-area stars. Garrett Johnson was a top receiver at West Orange before going on to Kentucky, where he caught 155 balls for 1,089 yards and 11 touchdowns in four seasons. Drico Johnson was a talented two-way player at Agape Christian, and played defensive back at UCF, where he had 151 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 touchdowns in four seasons.
So Yuto, at his own insistence, coerced his parents to allow him to move to Winter Garden and live with his aunt, who is a teacher at West Orange. He played American football in Japan, but it wasn’t the same intensity as it is stateside.
“They have football over there, but it’s not as competitive as American football, and it’s just a waste that no one has the guts to go play in America and show the world that they have talent. So I decided to come over here,” Yuto said.
In Japan had some coaching, not on the level of what he gets stateside. His father would work with him and he said he also did a lot of drills by himself.
“There is also a pro league over there and the coaches and players would help me and so that’s how I developed,” said Kawamura-Johnson, who played with Team Japan on the California 7-on-7 circuit this past summer before coming to West Orange.
In America, he has plenty of coaches and cousins on his side.
“Oh yes, they have giving me a lot of tips and keys to playing football and excelling to the next level,” Kawamura-Johnson said. “They just push me and encourage me to work harder and get more acclimated to this whole different culture of football.”
Drico Johnson is now a defensive backs analyst for UCF and Garrett Johnson runs his own training business called Built on Faith in the west side of Orange County.
“I watched Garrett play a little bit. I never saw Drico,” Yuto said. “My dad would say [about Garrett], ‘That’s your cousin on TV,’ and I’d be like, ‘Whaaat?’ It was amazing.”
So far, he has mimicked his cousins quite well. Kawamura-Johnson is a junior, and he adds to an already solid bunch of receivers with seniors Edison Delgado, Duggy Glover and Devonte Anderson. The Warriors also have a rising-star quarterback in sophomore AJ Chung, who brings more Asian descent to the mix.
Kawamura-Johnson and Delgado lead the team in receptions with 14 each in three games. Chung has thrown for 730 yards.
“It feels great. It’s gonna sound weird, but for me this really is a dream come true because all of my teammates are so focused and they put all of their time and effort into it,” Kawamura-Johnson said. “I’m not saying that my teammates in Japan didn’t, but here it’s a different intensity, and it’s a true blessing.”
He said at first, not much was expected of him by those teammates.
“They were like, “OK, it’s just this kid coming from Japan. He’s not going to be that good,’ ” Kawamura said. “I would say they didn’t expect me to be as talented or as athletic as I was. I think they were a little shocked.
“They just had an expectation and I had to meet that expectation. I’m kind of surprised, but this is what I came here to do.”
His “I’ve-arrived-moment” in America was at FCA camp in August.
“I went on a post and I was double-covered and AJ just threw it and I came down with it with one hand,” Kawamura-Johson said. “That’s when I realized, like, ‘OK, AJ trusts me now. I feel like I’m really a part of this team now.’
“I’ve been wanting to do this for my whole life. It’s finally my time to choose my dreams. I am so blessed and happy.”
Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.
