The 2023 season was the best in the history of Avispa Fukuoka and Shigetoshi Hasebe has been named Manager of the Year for his terrific job guiding his team to such great heights.

Avispa won the very first major trophy in club history this year, taking home the J.League YBC Levain Cup. The final saw Hasebe's masterful tactics employed to perfection, with Fukuoka jumping on Urawa Reds early to earn the club’s maiden piece of silverware.

Hasebe’s men were excellent in the league too. They started strong and, after a bit of a dip, bounced back to climb into the top half of the table. They had a five-match win streak in the middle of summer and took points in six of their last nine matches to finish the season in seventh place for their best J1 finish in club history.

Fukuoka thrived in close matches, showing the confidence and poise needed to succeed under pressure. It was instilled in the team by Hasebe to reach levels that Avispa have never reached and, for that, he has been honored as the top J1 manager for 2023.