# 2011 Emperor's Cup

The 91st Emperor's Cup (第91回天皇杯) was a regular edition of an annual Japanese national cup tournament. It started on 3 September 2011 and ended on 1 January 2012 with the final at National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, won by FC Tokyo 4–2 against Kyoto Sanga.
The cup winner were guaranteed a place in the 2012 AFC Champions League.

## Calendar

| Round | Date | Matches | Clubs | New entries this round |
| First Round | 3, 4, 7, 14(*1) September | 24 | 48 → 24 | 47 Prefectural Qualifying Cup winners 1 University Qualifying Cup winning club |
| Second Round | 8, 10, 12(*2) October | 32 | 24+18+20+2 → 32 | 18 J1 clubs 20 J2 clubs 2 JFL seeded clubs |
| Third Round | 16 November | 16 | 32 → 16 | |
| Fourth Round | 17, 21(*3) December | 8 | 16 → 8 | |
| Quarterfinals | 24 December | 4 | 8 → 4 | |
| Semifinals | 29 December | 2 | 4 → 2 | |
| Final | 1 January 2012 | 1 | 2 → 1 | |
(*1)a total number of four games were postponed to 7 or 14 September due to tropical storm. (*2)a total number of eight games were postponed to 12 October due to event clashes of quarterfinals of 2011 J.League Cup, and November 9 was reserved for Cerezo Osaka and Hokkaido University of Education Iwamizawa Campus in case of event clashes if Cerezo entered the 2011 AFC Champions League semi-finals (but game was not postponed as Cerezo was eliminated in quarter-finals). (*3)Kashiwa Reysol's game was postponed to 21 December due to the participation in 2011 FIFA Club World Cup.

## Participating clubs
### Starting in the first round
#### Prefectural finals winners – 47 teams

* Hokkaidō – Hokkaido UE Iwamizawa
* Aomori – Hachinohe University
* Iwate – Grulla Morioka
* Miyagi – Sony Sendai*
* Akita – Blaublitz Akita
* Yamagata – Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine
* Fukushima – Fukushima United
* Ibaraki – University of Tsukuba
* Tochigi – Tochigi Uva
* Gunma – Arte Takasaki
* Saitama – Heisei International University
* Chiba – Kashiwa Reysol U-18
* Tokyo – Machida Zelvia
* Kanagawa – YSCC Yokohama
* Yamanashi – Yamanashi Gakuin University High School
* Nagano – Matsumoto Yamaga
* Niigata – Japan Soccer College
* Toyama – Toyama Shinjo Club
* Ishikawa – Zweigen Kanazawa
* Fukui – Maruoka Phoenix
* Shizuoka – Shizuoka Sangyo University
* Aichi – Chukyo University
* Mie – Suzuka Rampole
* Gifu – FC Gifu Second
* Shiga – Sagawa Shiga
* Kyoto – SP Kyoto
* Osaka – Hannan University
* Hyōgo – Sanyo Electric Sumoto SC
* Nara – Nara Club
* Wakayama – Arterivo Wakayama
* Tottori – Yonago Kita High School
* Shimane – Dezzolla Shimane
* Okayama – Fagiano Okayama Next
* Hiroshima – Hiroshima University of Economics
* Yamaguchi – Renofa Yamaguchi FC
* Kagawa – Kamatamare Sanuki
* Tokushima – Sanyo Electric Tokushima SC
* Ehime – Ehime FC Shimanami
* Kochi – Kōchi University
* Fukuoka – Fukuoka University
* Saga – Saga Lixil
* Nagasaki – V-Varen Nagasaki
* Kumamoto – Kumamoto Teachers SC
* Ōita – Hoyo AC Elan Ōita
* Miyazaki – Miyazaki Sangyo-keiei University
* Kagoshima – FC Kagoshima
* Okinawa – Kaiho Bank SC

#### Prime Minister's Cup All Japan University Football Tournament winners – 1 team

* Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences

### Starting in the second round
#### J.League Division 1 – 18 teams

* Vegalta Sendai
* Montedio Yamagata
* Kashima Antlers
* Kashiwa Reysol
* Omiya Ardija
* Urawa Red Diamonds
* Kawasaki Frontale
* Yokohama F. Marinos
* Ventforet Kofu
* Shimizu S-Pulse
* Júbilo Iwata
* Nagoya Grampus
* Albirex Niigata
* Cerezo Osaka
* Gamba Osaka
* Vissel Kobe
* Sanfrecce Hiroshima
* Avispa Fukuoka

#### J.League Division 2 – 20 teams

* Consadole Sapporo
* Mito HollyHock
* Tochigi SC
* Thespa Kusatsu
* JEF United Chiba
* FC Tokyo
* Tokyo Verdy
* Yokohama FC
* Shonan Bellmare
* Kataller Toyama
* FC Gifu
* Kyoto Sanga
* Fagiano Okayama
* Gainare Tottori
* Tokushima Vortis
* Ehime FC
* Giravanz Kitakyushu
* Sagan Tosu
* Roasso Kumamoto
* Oita Trinita

#### Japan Football League – 2 teams

* Honda Lock
* FC Ryukyu
※Clubs that occupied two top places at the end of the 17th round (11th week) of 2011 Japan Football League.

## Matches

All matches are Japan Standard Time (UTC+09:00)

## First round

Due to Tropical Storm Talas (Japanese: 台風12号, 2011 Japanese Typhoon 12), four matches were postponed.
Note: The original schedule was 3 September 13:00 but postponed due to tropical storm.
Note: The original schedule was 3 September 15:00 but postponed due to tropical storm.
Note: The original schedule was 3 September 15:00 but postponed due to tropical storm.
Note: The original schedule was 3 September 13:00 and but postponed due to tropical storm. The original venue was Naruto Otsuka Sports Park Pocarisweat Stadium but changed as a result of the postponement.

## Second round

Note: The venue of the match was originally planned to be Hiroshima Big Arch football ground 1 but changed on June 28.

## Third round

Note: The venue of the match was originally planned to be Kashiwanoha Park Stadium but changed due to stadium maintenance.

## Fourth round

Note: The original schedule was December 17 13:00 but changed due to Reysol's participation in 2011 FIFA Club World Cup.

## Final

* First final to feature two second-tier teams and first to feature such team since 1994 final.
* Third time a second-tier champion wins the final since 1981 and 1982 finals.
* Nakayama's goal was the first to be scored in the year 2012.