Bulgarian specialist Kristian Mihaylov will be the new head coach of the Japanese women's team Aranmare Yamagata from the 2026/27 season. The news has already appeared on social media, and the appointment is another significant step in the international career of the young Bulgarian coach.

Mihaylov already has experience in Japan, having worked as an assistant coach for Voreas Hokkaido during the current 2025/26 season. Now he will take over the women's Aranmare Yamagata, which competes in the elite Japanese SV.League.
Aranmare Yamagata is a relatively young club, founded in 2015. The team is based in Sakata city, Yamagata Prefecture, and plays its home matches at Kokutai Gymnasium. The team is part of the strongest level of Japanese women's volleyball – the SV.League, where it faces traditional powerhouses such as NEC Red Rockets, Osaka Marvelous, SAGA Hisamitsu Springs, and Denso Airybees.
The last two seasons, however, proved extremely difficult for the team. In the 2025/26 season, Aranmare finished in last, 14th place, with only 3 wins and 41 losses. The club is clearly looking for a new beginning and a longer-term project, and the choice of a young European coach with international experience shows a desire for modern methodology and development.
Kristian Mihaylov is one of the young Bulgarian coaches with a significant international presence in recent years. He holds the highest FIVB license – Coaches Course Level III. He was born on May 5, 1992, in Germany.

Key career milestones

Mihaylov's career clearly demonstrates consistent development in an international environment. He has gone through clubs like Vakifbank, Berlin Recycling Volleys, and Friedrichshafen, and subsequently gained experience as a head coach in Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia.
His appointment in Japan can be seen as the most serious challenge in his career to date, as the Japanese SV.League is among the best organized and most competitive women's championships in the world.