Kashima Antlers were founded in 1947 as Sumitomo Metal Industries Football Club, the works team of the Sumitomo Metal Industries corporation in Ibaraki Prefecture. The club rebranded as Kashima Antlers in 1991 in preparation for the J.League's inaugural 1993 season — taking the "Antlers" name from the deer of nearby Kashima Shrine, where the deer is considered a sacred messenger. The recruitment of Brazilian legend Zico in 1991 transformed the club's identity, embedding a winning culture that has defined Kashima ever since.
Kashima Antlers are the most successful club in J.League history, with eight J1 League titles — more than any other Japanese club. The first arrived in 1996, and the dynasty extended through the 2000s and 2010s with championship sides featuring Yasuhito Endo (Sr.), Atsuto Uchida, Mitsuo Ogasawara, Marquinhos, Léo Silva and Kashima legends like captain Toninho Cerezo. The club also holds J.League records for the J.League Cup (6 titles, the most), as well as five Emperor's Cup triumphs. The most-decorated era was under managers Toninho Cerezo, Oswaldo de Oliveira and most recently Antonio Carlos Zago.
In 2018, Kashima reached the FIFA Club World Cup final, losing 4-2 to Real Madrid in extra time at the Yokohama International Stadium — a result widely seen as the high-water mark of any J.League club at the global club level. In 2019 the operating company was acquired by Mercari Inc. from Nippon Steel, marking a new era of online-business backed ownership. Despite a recent title drought (no J1 since 2016), Kashima remain one of Asia's most respected clubs. The traditional rivalry with Urawa Red Diamonds is a defining J.League fixture.