Rugby World Cup Archives - Page 2 of 3

Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium

This page originally appeared on my Rugby Guide Japan website, providing information for rugby fans attending 2019 Rugby World Cup matches in Japan. It may still be useful for future visitors, so I’ve moved it here after taking the rugby site down; Rugby Guide Japan is archived here if you want to check it out.

Kamaishi was utterly devastated in the 2011 tsunami, losing some 1250 souls (the population stands at around 34000 today) along with most of the local economy (read here about my experiences volunteering in the region). They’ve been rebuilding since, but like the rest of the Tohoku region there’s been further population loss as significant numbers of young people moved away to find new work; meanwhile many of those who stayed have been in temporary housing since. The Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium was conceived to boost the local economy, somewhat controversially due to the housing situation, but construction went ahead and the stadium was completed in 2018 (and the government has promised that all those still in temporary housing will be in their new homes before the World Cup).

It’s a small stadium with 6000 permanent seats, plus temporary stands expanding it to 16000 for the World Cup, and it’s only hosting two pool matches (Fiji vs Uruguay & Namibia vs Canada). But Kamaishi is legit rugby territory – it’s the main local sport and the former local Nippon Steel rugby team won seven back-to-back titles in the 70s/80s (the modern team, the Seawaves, plays in the 2nd tier) – and having the world come to Kamaishi to watch rugby means a lot for both this small town and the wider Tohoku region it’s a part of.

Schedule

25 September Fiji vs Uruguay
13 October Namibia vs Canada

Kamaishi Transportation

The stadium’s a short walk from Unosumai Station, two stops north of Kamaishi Station on the coastal Sanriku Line. This line was severely damaged in the 2011 tsunami, with this section north from Kamaishi the last to be repaired; it’s scheduled to be back in service in early 2019, in good time for the World Cup.

Kamaishi is at the end of the Yamada Line from Hanamaki (90km inland), taking 2 hours by local train or 100 minutes on the Hamayuri limited express; the Hamayuri originates from Morioka (the region’s main city), from where it’s 2h15 to Kamaishi. If you’re attending the Namibia vs Canada match and travelling to Kamaishi on the day, kick off’s at 12.15 so you need to be on the Hamayuri leaving Morioka at 8.39, Hanamaki at 9.06, or Shin-Hanamaki at 9.19. The Fiji v Uruguay match kicks off at 14.15 so you can also take the Yamada Line local service at 9.56 from Hanamaki (which you can connect to from Morioka on the JR Tohoku Line leaving at 8.58) or 10.09 from Shin-Hanamaki (which you can connect to from Morioka on the shinkansen leaving Morioka at 9.07). If this sounds confusing you can easily check all these journey times on Hyperdia; see here for an explanation on how to use it.

If you’re thinking of travelling up from Tokyo (or other points between) on the day, it’s possible by taking the shinkansen and changing at Shin-Hanamaki but from Tokyo Station you’d be looking at a 5-hour journey and a 6am start; even from Sendai it’s still a 3-hour journey.

It’s also possible to get to Unosumai Station from the other direction by travelling southwards along the Sanriku Line from the north, but this is slower e.g. from Morioka it’s 2 hours to Miyako where you’d change to the Sanriku Line, then another hour to Unosumai from there. Actually staying in Miyako could be a decent option though.

Apart from the Sanriku Line these trains are all covered by the JR Pass; you need cash for the Sanriku Line (and JR Lines if you don’t have the JR Pass) as IC cards are not accepted in this area.

Hotels in Kamaishi (and nearby)

Kamaishi

Options are limited in Kamaishi itself; you can search & book a few of them here. Additionally there’s a couple more which aren’t listed with the OTAs: Hotel Marue (English website here), and Kamaishi Station Hotel (Japanese-only website here). Both of these are near Kamaishi Station, and both only accept reservations over the phone at present – and verbal communication may be difficult. Hotel Marue has on online booking page under construction (this one), so once that’s up & running you should be able to have a go at booking online.

Ofunato

Search hotels in Ofunato, a small town about an hour south of Kamaishi on the Sanriku Line.

Miyako

Another small coastal town to the north, an hour away on the Sanriku Line. Again, options are limited, search & book here

Hanamaki

The closest sizeable city, 2 hours away but with many more hotels and known for its hot springs. Search & book here

Morioka

The provincial capital and largest city, it’s quite far (100 minutes by limited express train) but makes a good fall back option if you can’t find anything closer. Search & book here

Sendai

Being 3 hours away, Sendai’s a bit far to make a good base for Kamaishi alone; however it is well placed for a number of famous cultural & scenic sights, and just about workable for day-tripping to the match if you’re ok with the long train ride each way, so you could stay in Sendai and make a series of day trips including to the match. See here for things to do near Sendai, and for accommodation search here

Airbnb is also a great option in Japan, in fact in Japan it seems to work particularly well – most hosts arrange self-checkin & checkout systems, allowing you to arrive & leave flexibly without needing to meet someone for the keys (the key’s often left in a lockbox for you). The wifi is always super-fast, and I’ve never had an Airbnb nightmare in Japan (have had a few elsewhere). There was a crackdown in 2018 with the introduction of new regulations which led to a collapse in the number of listings available and accordingly a jump in prices, with a lot of travellers reporting that their reservations were suddenly cancelled as a result. It was all a bit of a mess at first, but you can be confident that any listings remaining on there at this point are legit. Prices went up unfortunately, but then so did standards, and Airbnb is still my usual go to for accommodation in Japan.

There aren’t any listings in Kamaishi, but Airbnb could be a good option for basing yourself in Morioka or Sendai.

New users can get a $35 discount from their first Airbnb rental through Rugby Guide Japan, simply click here and sign up.

Things to Do in Kamaishi

The Kamaishi Dai-Kannon is a large statue of the Buddhist goddess of mercy which stands looking out to sea on the edge of town. You can climb the spiral stairs inside the statue to the viewing deck in her arms, and there’s also a portion of the Buddha’s ashes housed in the attached temple complex. It’s a 10-minute taxi ride to the Dai-Kannon from Kamaishi Station.

The Iron & Steel Museum (10 minutes on foot from the Dai-Kannon) gives the history of Kamaishi as Japan’s first metalworks town during the country’s industrial modernisation period.

The Sanriku Coast: the entire coastline is made up of beautiful cliffs, bays, and beaches, but two particularly noteworthy spots near(ish) Kamaishi are Jodogahama Beach in Miyako, and the Kitayamazaki Coast north of Miyako. It’s an hour by train from Kamaishi to Miyako, and 20 minutes by bus (or taxi) from there to Jodogahama (see here for Jodogahama info & pics, Japanese only). To reach Kitayamazaki continue another 40 minutes on the train beyond Miyako to Shimanokoshi or 45 minutes to Tanohata; from Shimanokoshi it’s a 10-minute walk to the boat pier for sightseeing cruises, or from Tanohata it’s a 20-minute taxi ride to the Kitayamazaki Observatory. See here (Japanese only) for more on Kitayamazaki.

For more cool places to visit in the wider Tohoku region see here

Useful Links for the Rugby in Kamaishi

Click the banner to pre-order your JR Pass and save 40 dollars, or check out my JR Pass guide:

Check train times on Hyperdia (see here for an explanation on how to use it)

Search for hotels in Kamaishi, Miyako, Hanamaki, Morioka, Sendai

How to get online in Japan

Check out my blog posts on Japan and Tohoku

Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium

Japan, Rugby World Cup, Tokyo Olympics

A major J-League football stadium, Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium (de-branded as simply ‘Tokyo Stadium’ for the Olympics) has a capacity of 50000 and is home to FC Tokyo. It was one of the key stadiums in the 2019 Rugby World Cup (hosting the opening ceremony and 5 pool matches, 2 quarterfinals, and the 3rd-place match), and will see rugby action again in 2020 when it stages the Olympic rugby sevens. Several Olympic football matches and the modern pentathlon will also take place at Tokyo Stadium.

The stadium’s located in Chofu in the western Tokyo suburbs, easily accessed in 25 minutes using the Keio Line from Shinjuku Station. Get off at Tobitakyu and it’s just a 10-minute walk north.

Where to Stay for Olympic Events at Tokyo Stadium

For events at Tokyo Stadium it’s recommended to stay somewhere in central Tokyo. Click on each area name to search it on Hotels Combined:

All things considered, Shinjuku is probably the best call, though if you’re planning multiple day trips to places like Hakone or Nikko it might be better to stay near Tokyo Station, Shinagawa, or Ueno for easy shinkansen access. You can also consider Shibuya, Roppongi, Ikebukuro, or pretty much anywhere around & within the Yamanote loop line. Asakusa is also good for more of an old town atmosphere.

New users can get a $35 discount from their first Airbnb rental through 4corners7seas, simply click here and sign up.

Transportation in Greater Tokyo

If you have a JR Pass you can use it on the JR lines in the city, most significantly the Yamanote Line (the main loop line) and Chuo Line (which bisects the Yamanote east/west and more directly connects Tokyo Station to Shinjuku). However a high percentage of your travel in Tokyo is likely to involve non-JR trains, e.g. the Keio Line you’ll use to get to Ajinomoto Stadium. If you don’t have a JR Pass it’s easiest to get an IC card, and even if you do have a pass you’ll still want an IC card for the non-JR trains. For more on IC cards see here

The transport system for Tokyo is a mind-boggling mess, the Tokyo Metro map alone looks like a multi-coloured octopus tying itself in knots, but when you overlay both subway systems – Tokyo Metro (9 lines) and Toei Subway (4 lines) – plus all the JR lines and the plethora of private railway lines run by various other companies, you get this:

…so, good luck with that!

I’m here to help, see my Tokyo navigation guide, guide to Tokyo sightseeing & where to stay, and Japan travel guide

Any questions about 2020 Olympic events at Tokyo Stadium? Give me a shout below and I’ll get back to you.

Kumamoto Egao Kenko Stadium

Japan, Rugby World Cup

Kumamoto Egao Kenji Stadium

Another beautifully designed but somewhat inconveniently located stadium in Kyushu (much like Oita Bank Dome across the island), Kumamoto Egao Kenko Stadium (32,000 seats) was presumably selected as it’s sometimes used for Japan’s Top League rugby competition.

It’s accessed via Kumamoto Station, which is 30 or 40 minutes south of Fukuoka by shinkansen. It’s then a 50-minute bus ride from Kumamoto Station to the stadium, see here for shuttle bus information.

The stadium’s located in a rural area, surrounded by some typical Japanese countryside:

Way to Kumamoto Egao Kenji Stadium

Distant view of the stadium complex:

Way to Kumamoto Egao Kenji Stadium

Schedule

6 October France vs Tonga
13 October Wales vs Uruguay

Way to Kumamoto Egao Kenji Stadium

Hotels near Kumamoto Stadium

Search here for hotels in Kumamoto

It’s also feasible to stay in Fukuoka and travel to a match in Kumamoto by shinkansen, especially if you use the JR Pass. See hotels in Fukuoka

If you’re going to visit Aso and plan to stay there search here

New users can get a $35 discount from their first Airbnb rental through Rugby Guide Japan, simply click here and sign up.

Transportation in Kumamoto

Kumamoto has two tram lines which run through the main downtown area and connect to the main train stations. You can use IC cards on the trams, and also on the city’s buses if you ride them.

See here for stadium access information.

Mt Aso

Things to Do in Kumamoto

Kumamoto Castle is one of the largest in Japan. While the existing structure is a modern reconstruction of the original, it’s known for being arguably the best modern castle reconstruction there is (in fact only a dozen original castles remain); unfortunately the castle was badly damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake and is undergoing repairs which will take several years. This means you can’t visit it as usual, but during the week that the two matches take place in Kumamoto you’ll be able to see the castle from a viewing platform.

The White Egret Castle in Himeji (near Osaka) is probably the easiest original castle to visit while you’re in Japan for the rugby, see here.

Mt Aso

Mt Aso

Mt Aso, or Aso-san, is a beautiful volcanic caldera in the middle of Kyushu, lying halfway between Kumamoto & Oita and easily reached from both. It takes around 2 hours to reach Aso Station from either direction, so while it is doable as a long day trip it’s better to stay a night or two if you can (search Aso hotels here). The caldera itself is huge, some 25km across, with a series of volcanic cones at its centre. They’re very much active, but conditions permitting you can go right to the Nakadake crater rim by ropeway or on foot (a 30-minute hike or quick ropeway ride from the bus stop, which is a 30-minute bus ride from Aso Station). It’s one of the easiest active volcanic craters you can visit anywhere on Earth, and you’re treated to views (and smells) of the crater lake and the clouds of poisonous gas it emits. Note that if the gas emissions (or other volcanic activity) are too high, access to the crater is closed off so check before heading all the way there.

Mt Aso crater

It’s a 2-hour bus ride to Aso from Kumamoto Station, see here & here. The train line was damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake and is unlikely to be running again by the time of the World Cup. From the other direction it’s a 3.5-hour bus ride from Beppu (see here), or you can take the train from Beppu or Oita. It takes about 2h15 from Oita by local train (2130 yen), while the limited express Aso Boy is 20 minutes faster for 3580 yen; obviously if you have the JR Pass just take the limited express.

Any questions about watching the rugby in Kumamoto? Give me a shout below and I’ll get back to you.

Useful Links for the Rugby in Kumamoto

Click the banner to pre-order your JR Pass and save 40 dollars, or see my JR Pass guide:

Check train times on Hyperdia (see here for an explanation on how to use it)

Search for hotels in Kumamoto and hotels in Aso

How to get online in Japan

Check out my Japan posts and Japan travel guide

Hanazono Rugby Stadium

Japan, Rugby World Cup

Higashi-Osaka’s Hanazono Stadium is one of the few dedicated rugby venues being used in 2019, and prides itself on being ‘the sacred ground of Japanese rugby’.

There are little signs of rugby fever everywhere in the detail of the road signs & manhole covers and so on, and even a small Shinto shrine dedicated to rugby in the area.

Rugby World Cup manhole cover in Higashi Osaka

Hanazono is the home ground of Kintetsu Liners, one of the big teams of Japan’s Top League, and has been undergoing renovations to get it ready for the World Cup.

Kintetsu is actually a railway company, and you’ll be using their train to get to the stadium – take the Kintetsu Nara line from Osaka-Namba Station to Higashi Hanazono, and the stadium’s a 10-minute stroll north of the station.

You can also transfer to the Kintetsu Line from the JR Loop Line at Tsuruhashi (this is the best route with a JR Pass), or from the subway at Nippombashi, Tanimachi 9-chome, or Tsuruhashi.

Where to Stay for Rugby Matches at Hanazono Stadium

The Namba/Shinsaibashi area is the obvious choice, both for ease of access to the stadium (direct on the Kintetsu Line from Namba Station) and for proximity to shopping, dining, and nightlife. The Umeda area (near Osaka Station) is also lively and well-connected (you can take the JR Loop Line to Tsuruhashi and switch to Kintetsu there). The Shin-Osaka area isn’t really recommended unless you want to be as close as possible to the shinkansen line, in which case it’s perfect e.g. if you’re planning day-trips to Hiroshima, Himeji, Kyoto, etc

Use Hotels Combined to search all the booking websites (Booking.com, Agoda, etc) for the best deals:

Hotels in Namba/Shinsaibashi

Hotels in Umeda

Hotels in Shin-Osaka

New users can get a $35 discount from their first Airbnb rental through Rugby Guide Japan, simply click here and sign up.

This post was archived from my Rugby World Cup website; see here for more (including the Osaka & Kobe quick guides and Kobe Stadium guide which formed the rest of this original post)

See also my Japan travel guide and my other Japan posts

Toyota Stadium

Japan, Rugby World Cup

The 45,000-seat Toyota Stadium is home to Nagoya Grampus Eight football club (the J1 club formerly of Gary Lineker and Arsene Wenger fame), and one of the most architecturally impressive of the lot. Yes, it’s the same Toyota as the car company – Toyota is in fact the name of the city where the company is based (Toyota-shi), now an outlying suburb of Greater Nagoya. Toyota will host 4 pool matches in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Nagoya Transportation

Access to Toyota Stadium is via the Meitetsu railway (aka Nagoya Railroad), a privately operated train network covering the greater Nagoya region. Meitetsu Nagoya Station is just next to the main JR Nagoya Station, and it’s 50 to 60 minutes from there to Toyota-shi Station with a change at Chiryu.

You can also transfer to Meitetsu from JR at Toyo-hashi (possibly useful if coming from points east, it’s a shinkansen stop but note the faster Nozomi & Hikari trains skip it).

If you’re coming from within Nagoya but not staying near the Meitetsu terminus at Nagoya Station, it’s probably best to use the blue subway line as there are actually direct trains to Toyota-shi where the subway train runs through onto the Meitetsu tracks. This means you don’t need to physically change trains, but you do still have to pay both companies for a ticket – easiest way to do this is by using an IC card which works it all out automatically when you tap in & out. Also note that not every subway train runs through, with some terminating at Akaike – if your train does this, just hop off at Akaike and wait for the next train going on through to Toyota-shi.

Sound complicated? As always, check Hyperdia for train route details and just follow the suggested route (see here for an explanation on using Hyperdia). IC cards are accepted on all of the Meitetsu, JR, and subway lines; if you get a card in Nagoya it’ll be Toica (if issued by JR) or Manaca (if issued by non-JR companies), but they can be used interchangeably and all the IC cards from other regions also work e.g. Tokyo’s Suica and Pasmo cards. See here for more on IC cards.

Once you reach Toyota-shi Station it’s just a 15-minute walk east to the stadium over the futuristic Toyota Bridge crossing the Yahagi River.

Hotels near Toyota Stadium

For easiest access to the stadium, base yourself locally in Toyota-shi if you can (don’t expect too much by way of nightlife though, other than a reasonable selection of restaurants); search & book hotels in Toyota

If you prefer to be near the main nightlife, shopping, and city sights of Nagoya, Sakae would be a good call (search here), as would Osu-Kannon (search here). Staying near Nagoya Station (search here) is best for all-round convenience (easy access from other cities, easy access to the stadium, easy access to Sakae), or failing that anywhere with easy access to the blue subway line should work fine.

New users can get a $35 discount from their first Airbnb rental through Rugby Guide Japan, simply click here and sign up.

This post was archived from my Rugby World Cup website; see here for more (including the Nagoya quick guide which was the other half of this original post)

See also my Japan travel guide and my other Japan posts

Kumagaya Rugby Stadium

Japan, Rugby World Cup

A dedicated rugby venue in Saitama Prefecture on the northern edge of the Tokyo conurbation, Kumagaya Rugby Stadium has a capacity of 24000 (following upgrades made for the World Cup) and is hosting 3 pool stage matches featuring mostly lower-ranked teams.

Kumagaya Rugby Stadium

It’s a nice little stadium in an expansive park and recreation area, though it’s a little far from Kumagaya Station. Public buses go from in front of Kumagaya Station (bus stop 3 outside the north exit) to Kumagaya Sports Park, taking 10 minutes for a fare of 210 yen; for the RWC free shuttle buses will run to the stadium from the fan zone near the station – see here for full access details.

Kumagaya Rugby Stadium

If you fancy walking it you’re looking at a 50-minute walk through the quiet streets of semi-rural suburban Japan; the route isn’t obvious though, so only do this if you have mobile internet access!

Public rugby pitch in Kumagaya — Rugby pitches like this aren’t a common sight in japan, but Kumagaya is one of Japan’s main rugby regions

Schedule

September 24 Russia vs Samoa
September 29 Georgia vs Uruguay
October 9 Argentina vs USA

Where to Stay for the Rugby in Kumagaya

For matches at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium I’d actually recommend staying somewhere in central Tokyo, especially if you have the JR Pass and can jump on the bullet train to Kumagaya. All things considered, Shinjuku’s probably the best call, though if you’re heading to Kumagaya it might be better to stay near Tokyo Station or Ueno for easy shinkansen access. You can also consider Shibuya, Roppongi, Ikebukuro, Shinagawa, or pretty much anywhere around & within the Yamanote loop line. Asakusa’s also good for more of an old town atmosphere. To search accommodation in Tokyo see here

If you’d prefer to stay in Kumagaya itself, search here

New users can get a $35 discount from their first Airbnb rental through Rugby Guide Japan, simply click here and sign up.

How to Get to Kumagaya

Kumagaya Station is on the shinkansen line, taking 40 minutes from Tokyo Station. Not every train stops at Kumagaya so make sure to check on Hyperdia (see here for an explanation on how to use it) or ask the staff. You can also board the shinkansen at Ueno if you’re staying somewhere in the Asakusa/Ueno area.

If you’re staying on the west side of Tokyo e.g. Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, it actually works out faster to avoid Tokyo Station and take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line straight to Kumagaya, or the Saikyo Line rapid service to Omiya from where you can hop on the shinkansen one stop to Kumagaya. If you’re not using the JR Pass and want to stick to non-bullet trains, the Shonan-Shinjuku Line (from Shinjuku etc) or the Takasaki Line (from Tokyo Station) are the easiest as you don’t have to transfer. Again, use Hyperdia to check the best route from your starting point.

For more on navigating the Greater Tokyo region see here