Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium

Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium

Former names	Tokyo Rugby Stadium (1947–1953)
Location	Kitaaoyama, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Coordinates	35°40′21.37″N 139°43′5.41″E
Owner	Japan Sport Council
Operator	Japan Sport Council
Capacity	27,188
Surface	Grass
Construction
Opened	1947
Renovated	1973, 2003
Tenants
NTT Shining Arcs Sunwolves

Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium (秩父宮ラグビー場, Chichibunomiya Ragubī-jō) (also called Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium) in the Aoyama district of central Tokyo is the spiritual home of Japanese rugby union and the headquarters of the Japan Rugby Football Union.

Facilities

The stadium currently can accommodate 27,188 spectators, but only part of the stands are covered. A large electronic scoreboard was added to the grounds as a step toward modernization before the fifth Rugby World Cup in 2003.

On April 19, 2007, it was announced that the stadium was to be equipped with lights for night games by the end of July, to assist with the RWC 2015 bid. The first rugby game under lights was Japan v Asian Barbarians in August 2007, the send-off for Japan going to RWC 2007. Since then it has been used for the first Top League game of the 2007–8 season between Suntory Sungoliath and Toshiba Brave Lupus, also played under lights and won 10–3 by the former on October 26, 2008.

History

Originally completed in 1947, it was at first called Tokyo Rugby Stadium. In 1953 the name was changed to Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium. The stadium also served as a venue for football matches in the 1964 Summer Olympics.

The name Chichibunomiya commemorates the sporting prince, Prince Chichibu, who was not a rugby union player but was passionately fond of the sport and died in 1953. His statue is in the stadium.

On February 3, 2008, snow prevented two Top League games being played in the 13th and final round of the fifth season. They were postponed to February 9.

From 2012 through 2015, the stadium hosted the Japan Sevens, a newly created event on the circuit for men's national rugby sevens teams now known as the World Rugby Sevens Series. When inaugurated, the tournament was the seventh on the circuit schedule, and was held in late March/early April. After the 2014–15 series, Japan was removed from the schedule in favor of a return to former series host Singapore.

See also

• Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Stadium
• Japan national rugby union team
• Top League

References

• 1964 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. Part 1. p. 120.
• 秩父宮ラグビー場, National Agency for the Advancement of Sports and Health