Workforce personnel and followers of soccer and rugby can get fairly upset when their residence pitch is used for various sports activities and thus “ruined” by totally different markings and sorts of sport play. While many multiple-sports venues exist in Japan, there are additionally loads of stadiums principally used for a solitary sport.
One such instance is the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Floor (a.okay.a. Chichibunomiya Stadium) in Tokyo’s Minato Ward. Aside from
FC Tokyo taking part in a few League Cup soccer matches there in 2019, it usually stays true to its roots and hosts solely rugby matches however final Friday (twenty ninth August) it staged the American type of soccer for the primary time since opening in 1947 as Tokyo Rugby Stadium.
While this venue swap is much faraway from the controversial thought of the Tremendous Bowl going down in London in the future (Britain’s ambassador made a pitch not too long ago to deliver the showpiece occasion to the UK), there are some (minor and fairly tenuous!) similarities akin to one sports activities area internet hosting a distinct ball sport and two groups from a distinct space having to journey throughout borders to play it!!
Japan is stuffed with letter based mostly leagues (J-League, V-League, B-League, T. League and so on and so on) and on this event at Chichibunomiya it was the X-League which is the nation’s top-level skilled gridiron soccer league celebrating its thirtieth anniversary in 2025. Additionally it is 40 years because the Japan Beginner American Soccer Affiliation (JAFA) was based.
This was the opening sport of the brand new X-League season, and the primary one to ever be performed at Tokyo’s residence of rugby nevertheless it definitely wasn’t my American soccer debut! Removed from it as I misplaced my gridiron cherry a few years in the past in Kawasaki once I watched a conflict between Asahi Beer Silver Star and Hosei Orange Soccer which lent itself to some good silver versus orange promotion.
That was simply an exhibition match, and on the finish of my publish about that have I stated “I might be pleased to in the future see an precise X-League fixture to see what a correct match is like” so that point got here simply over two years later for this history-making contest between Kawasaki-based Fujitsu Frontiers and their Kanagawa rivals Fujifilm Ebina Minerva AFC.
Within the first few months of every yr I cycle all the way down to Chichibunomiya Stadium on Friday evenings very often to see Japan Rugby League One matches so all the things felt like regular for me till I arrived and will see a good quantity of X-League signage in addition to many followers in American soccer shirts.
Because it turned out, these inexperienced shirts being worn by many have been being given out totally free and I managed to get one too. I obtained speaking to a younger employees member close to the stall giving them away and he very kindly stated he’d get one for me which saved me ready in line too. He didn’t appear too involved both by whether or not or not I truly had a ticket for the sport!
It actually was far busier than I ever thought it might be with a fan-zone stuffed with foods and drinks, merchandise stands and photograph opps as effectively a seating space and a few actions like throwing the American soccer by holes of various level worth. In that sense it wasn’t too totally different from the Friday Night time Rugby video games however there appeared a buzz within the air …..and I’m not speaking in regards to the bees flying round! The anticipation was constructing because it was in all probability the primary style of stay gridiron motion for almost all in attendance.
My ticket was truly for the primary stand however having offered my soul in return for a free Minerva shirt I needed to sit within the again stand. So long as it’s not raining onerous that’s truly my most popular choice although as I consider trying on the foremost stand gives a greater view.
The sport kicked off at 7:05 pm and I actually do marvel how a lot of the group within the 27,000 seat stadium actually knew what was occurring! I definitely didn’t!
Because of the apparent physicality concerned in addition to the ball form, each American soccer and rugby have similarities however on this event my senses have been discovering it troublesome to regulate to the variations, notably the fixed stop-go cycle of play for every of the 4 12 minute quarters.
The massive measurement of the squad and all the opposite workforce personnel on the sidelines had me confused all through nevertheless it was fascinating in a method to soak up such tactical play which is vastly totally different to what I name soccer!
With the fixed altering of gamers it was onerous to actually sustain with all of it at instances however what was apparent was the totally different ranges of the groups, as was most apparant by my new workforce’s skill to even get near scoring a landing! “We” will go once more subsequent time although hoping for a extra optimistic final result!
The identical fixture final season was attended by about 400 folks, and while an official attendance determine was not given, it’s estimated that holding such a spectacle at Chichibunomiya had round ten instances that quantity. I’m certain the X-League will need to capitalise on that and begin taking part in video games at Tokyo’s rugby mecca a bit extra typically.
Ultimate Rating: Fujitsu Frontiers 37-0 Fujifilm Ebina Minerva AFC
Bonus: The kind of soccer I’m acquainted with truly passed off at Chichibunomiya Stadium final August which is extremely uncommon and was my foremost cause for attending an Beneath-15s academy match between a J-League Choose facet and Newcastle United whose senior workforce have been in Japan to play a few pre-season friendlies. 1,050 folks have been rewarded (for his or her free tickets!) with a really entertaining match which was one of many highest scoring ones I’ve ever witnessed.
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