Must Visit Sports Stadiums With Beautiful Views

Explore | 25/10/2024 | By Curt Hoelcke

Whether you are in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto you can have both – Watching an exciting competition on the pitch in front of you and enjoy the view of what lies outside the stadium.

The world offers us many sports stadiums and arenas. There are old, nostalgic ones, there are ultra-modern multifunctional arenas and there are stadiums with a special charm and those with a great view. This is not about the view of the stadium, but about the view from the stadium. There are of course many more than those mentioned in this article, but I can tell you about them from my own experience. Let’s start with a stadium with a picturesque mountain panorama.

A New Destination Away From Shrines And Temples

Sanga Stadium by Kyocera in Kyoto

First of all, the journey to the stadium offers a breathtaking backdrop. You have to travel to Kameoka, located to the west of Kyoto. As soon as you leave the station, you are already in the stadium’s perimeter, which opened in 2020, and can enjoy a beautiful view of the mountains in the background. Not far from the stadium is the Hozugawa River, where you can take a boat trip to Arashiyama on traditional boats.

In the stadium itself, you can usually watch a Kyoto Sanga FC match, who mainly uses the stadium. Kyoto Sanga FC currently plays in the first Japanese league. In the stadium, it is worth going to the south-west corner and then to the top. This is also possible if you have a seat in another stand, as you can actually walk all the way around the stadium – both inside and outside. Once there, you can enjoy the wonderful view of the mountains from the stadium. It is particularly beautiful when dusk sets in and the sun slowly goes down. The special thing about it is certainly that it is a closed stadium and you can still enjoy this view. Simply magnificent.

The Home Of The Cherry Blossoms

Yodoko Sakura Stadium In Osaka

Also located in Kyoto Prefecture, the Yodoka Sakura Stadium in Osaka is well worth a visit. One of the two soccer clubs from Osaka, which play in the top Japanese league, plays its home games there: Cerezo Osaka. In addition to soccer matches, the stadium is also used for rugby and American football matches. The same applies to the neighboring Nagai Stadium, which is also used as a rugby stadium and occasionally by Cerezo Osaka. Adjacent to the stadiums is Nagai Park, where there are other sports facilities and a botanical garden.

But back to the Yodoko Sakura Stadium: unlike the stadium in Kyoto, you can only use the entrance to the stands for which you have purchased your ticket. In my case, this was in the non-reserved mixed area in the back stand. There you sit close to the visiting fans and can choose your own seat in the lower tier as well as in the upper tier. The higher up, the more fantastic the view.

Never before have I been able to observe so many other things in a stadium. There is a small cemetery right next to the stadium. Behind it, you can watch people playing tennis. The track runs directly behind the stand opposite, so you can watch the track to the left and right of it. You can look out over many houses and even see the mountains on the horizon. And if that wasn’t enough, the picturesque sunset takes care of the rest. It’s hard to beat.

The Mecca Of Japanese Rugby

Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium In Tokyo

The Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium, also known as the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, is mainly used for rugby matches. On the one hand, the league matches of the Tokyo Sungoliath and Urayasu D-Rocks are played there, but also many international matches of the Japanese national teams. In the immediate vicinity of the rugby stadium are the Meiji Jingu Stadium, where baseball is played, and the National Stadium, where many different sports competitions are held.

The best view is probably from the south-east corner, the Back Stand Unreserved. From there, the view wanders from the field, over the Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium, the National Stadium to the Tokyo skyline with the iconic NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building and Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower. During the day, the view was enjoyable, but at dusk, this expansive view must surely be even more extraordinary.

There is no need to rush, but you should visit the old Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium again by 2032. This is because extensive construction work will take place on the entire area in front of the national stadium by 2036, including a new baseball stadium, a new rugby stadium and other structural changes. You can find out more about the redevelopment plans here: www.jingugaienmachidukuri.jp

A Tiny Stadium Near Mount Fuji

Tokinosumika Ground In Gotemba
The Tokinosumika Ground is part of the Tokinosumika Sports Center, which is located in the towns of Gotemba and Susono. The Tokinosumika Ground is embedded in a recreational area, which includes an onsen, a hotel, an aquarium, a lodge resort and other sports grounds. It is only a very small stadium that seats a few dozen spectators. Unfortunately, Mount Fuji is at the back of the stands, but even from the stands you can enjoy a beautiful view of a hilly landscape behind the soccer pitch. In combination with the recreational area around it, this small stadium is well worth a visit on the way to or from Fuji.

These Stadium Visits Have Whetted Appetite For More

Other Stadiums In Japan

Stadiums that deserve to be mentioned, which I haven’t yet visited myself, but which are definitely on my bucket list:

  • Fuji Hokuroku Park (Mt. Fuji Springs Stadium, Fuji Hokuroku Park Ball Game Field, Yamanashi Fuji Hokuroku Park Baseball Field)
  • Kose Sports Park (JIT Recycle Ink Stadium, San’nichi YBS Baseball Stadium)
  • Hot Staff Field Hiroshima
  • Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu
  • Arigato Service Dream Stadium
  • ND Soft Stadium Yamagata
  • Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Stadium

An Exciting Atmosphere In A Lively District

Millerntor-Stadium In Hamburg

It may not be a stadium in Japan, but I couldn’t help but mention the Millerntor-Stadium in Hamburg in this context. It is the home of FC St. Pauli and seats around 30,000 spectators. The stadium is located in the world-famous district of the same name, St. Pauli.

It offers wonderful views of what lies outside the stadium from all the stands. The bunker has recently been given a new look and a green roof. And when the Hamburger DOM, a funfair with attractions for young and old, takes place three times a year, it offers an extraordinary backdrop. From the main stand, the south stand and the north stand, you can admire the colorful hustle and bustle of the fair behind the back stand. And depending on where you sit, you can also see other city landmarks such as the TV tower or the “Michel”.

So, if you plan a trip to Hamburg and want to enjoy a stadium with a wonderful view. Then you definitely have to join a match at the Millerntor-Stadium watching the famous FC St. Pauli.