World City Guide

Sport

Sumo wrestling is Japan’s national sport and the six annual 15-day tournaments excite great interest throughout the country. The January, May and September tournaments are held in Tokyo. Tickets can be purchased at the venue, the Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium, 1–3–28 Yokoami, Sumida-ku (tel: (03) 5237 9310). Further information can be found online (website: www.sumo.or.jp/eng/index.php).

Even greater passion and devotion is aroused by baseball (yakyu or besubaru). Several of the country’s 12 professional teams are based in Tokyo and matches always attract tremendous crowds. One of the best places for one to see a game is Tokyo Dome, 1–3 Koraku, Bunkyo Ku (tel: (03) 5800 9999; website: www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e), home to Japan’s most popular team, the Yomiuri Giants (website: http://giants.yomiuri.co.jp).

Following Japan’s successful co-hosting of the World Cup 2002, football (sakka) is more popular than ever. Japan’s professional J-League consists of 12 teams and games are regularly played at Tokyo Dome (see above) or the National Stadium, Kokuritsu Kyogijo (tel: (03) 3403 1151).

Tokyo has two horseracing (keiba) tracks, the Tokyo Keibajo (tel: (0423) 633 141) and the Oi Keibajo (tel: (03) 3763 2151), with races generally taking place on weekends.

Ticket Pia (tel: (03) 5237 9999 for English-language telephone booking) and Lawson Ticket (tel: (03) 5537 9999) are the major ticket agencies, with outlets around the city. Events are regularly sold out and bookings should be made well in advance.

Fitness centres: The Clark Hatch Fitness Center, Azabu Towers, 2–1–3 Azabudai Minato-ku (tel: (03) 3584 4092; website: www.clarkhatch.com), offers day membership and the major hotels almost all have fully equipped fitness centres. The Park Hyatt’s high rise Club on the Park, 3–7–1–2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku (tel: (03) 5322 1234), and Hotel Nikko Tokyo’s Bayside Spa ‘Zen’, 1–9–1 Daiba, Minato-ku (tel: (03) 5500 5500), both deserve a special mention.

Golf: Japan is a golf-crazy country and, while Tokyo boasts over 500 driving ranges (often located on rooftops), enthusiasts must be prepared to travel to golf courses. Fees are high and weekends can be amazingly busy. The Sakawa Royal Golf Club, Kanagawa Prefecture (tel: (0465) 772 226; fax: (0465) 772 632), two hours by train west of Tokyo, boasts views of Mount Fuji. Non-members may play on weekdays and on weekends outside peak season. The Kazusa Monarch Country Club, 856–2 Yanoshiroji Yasurozawa Kimitsu, Chiba (tel: (0439) 293 101; fax: (0439) 293 399; website: www.giganet.net/kmcc/index.html) welcomes non-members at all times. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the course is 90 minutes by train southeast of Tokyo. Course fees are from ¥13,000. Most golf courses are closed on Monday. The Tokyo Golf Course Guide gives additional information (website: www.successstories.com/home.htm).

Jogging: Tokyo’s parks are popular with joggers. A favourite is Yoyogi Park, reachable via Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote loop line or Meiji-jingumae Station on the Chiyoda underground line. The outer moat of the Imperial Palace offers an attractive jogging route but runners here might suffer from car fumes.

Tennis: The Hibiya-koen tennis courts (tel: (03) 3501 6428) are centrally located in Hibiya Park, near Ginza. They are open 0900–2100 daily and fees are ¥3000–4000 per hour per court. Membership registration is required but can be obtained free of charge. Court reservations should be made well in advance. There is a website that gives information on other places to play (website: www.tokyotennis.com).