Osaka: Hanazono Rugby Stadium Connects People by One Team Spirit; Place for Citizens to Gather and Relax

By Norihiro Takiguchi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:11 JST, June 14, 2025

HIGASHI-OSAKA, Osaka — Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashi-Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, debuted as Japan’s first rugby stadium in November 1929.

Considered sacred ground for Japanese rugby players and fans, the stadium has hosted numerous memorable matches, including those during the annual National High School Rugby Tournament and the Rugby World Cup 2019. The stadium has also become a place for visitors to gather and relax.

The front gate features a diamond-shaped lattice pattern, which was designed with a motif of rugby players forming a scrum. Upon entering the stadium, I saw the lush green turf shining in the early summer sun.

According to a history of the Kintetsu Rugby Club, the construction of the stadium was prompted by “two remarks” from Prince Chichibu (1902-53). The prince was the younger brother of Emperor Showa and known for his dedication to promoting Japanese sports, including rugby.

In February 1928, Prince Chichibu was riding a train through the area and looking out the window at the rural landscape. Then he suggested to senior executives of the railway company, “How about constructing a rugby stadium here?”

The company was what is now Kintetsu Railway Co. While the executives were still discussing how to respond to the suggestion, the prince boarded the train again and urged them, asking, “Can’t you do it yet?”

Records show that construction began in March of the following year and was completed seven months later. It was rushed but resulted in an impressive job. The stadium was modeled after London’s Twickenham Stadium, known as the “Home of England Rugby,” and boasted a majestic appearance with a large iron roof over the main stands.

Hanazono Rugby Stadium is also known for hosting the annual National High School Rugby Tournament. Young rugby players from all over the country train hard with the aim of reaching this place.

Ryozo Imazato, 78, who played for and also coached the Kintetsu Rugby Club, first set foot on the Hanazono turf in his second year of high school.

“It felt so soft that it was like running on clouds,” he said.

Imazato also participated in the final of the company championship held at the stadium in January 1975. The punt he kicked in desperation was grabbed by his teammate, who scored a try, clinching an upset victory and bringing the championship to Kintetsu.

“A team that gives its all to rugby will eventually be favored by good luck. I knew a god lived in Hanazono,” he said. The club is now the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.

In 2015, the stadium’s ownership was transferred from Kintetsu to the municipal government of Higashi-Osaka. Together with its large-scale renovation, the stadium ushered in a turning point.

After the 2019 World Cup, the city is aiming to utilize Hanazono Central Park as a whole, including the rugby stadium. There is a children’s facility in the park. Meanwhile, a new cafe was built in the stadium facility, and a barbecue area was added to the park.

Although direct comparisons are difficult due to a change in counting methods, the number of visitors to the park, which hovered around 600,000 until fiscal 2018, increased to as many as 1.57 million in fiscal 2024.

I met a 52-year-old man who lives near the park and came to take a stroll with his family. He said proudly, “There’s nothing more wonderful than having such a place nearby to boast about to the rest of the country.”

The park now attracts everyone from children enjoying sports to elderly playing shogi, Japanese chess, under the shade of the trees. The rugby stadium is a pivotal presence in the park.

“Rugby has the power to connect people by team spirit,” said an official at the municipal government. “We hope the park will become a place which attracts citizens and makes them feel proud to be there.”

Scrum street lifts fans’ spirits

The about 400-meter road stretching from Higashi-Hanazono Station to the Hanazono Rugby Stadium is affectionately known as “Scrum Road Hanazono.”

As part of the city’s campaign to host the Rugby World Cup 2019, the city government solicited suggestions for names for the road from its citizens in 2010. From 473 applications, the name “Scrum Road” was chosen because it was thought that the name would “help realize the bid to host the World Cup with citizens, businesses and the government working together.”

The road is lined with stores selling rugby goods and a Japanese-style confectionery store selling manju buns shaped like rugby balls. There are also stores that sell boxed lunches boasting large portions that can even satisfy the stomachs of rugby players.

On the streetlights, the names of past winners of the National High School Tournaments are displayed along with illustrations of their jerseys.

In late May, rugby fans flooded the streets on the weekend that the Japan Rugby League One playoff tournament was held.

“We hope people’s spirits will be lifted while walking this path and they become more familiar with Hanazono,” a city official said.

Cheers with Craft Lager

At Hanazono Craft, which opened last August on Scrum Road Hanazono, you can taste home-brewed craft beer and homemade cola.

It offers staple Lager and Weizen, both ¥900 per medium-sized glass, including tax. Both are fully brewed but taste smooth and are easy to drink. Also available are two specially brewed beers, though only in limited quantities. The store also offers craft beers from across the country as well as light meals. The cola, made with a blend of more than 10 different spices, will be the perfect drink for the upcoming season.

Hanazono Rugby Stadium

The stadium is a 10-minute walk from Kintetsu Railway’s Higashi-Hanazono Station. Inside the stadium there is a rugby museum open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays, even when there are no matches. A fee is required to enter.

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