Nihondaira Stadium
Encyclopedia
Outsourcing Stadium Nihondaira (アウトソーシングスタジアム日本平) is a football
stadium
in Shimizu-ku
, Shizuoka
, Japan
. It is currently mostly used for football
matches and has been the home stadium of the J-League's
Shimizu S-Pulse
since 1993. The stadium holds 20,339 people and was opened in 1991. In November 2008 a four-year naming deal was announced expected to earn S-Pulse 360,000,000 yen. The stadium will be known as The Outsourcing Stadium.
In 2004
, 2008
and again in 2009
the stadium's pitch received the award for the best kept playing surface in the J-League.
At the start of the 2007
season a new Astro Vision giant video screen was unveiled in the southeast corner of the ground. 2007 also saw S-Pulse host all home league games at Nihondaira for the first time since 1999
. In previous years, the team's higher profile games were often hosted at higher capacity arenas; most commonly Ecopa Stadium
.
The Kop is home to S-Pulse's most vociferous and colourful supporters, with the presence of a supporters band each home game helping create a carnival atmosphere. Half the opposite East Stand is usually given over to visiting fans, although on occasion the whole stand is provided for away fans such as for the local derby
against Jubilo Iwata
. With the exception of the more central areas of the side stands, all seats at Nihondaira are unreserved.
. However, the reality is that an access road behind the stand has prevented the laying of the foundations necessary to support the roof. Redirecting this access road would take substantial redevelopment of the surrounding road layout which has thus far not proved a worthwhile expense.
, Shizuoka on the edge of the Nihondaira mountains which divide Shizuoka City. The stadium is surrounded on two sides by green tea fields and due to its elevated position provides panoramic views across Shimizu and Suruga Bay.
The nearest station to the stadium is Shimizu
, however, being over 4 km from the ground, the majority of spectators arrive on foot or by shuttle bus services from Shimizu Station, Shizuoka Station
and other nearby areas. The shuttle bus service starts running three hours before kick off, but for supporters wishing to arrive earlier, the local bus lines have services which run near Nihondaira, with the closest bus stops to be found ten minutes walk from the stadium. The nearest Shinkansen
station is ten minutes by local train
west of Shimizu at Shizuoka. There is limited car parking at the stadium or surrounding areas.
From the 2008
season, the stadium is staffed from 11pm the night prior to match days to allow eager supporters the opportunity to reserve their place in the queue.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Shimizu-ku
Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka
is one of three wards of the city of Shizuoka, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, located in the eastern part of the city.-Geography:Shimizu is located on the coast of Suruga Bay of the Pacific Ocean and covers a wide area from a coastal plain to the hills...
, Shizuoka
Shizuoka, Shizuoka
is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is currently mostly used for football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
matches and has been the home stadium of the J-League's
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
Shimizu S-Pulse
Shimizu S-Pulse
is a professional Japanese association football club. Located in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, S-Pulse currently competes in the J. League Division 1 . Formed as recently as 1991, S-Pulse are one of the youngest professional teams in Japan, but are among only five to have competed in...
since 1993. The stadium holds 20,339 people and was opened in 1991. In November 2008 a four-year naming deal was announced expected to earn S-Pulse 360,000,000 yen. The stadium will be known as The Outsourcing Stadium.
History
The stadium first opened in 1991 with two stands and a capacity of 13,000. In its debut year the stadium was used to host the football tournament of the annual All Japan High School Athletics Meet. Subsequent expansion took place before the first J-League season in 1993 which added two more stands and took the capacity up to 18,500. Since then, the ground has been further expanded with the current capacity standing at 20,339. Future expansion is far from impossible, although limited access to the stadium is the biggest hurdle towards a further enlarged capacity.In 2004
J. League 2004
The 2004 J. League Division 1 season was the 12th season of the J1 League. The league fixture began on March 13, 2004 and ended on December 11, 2004. The Suntory Championship 2004 took place on December 5 and December 11, 2004. The first ever J...
, 2008
J. League 2008
The 2008 J. League Division 1 season is the 44th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 16th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season began on March 8 and ended on December 6....
and again in 2009
J. League 2009
The 2009 J. League Division 1 season is the 45th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 17th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season started on March 7, 2009 and ended on December 5, 2009....
the stadium's pitch received the award for the best kept playing surface in the J-League.
At the start of the 2007
J. League 2007
The 2007 J. League Division 1 season was the 15th season since the establishment of the J. League. The season began on March 3 and ended on December 1.-Promotion and relegation:* At the end of the 2006 season, , , and were promoted to J1...
season a new Astro Vision giant video screen was unveiled in the southeast corner of the ground. 2007 also saw S-Pulse host all home league games at Nihondaira for the first time since 1999
J. League 1999
The 1999 season was the 7th season of the J-League Division 1. The league began in March and ended in November.For this year, the division was contested by 16 teams following the folding of Yokohama Flügels and the relegation of Consadole Sapporo to the newly formed Division 2...
. In previous years, the team's higher profile games were often hosted at higher capacity arenas; most commonly Ecopa Stadium
Shizuoka Stadium
is a sports stadium used primarily for football. The stadium is in Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, although the stadium itself is merely the centrepiece of the larger Ogasayama Sports Park which extends into neighbouring Kakegawa...
.
The stadium
The stadium is composed of four separate, all-seated stands:| The Main Stand (Side) |
The Back Stand (Side) |
The West Stand "The Kop" (End) |
The East Stand (End) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | |
|
|
|
The Kop is home to S-Pulse's most vociferous and colourful supporters, with the presence of a supporters band each home game helping create a carnival atmosphere. Half the opposite East Stand is usually given over to visiting fans, although on occasion the whole stand is provided for away fans such as for the local derby
Shizuoka Derby
The Shizuoka Derby is a commonly occurring football fixture in Japan. The game takes place between the two professional J. League teams in Shizuoka Prefecture; Shimizu S-Pulse and Júbilo Iwata. The game is usually hosted at Ecopa Stadium, the prefecture's largest sporting venue. In the two 2007...
against Jubilo Iwata
Júbilo Iwata
is a professional Japanese association football team currently playing in the J. League Division 1 . The team name Júbilo means 'joy' in Portuguese and Spanish. The team's home town is Iwata, Shizuoka prefecture and they play at Yamaha Stadium...
. With the exception of the more central areas of the side stands, all seats at Nihondaira are unreserved.
The roof mystery
A distinctive feature of the ground is the roof of the Back Stand, and there are several competing theories as to why it runs only two-thirds of the pitch. The most popular of these purports it was intentionally built short so as to afford unobscured views of Mt. Fuji across Suruga BaySuruga Bay
Suruga Bay is a bay on the Pacific coast of Honshū in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is situated north of an imaginary line joining Omaezaki Point and Irōzaki Point at the tip of the Izu Peninsula and surrounded by Honshū to the southwest and west and the Izu Peninsula to the east.-Geology:Suruga...
. However, the reality is that an access road behind the stand has prevented the laying of the foundations necessary to support the roof. Redirecting this access road would take substantial redevelopment of the surrounding road layout which has thus far not proved a worthwhile expense.
2007 season
- Season average: 15,441
- Season highest (League): 20,318 v Júbilo Iwata
- Season lowest (League): 11,466 v Kashiwa ReysolKashiwa Reysolis a J. League Division 1 team. Its home town is Kashiwa, Chiba, about an hour northeast of Tokyo.-History:Founded in 1940 as Hitachi, Ltd. Soccer Club in Koganei, Tokyo, the team was a founding member of the Japan Soccer League...
- Season highest (Cup): 9102 v Yokohama F. MarinosYokohama F. Marinosis a Japanese association football team that participates in the fully professional J. League Division 1; the top Japanese professional football league. Having won the J-League title three times and finished second twice, they are one of the most successful J-League clubs. The team are based in...
(J. League Cup) - Season lowest (Cup): 5088 v Meiji UniversityMeiji Universityis a private university in Tokyo and Kawasaki, founded in 1881 by three lawyers of the Meiji era, Kishimoto Tatsuo, Miyagi Kōzō, and Yashiro Misao. It is one of the largest and most prestigious Japanese universities in Tokyo, Japan....
(Emperor's Cup)
Access
The stadium is located behind a residential area in Shimizu WardShimizu-ku, Shizuoka
is one of three wards of the city of Shizuoka, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, located in the eastern part of the city.-Geography:Shimizu is located on the coast of Suruga Bay of the Pacific Ocean and covers a wide area from a coastal plain to the hills...
, Shizuoka on the edge of the Nihondaira mountains which divide Shizuoka City. The stadium is surrounded on two sides by green tea fields and due to its elevated position provides panoramic views across Shimizu and Suruga Bay.
The nearest station to the stadium is Shimizu
Shimizu Station (Shizuoka)
is a railway station on the Tōkaidō Main Line of Central Japan Railway Company in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The station is 169 rail kilometers from Tokyo Station.- Station history:...
, however, being over 4 km from the ground, the majority of spectators arrive on foot or by shuttle bus services from Shimizu Station, Shizuoka Station
Shizuoka Station
is a major railway station on the Tōkaidō Main Line of Central Japan Railway Company in Shizuoka, Japan, on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Tōkaidō Main Line. The station is 180.2 rail kilometers from Tokyo.-History:...
and other nearby areas. The shuttle bus service starts running three hours before kick off, but for supporters wishing to arrive earlier, the local bus lines have services which run near Nihondaira, with the closest bus stops to be found ten minutes walk from the stadium. The nearest Shinkansen
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
station is ten minutes by local train
Tokaido Main Line
The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...
west of Shimizu at Shizuoka. There is limited car parking at the stadium or surrounding areas.
From the 2008
J. League 2008
The 2008 J. League Division 1 season is the 44th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 16th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season began on March 8 and ended on December 6....
season, the stadium is staffed from 11pm the night prior to match days to allow eager supporters the opportunity to reserve their place in the queue.