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SPORTS INDEX
Sumo · Baseball · Soccer · Circuits · Resorts
🗺️SPORTS MAPS📍: SPORTS AREAS IN JAPAN.
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🏎️ MOTORSPORT
🥋 MARTIAL ARTS
1924–TODAYICONIC VENUE
Guide ToKOSHIEN
Hanshin Tigers Home
Nat'l H.S. Tournament
Sports Guide by JAPAN.GG
VENUE GUIDE 🔥
Nat'l H.S. Tournament
Sports Guide by JAPAN.GG
1993–TODAYTOP FLIGHT
Guide ToJ-LEAGUE
20 J1 Clubs
Nationwide Stadiums
Sports Guide by JAPAN.GG
LEAGUE GUIDE 🔥
Nationwide Stadiums
Sports Guide by JAPAN.GG
1684–TODAYGRAND SUMO
Guide ToSUMO
6 Honbasho a Year
15 Days Each
Sports Guide by JAPAN.GG
SUMO GUIDE 🔥
15 Days Each
Sports Guide by JAPAN.GG
JAPOW–TODAYPOWDER SNOW
Guide ToSKI & SNOW
Niseko & Hakuba
Olympic Venues
Sports Guide by JAPAN.GG
RESORT GUIDE 🔥
Olympic Venues
Sports Guide by JAPAN.GG
SPORTS GEMS
Gifts & Goods Guide by JAPAN.GG
The 1964 Tokyo Games were Asia's first Summer Olympics — vintage pins are popular collectibles today.
COLLECTIBLE PIN
1964 TOKYO OLYMPIC PIN
Vintage Collectible
Asia's First Summer Games
Asia's First Summer Games
Shohei Ohtani's children's book about his real-life dog Decoy's first pitch on Opening Day.
OHTANI'S BOOK
DECOY SAVES OPENING DAY
Ohtani's Picture Book
Proceeds Support Rescue Dogs
Proceeds Support Rescue Dogs
In 2024, Shohei Ohtani became MLB's first-ever 50/50 player — 54 HR, 59 SB in one season.
DODGERS
DODGERS OHTANI #17
Dodgers Ohtani
Official Jersey
→ GET ITEM 🔥(MLB Shop)
Official Jersey
Japan's "Samurai Blue" kit dates to the 1930s — the nickname went official in 2009.
JAPAN JERSEY SOUVENIR
FOOTBALL KIT
Soccer Souvenir
Fanatics Official
→ GET ITEM 🔥(Fanatics)
Fanatics Official
🤼 GRAND SUMO DIVE · SPORTS GUIDE BY JAPAN.GG
💥 SUMO
GRAND SLAM 🛫
GRAND SLAM 🛫
EST.
1684
EDO PRO SUMO
HONBASHO
6
PER YEAR
DURATION
15
DAYS EACH
TOKYO · RYŌGOKU KOKUGIKAN
★ BEST VENUE IN EACH REGION
🏟️ RYŌGOKU KOKUGIKAN (TOKYO)📍 MAP
Opened 1985. Capacity 11,098. Hosts three honbasho a year (January, May, September). Sumo Museum inside.
⛩️ EDION ARENA OSAKA (OSAKA)📍 MAP
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (Edion naming rights since 2015). Hosts Haru Basho every March. Near Namba Station.
🏆 IG ARENA (AICHI)📍 MAP
Nagoya Basho moved here July 2025 — replacing the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium after 60 years. Capacity 17,000.
🌊 FUKUOKA KOKUSAI CTR. (FUKUOKA)📍 MAP
Hakata-ku waterfront. Hosts the Kyūshū Basho every November — the final honbasho of the calendar year.
🥋 JAPAN MARTIAL ARTS DIVE · SPORTS GUIDE BY JAPAN.GG
MARTIAL ARTS
IN JAPAN
IN JAPAN
EST.
1882
KODOKAN JUDO
OLYMPIC JUDO
1964
TOKYO GAMES DEBUT
BUDOKAN
14,471
SEATS, CHIYODA
HOMBU DOJOS
⭐ BONUS
THE BEATLES AT THE BUDOKAN
In 1966, martial arts purists were outraged when the Fab Four played five sold-out shows at judo's Olympic shrine — the first rock concert ever held there.
🥋 KODOKAN JUDO📍 MAP
Founded 1882 by Jigoro Kano with just 9 disciples on 12 tatami mats — now an 8-story complex in Bunkyō and judo's spiritual home worldwide.
🏟️ NIPPON BUDOKAN📍 MAP
Built for judo's 1964 Olympic debut, its octagonal shape echoes Nara's ancient Yumedono hall. Hosted karate's own Olympic debut in 2021.
⚔️ KYOTO BUDOKAN📍 MAP
This 1899 wooden hall was headquarters of the Dai Nippon Butokukai, which helped standardize modern judo, kendo and karate — now a National Important Cultural Property.
🎯 MEIJI JINGU SHISEIKAN📍 MAP
The shrine's own budo hall teaches kyudo, judo, kendo and aikido side by side — its adjoining archery ground is among the most beautiful in Japan.
🌊 AIKIKAI HOMBU DOJO📍 MAP
Aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba built this dojo in Wakamatsu-chō in 1931; his descendants still lead classes here as Doshu today.
🥊 JKA HONBU DOJO📍 MAP
Formed in 1949 by students of Okinawan-born Gichin Funakoshi, the JKA was the first karate body to send instructors abroad, spreading Shotokan worldwide.
⚾ JAPAN BASEBALL DIVE · SPORTS GUIDE BY JAPAN.GG
KOSHIEN
& BEYOND
& BEYOND
FOUNDED
1872
JAPAN BASEBALL
NPB TEAMS
12
CLUBS
WBC
2026
TOKYO DOME
CENTRAL LEAGUE
PACIFIC LEAGUE
🏟️ HANSHIN KOSHIEN📍 MAP
Built 1924. Japan's most sacred ballpark — home of the Tigers and the National High School Baseball Championships every August.
🗼 TOKYO DOME📍 MAP
Japan's first dome (1988). Home of the Yomiuri Giants — 22 Japan Series titles — and hosted WBC 2026 Pool C.
❄️ ES CON FIELD📍 MAP
Opened 2023, Kitahiroshima — Japan's most modern ballpark, retractable roof, natural grass. Home of the Nippon-Ham Fighters.
🌊 THE MLB WAVE📍 MAP
Nomo (1995) · Ichiro (3,089 hits) · Matsui (2009 WS MVP) · Darvish (2012) — each opened the door wider.
🐦🔥 RIKUZENTAKATA📍 MAP
After the 2011 tsunami, local youth teams kept playing. The Miracle Pine — last of 70,000 — became the city's enduring symbol.
🏙️ ŌSHŪ & HANAMAKI HIGASHI📍 ŌSHŪ📍 HANAMAKI
Iwate, Tōhoku. Hanamaki Higashi High School consistently sends players to NPB and MLB — small city, outsized legacy.
⭐ BONUS
UNIQLO FIELD AT DODGER STADIUM📍 MAP
Witness historic baseball moments at the iconic Dodger Stadium!
⚽ J1 LEAGUE — TOP FLIGHT JAPAN · SPORTS GUIDE BY JAPAN.GG
JAPAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
FOUNDED
1993
J.LEAGUE
J1 TEAMS
20
CLUBS
WC
2026
NORTH AMERICA
KANTO EAST
KANTO NORTH
KANSAI & CHUGOKU
CENTRAL & KYUSHU
🎌 JAPAN SOUVENIR
JAPAN
JERSEY SOUVENIR
JERSEY SOUVENIR
JAPAN × ADIDAS × FIFA
🇯🇵 JAPAN JERSEY SOUVENIR · GIFT · SOUVENIR · FANATICS
⚡ 2022 WORLD CUP — R16
Looking to challenge the world. Japan reached the Round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, for the 4th time.
🌏 8 STRAIGHT WORLD CUPS
Qualified for every FIFA World Cup since 1998 — a run of 8 consecutive tournaments that reflects how far the national team has come.
🏆 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP
The biggest World Cup ever — 48 teams across North America (Canada, USA & Mexico.)
Get the Japan Jersey as a Football Gift, Soccer Souvenir!
Get the Japan Jersey as a Football Gift, Soccer Souvenir!
🏎️ JAPAN MOTORSPORT DIVE · SPORTS GUIDE BY JAPAN.GG
MOTORSPORT · SUZUKA · CIRCUIT
EST.
1962
SUZUKA CIRCUIT
F1 JAPAN GP
40
RACES SINCE 1976
RALLY JAPAN
WRC
TOYOTA CITY, AICHI
JAPAN'S F1 HOSTS
⭐ BONUS
"I'M BUILDING A CIRCUIT. PLEASE COME TO TOKYO."
Soichiro Honda's entire telegram to Dutch designer John Hugenholtz in 1961 — the result was Suzuka's one-of-a-kind figure-eight layout.
🏎️ SUZUKA CIRCUIT📍 MAP
Japan's only figure-eight circuit on the F1 calendar — the back straight crosses over the front via a flyover. Opened 1962 as a Honda test track.
🌋 FUJI SPEEDWAY📍 MAP
Toyota-owned since 2000, sitting right at the foot of Mt. Fuji. Hosts the WEC's 6 Hours of Fuji every autumn, plus Super GT and Super Formula.
🏍️ MOBILITY RESORT MOTEGI📍 MAP
Honda's second home circuit, renamed from Twin Ring Motegi in 2022. Hosts MotoGP's Japanese round on its 4.8km road course.
🏁 OKAYAMA CIRCUIT📍 MAP
Twice hosted F1 as TI Circuit Aida, the 1994 & '95 Pacific Grand Prix — both won by Michael Schumacher. Now a Super GT & Super Formula regular.
🏔️ AUTOPOLIS📍 MAP
Built high in the Kyūshū mountains in 1990 as an exclusive members' circuit before opening up to Super GT, Super Formula and Superbike racing.
🌲 RALLY JAPAN📍 MAP
Back on the WRC calendar since 2022 — narrow tarmac mountain stages through Aichi & Gifu, run out of Toyota Gazoo Racing's home turf.
🏁 TOP 3 RECOMMENDED MOTORSPORT AREAS IN JAPAN
Suzuka, Mie
📍 MAPS
Home of the F1 Japanese GP since 1987 — a whole leisure resort built up around Honda's legendary figure-eight circuit.
⛷️ JAPAN WINTER DIVE · SPORTS GUIDE BY JAPAN.GG
POWDER
KINGDOM
KINGDOM
SEASON
DEC–APR
PEAK JAN–FEB
RESORTS
500+
ACROSS JAPAN
OLYMPICS
2X
SAPPORO・NAGANO
HOKKAIDŌ
⭐ BONUS
"THE TRAIN CAME OUT OF THE TUNNEL..."
Yasunari Kawabata's Nobel Prize-winning novel Snow Country opens on that very line, set in the onsen town of Yuzawa — today the exit for GALA Yuzawa's slopes.
❄️ NISEKO UNITED📍 MAP
Japan's powder capital. Siberian storms crossing the Sea of Japan dump some of the driest, lightest snow on Earth — "Japow." Mt. Annupuri tops out at 1,308m.
🏔️ HAKUBA VALLEY📍 MAP
Host of the 1998 Winter Olympics. Ten resorts spread across one valley, ~3 hrs from Tokyo by Shinkansen + bus — Japan's widest terrain variety.
🚄 GALA YUZAWA📍 MAP
The only ski resort with its own Shinkansen station — 75 minutes from Tokyo Station to the gondola, no transfers required.
♨️ ZAŌ ONSEN📍 MAP
Ride past "Juhyō" — wind- and frost-sculpted "snow monsters" — then soak in a hot spring town that's welcomed skiers for a century.
🐒 JIGOKUDANI📍 MAP
Snow Monkey Park near Shiga Kōgen. Wild Japanese macaques have bathed in this hot spring valley since the 1960s — pair it with a day on the slopes.
🎊 SAPPORO SNOW FEST📍 MAP
Early February, Odori Park. Started with 6 statues in 1950; now draws 2M+ visitors for building-sized snow sculptures lit up at night.
⛷️ TOP 3 RECOMMENDED SNOW RESORTS IN JAPAN
Niseko, Hokkaidō
📍 MAPS
Japan's powder capital — deep, dry "Japow" snow across four linked resorts near Mt. Yōtei.