Hanazono Rugby Stadium

Higashiosaka City Hanazono Rugby Stadium opened in 1929 next to Hanazono Central Park in Higashiosaka, Osaka, and is Japan’s first rugby-only stadium. It is one of the country’s leading rugby venues and is famously known as “Hanazono,” the dream destination for high-school rugby players because it hosts the National High School Rugby Football Tournament. It also served as a venue for Rugby World Cup 2019™, and to prepare for that event, large-scale renovation and expansion work was carried out starting in 2017. Access is convenient: about a 10-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Line Higashi-Hanazono Station. A parking lot for up to 432 vehicles is available; standard cars can park for 1,000 yen per car, but depending on the event, the lot may not be available, so checking in advance is necessary. Because the stadium sits within Hanazono Central Park, which includes facilities such as a baseball field and an athletics track, many people visit the area for purposes beyond rugby. The stadium, together with Hanazono Central Park, is an essential place not only for tourists but also for local residents. The Hanazono Rugby Museum is also a popular spot.