Japan Stadiums: Kanseki Stadium, Utsunomiya, Tochigi
Kanseki Stadium (カンセキスタジアムとちぎ) in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture is a multi-purpose stadium with an athletics track within Tochigi Sports Park.
It is now home to local J.League club Tochigi SC.
For sponsorship reasons the stadium is known as Kanseki Stadium after the name of the sponsor, a regional home improvement retail chain.
The stadium is one of several stadiums in the J.League that have a running track but football-specific grounds are gradually becoming the norm.
The reinforced concrete stadium structure surrounds the running track and field, and a steel-framed membrane roof covers the entire stadium. There are large electronic screens in the north stand.
The soccer field has a natural grass surface, with a pitch of 105 by 68 meters.
History & Capacity
The 25,244 capacity stadium first opened in 2020 at a cost of 19.4 billion Yen, the equivalent of nearly 124 million USD.
Tochigi Sports Park also contains three baseball fields, a gymnasium, often used for martial arts, and an amusement park, Tochinoki Family Land.
Previously Tochigi SC used Tochigi Green Stadium but the lack of a roof meant it did not meet some of the J.League licensing standards.
The Club: Tochigi SC
Relegated from J2 in 2024, Tochigi SC now compete in J3. The club was founded in 1953 by teachers in Tochigi Prefecture and was originally known as Tochigi Teachers' Soccer Club (栃木教員サッカー部, Tochigi Kyōin Sakkā Bu). In 1994, they began accepting players from other professions and rebranded themselves as Tochigi Soccer Club.
Access - Getting There
The ground is 11 minutes on foot from Nishikawada Station (East Exit) on the Tobu-Utsunomiya Line or 30 minutes on foot from Suzumenomiya Station on the JR Utsunomiya Line from Utsunomiya Station.
Several bus services also run out to Tochigi Sports Park from Utsunomiya Station including the number 31 from the West Exit of the station.
Address: 4-1-1 Nishikawata, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-0152
Nearby Hotels
Utsunomiya offers several recommended hotels mostly close to JR Utsunomiya Station.
Some possibilities include Candeo Hotels Utsunomiya, a 4-star property with a spa and wellness center.
The Maria Hotel has excellent facilities and is family-friendly.
The 3-star Toyoko Inn Utsunomiya Ekimae No 2 is part of a popular business hotel chain as is the 2-star Hotel Livemax Budget Utsunomiya.
More J.League Stadiums
Tosu Stadium (Ekimae Real Estate Stadium)
Sanga Stadium by Kyocera Kyoto
Toyota Stadium Aichi Prefecture
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