Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium
The Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium will host the opening game baseball and six softball games during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture 福島県営あづま球場 福島市 福島県
by Johannes Schonherr
Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium during a game (official photo)
The Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium, located right outside Fukushima city in Fukushima Prefecture, will host the opening game in baseball (July 29th, 2020) as well as six softball games (July 22nd / 23rd) during the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.
By hosting the opening baseball game (baseball being Japan's most popular sport) as well as the softball games in Fukushima, the Japanese Olympic Committee wants to draw attention to the fact that the Fukushima region has largely recovered from the triple disaster of March 11th, 2011.
On that day, a magnitude 9 earthquake shook the region, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Japan. A tsunami flood wave resulting from the earthquake devastated the Pacific Coast areas of Tohoku, the northeast of Japan, where Fukushima is located, killing more than 15,000 people.
The tsunami also triggered hydrogen explosions destroying several nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant situated right on the coast, leading to radioactive contamination of wide swaths of land in the coastal area.
While still much work needs to be done at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant itself, most of the wider surrounding area has by now fully recovered.
Exterior of the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium during repairs in summer 2019
Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium
The Recovery
In fact, Azuma Stadium proved to be earthquake proof on that fateful day. Located far inland, it was not affected by the tsunami, the nuclear clouds blew in the opposite direction - towards the ocean.
The stadium is about 70 km away from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Radiation levels at the stadium were always very low.
The first pro-baseball games after the triple disaster of March 11th, 2011 took place on June 28th and 29th of the same year, both between the Yomiuri Giants and the Yakult Swallows (both teams being from Tokyo). Reporting for the Japan Times, Wayne Graczyk wrote:
"The atmosphere did not seem out of the ordinary in town or at the games. I had expected a good percentage of the 14,000 or so fans who showed up at the ballpark each night to be wearing surgical masks, but very few had them on. I also saw only one guy wearing a dosimeter."
Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium
Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium
Azuma Stadium
Constructed in 1986, the Azuma Stadium has a capacity of about 30,000 spectators: Infield 14,390 seats (seats behind home-plate: 3,965), Outfield 15,610 seats (surrounding the field).
Many of spectator seats also offer great views towards the surrounding mountainous landscape.
The stadium is part of the Fukushima Azuma Sports Park, a large facility run by the Fukushima Prefectural Government, offering a wide variety of training grounds for various sports as well as for family recreation.
Banner announcing the baseball and softball games for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 over the entrance to the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium
Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium
Visiting the Azuma Stadium
I went to visit the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium in early August 2019 as part of a press trip arranged by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
On the same trip, we visited J-Village, a large sports complex only 20 km away from the ruins of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. J-Village, also fully recovered, will be the starting point for the torch relay race leading up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
At the time of our visit, the Azuma Baseball Stadium was undergoing the final stages of repairs before the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020. Repairs unrelated to the triple disaster of 2011, just a general refurbishment of the stadium in preparation for the Olympics.
Children's Baseball Tournament at Fukushima Azuma Sports Park
Since only empty seats could be seen at the Azuma Stadium, we were also taken to an international children's baseball tournament in the adjoining Fukushima Azuma Sports Park.
Children from 13 countries had been invited to train and play in Fukushima. One of the organizers of the tournament was Japanese baseball legend Sadaharu Oh.
Sadaharu Oh is known as the king of home-runs, having achieved a lifetime world record of 868 home runs during the 22 seasons he played professional baseball for the Yomiuri Giants from 1959 to 1980.
Mr. Oh met the press group and expressed his hopes that the participating children would return to their countries with good memories of Fukushima as a welcoming and safe place.
Baseball legend Sadaharu Oh being interviewed by the international press at Fukushima Azuma Sports Park
Access - Getting to Azuma Sports Park
From Tokyo Station or Ueno Station take the Tohoku Shinkansen to JR Fukushima Station.
From there take a local bus from the East Exit of JR Fukushima Station bound for Sabara or Sabara / Shikinosato. Get off at Azuma Sogo Taiikukan or Azama Rikujyo Kyogijyo. The bus ride takes about 30 minutes.
Address: Kamikotoba 1, Sawara, Fukushima-shi, Fukushima-ken
Tokyo Olympics website entry in English
Fukushima Azuma Sports Park website in Japanese www.azumapark.or.jp
