Rugby World Cup 2019 fever literally kicks-off in the city of Chofu, in western Tokyo, with venue Tokyo Stadium hosting the rugby extravaganza’s opening ceremony and opening match between Japan and Russia on September 20. And that’s just the beginning.

Here in Chofu a lively Fanzone, restaurants serving rugby-themed foods, rugby-loving locals and more await fans from all around the world with whom to share in the experience.

So with the kick-off to the Rugby World Cup 2019 fast approaching, here’s how you can dive into the rugby experience, Chofu-City style!

Rugby World Cup in Chofu: The Venue

Rugby World Cup 2019 matches held in Chofu take place in the huge Tokyo Stadium, in the city’s Nishimachi district, around 2 km northwest of Chofu Station.

Also known as Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo Stadium can seat around 50,000 people and is used to host a number of events and contests, from J-League soccer to pop and rock concerts. The stadium is also scheduled to be one of the competition venues for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Rugby World Cup in Chofu: The Match Schedule

Eight matches of the Rugby World Cup 2019 will be held at Tokyo Stadium in Chofu, including the world-cup opener between Japan and Russia, as well as the Rugby World Cup 2019 Opening Ceremony. The match schedule at Tokyo Stadium is as follows: 

Tokyo Stadium to Chofu Station

The elevated concourse that flanks the southwestern side of Tokyo Stadium is a good place to get your bearings. It’s also a great place to stand and gawp at the amazing architecture and scale of the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza, the other side of Stadium-dori Road, itself set to host events during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

From up here astute observers might notice the sign to the East along the Koshu-Kaido Avenue marking the turn-point of the marathon event held during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.  

Steps leading down from the concourse are emblazoned with Rugby World Cup 2019 signage, which makes from some cool photo ops!  

The walk from Tokyo Stadium to Chofu Station, and the area’s Fanzone, is a breeze, not least because you’ll be able to avoid the post-match crowds likely making a rush toward Tobitakyu Station.

The route from Tokyo Stadium to Chofu Station is straight for the most part, following the Koshu-Kaido Avenue east. Special signs -- designed in the rugby theme -- on telegraph poles mark the way and could make for some quirky, “I woz ere!” selfies. Give yourself around 40 minutes to make the walk from stadium to station at a gentle pace.

While it may not look it now, the Koshu-Kaido Avenue is an historic thoroughfare, one of five major routes handling foot traffic during Edo-era Japan, connecting Edo (now Tokyo) with a province in Yamanashi Prefecture to the East. The legendary Shinsengumi, often referred to as ‘Japan’s last samurai,’ are said to have marched along the Koshu-Kaido.    

Around 200m north of Chofu Station, skip the larger Dentsudai-dori, and instead take the next right onto the atmospheric Tenjin Dori, an old ‘shotengai’ shopping street crammed with equally atmospheric eateries in which you might be able to rub shoulders with Chofu locals. It’s a far cry from the sleek modernity of Tokyo Stadium.

Along Tenjin Dori see how many of the statues you can spot from the popular manga, ‘GeGeGe no Kitaro,’ created by the manga artist and honorary Chofu resident, Shigeru Mizuki.  

Those with the legs should follow Tenjin Dori north, away from the station, to the cluster of shrines at the center of which is Fudatenjin-Shrine, one of the most revered shrines in the region.  

While Fudatenjin-Shrine is better known for receiving blessings for success in academia and commercial interests, if the result of the rugby match you’re walking back from didn’t go your way, you never know, it might be worth stopping by the shrine in the hopes of better fortune next time!

Rugby World Cup in Chofu: The Fanzone

16 Fanzones in 12 cities across Japan are set to welcome supporters during the Rugby World Cup, and one of those is here in the city of Chofu, giving supporters without tickets to matches in nearby Tokyo Stadium the chance to bask in the world cup atmosphere.

The rugby Fanzone in Chofu is located almost immediately outside of Chofu Station’s Central and Hiroba exits in the wide open space of Chofu Station Square.

Here public viewing areas and stages are furnished with giant screens from which fans can watch the action unfold. The Fanzone in Chofu offers six public viewing areas with the larger areas inside and in front of Chofu City Green Hall handling the bulk of the match coverage. A screen nearby is dedicated to night-time matches.  

The Public Viewing Stage in front of Chofu City Green Hall will also be welcoming guest appearances from former Japan national team players, local rugby pros, and a lineup of performances from artists and comedians. 

At the Eat & Drink Area next to the Public Viewing Stage food trucks and stalls offer a menu of dishes that represent the nations participating in the Rugby World Cup.

If watching the action on screen at the Fanzone in Chofu leaves you wanting a piece of the rugby experience yourself, the Rugby Activity Area has pros from Japan’s Rugby Top League on hand to guide you through some of the techniques and skills. Children and adults welcome!

The Rugby World Cup 2019 Fanzone in Chofu is free to enter. 

Rugby World Cup in Chofu: The Food

As well as the Eat & Drink Area in Chofu’s Rugby World Cup Fanzone, fans can tuck into a number of delightful and quirky rugby-themed eats courtesy of some restaurants in Chofu that are part of the food-based events, ‘Dekamori Walk Rally’ and ‘Oh!! Spicy Challenge.’ 

Spanning the duration of the Rugby World Cup ‘Dekamori Walk Rally’ and ‘Oh!! Spicy Challenge’ see diners take on special oversized or spicy menu items.  

Extra large servings of rugby, please!

Among the restaurants offering special event menu items is Barry’s, an Italian, seafood and wine restaurant just a few meters from the East Exit of Chofu Station. 

Here, owner and boss Takumi Kaneko and his team have come up with their themed-dish ‘Meat Line-out’ which, while delicious, would likely prove a stern test even for the largest of rugby players, if not a whole team.

Weighing in at 1,700g the ‘Meat Line-out’ is an extraordinary balancing act of chicken and thick-cut bacon, topped with a grilled tomato and baked bread in the design of a rugby ball, all sitting on a “ground” of potato fries.  

(Trying to get our chops around the ‘Meat Line-out dish' at Chofu restaurant Barry's)

If it looks like a lot (and it is), don’t worry. Rugby fans can perhaps tackle their dishes as they talk post-match rugby. In fact fans would do well to bend the ear of Kaneko himself, a former pro who played in Australia for the local team of current Wallabies captain Michael Hooper.

Kaneko got a taste for the restaurant business while washing dishes in restaurants as he endeavored to make ends meet as a rugby player in Australia. After three more seasons in Japan following his return to these shores he started out in the restaurant business, opening Barry’s in 2012.

(Takumi Kaneko talks Rugby World Cup at his restaurant in Chofu)

While Kaneko told us he thinks it’s an amazing thing that the Rugby World Cup has come to Japan, he doesn’t think it should be seen as strange, especially for a large economy such as Japan.

“However, the question is about how we can create a lively atmosphere for the supporters and fans. How can we show people from around the world our ‘omotenashi?'” explained Kaneko at his restaurant, referring to a term that has become a byword for Japanese hospitality -- omotenashi. 

Well, one way would be for people to team up and tackle his ‘Meat Line-out dish.’

“One person is OK,” said Kaneko, “but I hope people can enjoy it together as a group with beer, wine, or salad.”  

And as for the restaurant name … 

“I get that a lot. Originally, I wanted to call the restaurant ‘Barbarians’ (after the famous rugby team) but if you shorten that (something which the Japanese have a propensity to do where possible), it becomes ‘Barbar,’ which comes with the image of having a hair cut. So, I wanted to go for something easier to understand,” he explained.

“Although there's no one who works here called Barry!"

For more about Barry’s restaurant in Chofu visit the webpage (English available)

Rugby bread served with a smile!

Smile (すまいる) is a facility for people with disabilities run by the city of Chofu, located just north of Tokyo Stadium on Stadium-dori Road.

Through a variety of projects and activities the staff at Smile work to enable social participation for their students, giving them a greater degree of independence and helping them to take the next step through vocational and workplace training.

According to a member of staff at the facility, students, together with staff, have been baking bread on-site for over 20 years, selling their creations (of which there are over 100 hundred items each day) at an on-site store as well as to nearby facilities, nurseries, companies and universities.  

In anticipation of the Rugby World Cup 2019 the students and staff at Smile have added a rugby-themed bread to their impressive menu. 

The themed-bread, along with classics like melon pan, shoku pan, butter and raisin rolls, can be purchased from the small store at the facility’s reception. 

(Students at Smile show off some of their freshly-baked rugby-themed bread)

The store at Smile is open weekdays from 10:30 - 17:15 and closes when all the items are sold out. So don’t dawdle!

Address: 290-4 Nishimachi, Chofu, Tokyo

Link to Google Maps

Rugby World Cup in Chofu: The Rugby Alternatives

There’s enough going on in Chofu such that those people who aren’t fans of rugby can keep themselves entertained, and ultimately rewarded, while friends and family are glued to the match action. And you won’t have to travel far.

Start with Chofu’s Rugby World Cup Fanzone where the Culture & Exchange Area introduces the cultures and experiences of those nations whose teams are taking part in the tournament.

Reminders are all around the city of Chofu that this is “Mizuki Manga’s birthplace,” the birthplace of those works created by manga artist and honorary Chofu resident, Shigeru Mizuki.

Just north of Chofu Station Square, beyond the train station, atmospheric Tenjin Dori is home to a number of statues depicting characters from Mizuki’s much-loved manga, ‘GeGeGe no Kitaro.’

The ‘Kitaro’ theme continues at Kitaro Square, around 500m northwest of Chofu Station, where a park, opened in 2019, four years after Mizuki’s passing, delights visitors with objects and installations depicting characters from ‘GeGeGe no Kitaro’ and other works from Mizuki.

©Mizuki Productions

A block northeast of Kitaro Square is the cafe and bakery, ‘fanfare.’ Along the side of the building you’ll find a counter window from which you can buy GeGeGe no Kitaro Yokai-yaki -- cakes baked in the mould of characters from the manga.

©Mizuki Productions (left)

These traditional Japanese sweets are typically filled with sweet, red-bean paste. Here though, each of six characters comes with a different filling including custard cream and even okonomiyaki with yaki-soba. Seasonal fillings are available, too. (Apple was coming soon, at the time of writing.)

Link to Google Maps

This article was supported by Guide to Chofu, Tokyo, presented by Chofu City