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Hiroshima Big Arch Stadium

(aka "Edion Stadium")
Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture

Hiroshima Big Arch was built to serve as the central venue for the 1994 Asian Cup, which was the first Asian Cup championship in which the Japanese national team took part. Perhaps home field advantage played a part, but it also marked Japan's first Asian Cup championship (Japan also won the Cup in 2000). Although it is a somewhat impersonal venue, accentuated by the wide running track around the pitch, the spacious stands and low angle provides a very open and sunny atmosphere. perfect for afternoon matches. The two high arches -- a roofed arch over the main stand and a higher, exposed arch in the back stand, give the stadium its name.

Hiroshima Arch has a very unique shape for a large sports stadium. Apart from the high bank of seats in the "home stand", the rest of the stands are set on a relatively shallow bank, like a shallow saucer. In fact, when seen from the sky above, it looks very much like a shiny metal dinner plate. From a team owner's perspective, the best feature about the stadium is probably its capacity, which ranks it among the top five soccer stadiums in Japan. The biggest drawback is clearly the distance between the pitch and the stands. However, on a warm, sunny afternoon, the spaciousness of this stadium makes a fine site for a picnic. And with a Sanfrecce match thrown in, it is a fine place to spend a weekend afternoon.