Stadiums in Japan: Hiratsuka Stadium

Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Hiratsuka Stadium is a fairly typical multipurpose facility built in the 1980s, though it reseived a rather nice facelift in 1998, which provided it with some nice concession stands, an impressive entrance and very well-appointed bathroom facilities (according to female visitors). The stadium is home to Shonan Bellmare -- formerly Bellmare Hiratsuka.
Apart from a small press box and roof for the prestige seats, the stadium is entirely open, with stands at both ends of the pitch and along the sidelines, and open corners. The stadium does not have much character, the running track is quite wide and the end zones are deep. Access is not that bad, though it is about a fifteen minute walk from the main train station.

Hiratsuka Stadium

Location:Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture		Capacity: 18,500
Home Team(s): Shonan Bellmare		Completed: 1987 (refurbished March 1998)

Stadium Access

Hiratsuka Stadium is located about 1.5 kilometers due north of Hiratsuka station, on the JR Tokaido line, and can be reached in an easy 15 or 20 minute walk through the city center. Bus service leaves from bus stand number 10, outside the north exit of the station. Get off at the Hiratsuka Koen bus stop, which is right in front of the stadium park. There are also special shuttle buses to the stadium leaving from Isehara station on the Odakyu Odawara train line. The bus service begins 2 hours before kickoff time, but the frequency of buses is not as good (one reader indicates that on the day he attended, it was only about 2 or 3 buses per hour).