Features

Esports facility, footbath to be introduced at Kyoto Stadium

The Mainichi Shimbun newspaper has reported that the new Kyoto Stadium currently being constructed in the suburban city of Kameoka will have a VR/esports centre to attract more tourists to the area.

The VR/esports centre will be built as a part of the retail facility on the ground floor, and near the restaurants on the fourth floor of the stadium. Apart from holding esports events, the facility will be equipped with different types of virtual reality software including one with which visitors will be able to compete against virtual athletes, as well as those that offer tourist experiences taking the visitors to VR journeys of the naturally rich parts of the prefecture such as the forest area in the central Kyoto, and the beautiful oceanic scenes of the northern Kyoto. The visitors will also be able to stand near the natural pitch and enjoy a VR experience of famous footballers playing right in front of their VR eyes.

The Kyoto Prefectural Office will speak with a number of prominent Kyoto-based game software developers who are known for their cutting-edge products, and seek their support to develop the VR software and to attract esports visitors.

Another unique facility of the Kyoto Stadium is a designated area for a footbath where visitors can relax and enjoy the warm water.

The City of Kameoka only last month announced that the Period Drama Museum will open inside the stadium in January 2020. The museum will promote and focus on the life of Mitsuhide Akechi, the famous feudal warrior from the mid-16th century who will feature as the main protagonist in the national broadcaster’s drama series to be aired in 2020. The museum will have film sets and props used in the series, and the City is expecting 500,000 visitors annually.

The Kyoto Stadium will have a capacity of 21,600 and will mainly be used as the new home of the J-League Division 2 side Kyoto Sanga FC but is also expected as a new tourist attraction with the Kyoto Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki calling it “a potential gateway to the northern Kyoto tourist destinations”.

Image: Kyoto Prefecture

News provided by The Stadium Hub