New 10,000-capacity arena planned for Kyoto

The Japanese prefecture of Kyoto is set to gain a 10,000-capacity arena that will host concerts and sporting events.

The new venue is designed to address the Prefecture’s shortage of indoor facilities that can host both national and international events.

Planned for the city of Mukō, on a site that also houses the Mukomachi Keirin Velodrome, the arena is proposed to seat 8,925 fans for sporting events, rising to 9,328 for concerts.

With an expected price tag of ¥34.8bn (€215m/$234.6m), Kyoto Prefecture has signed an agreement with a consortium to develop the new venue.

A major change in Japan’s men’s basketball leagues will see a whole host of new venues opening over the coming years

The consortium includes Itochu Corporation, Obayashi Corporation, Harima B.Stem Corporation, Itochu Urban Community, NTT TC Leasing, Azusa Sekkei, Dentsu, Kyoei Build Kanri Corporation, Shinko Sports and Kyogin Lease.

In addition to hosting concerts, the arena is intended to be the future home of B.League basketball team Kyoto Hannaryz and is expected to collaborate with the Velodrome, which is due for renovation. A delivery date for the arena is yet to be announced.

A major change in Japan’s men’s basketball leagues will see a whole host of new venues opening over the coming years. New rules for B League top category (B1) teams mean they must attract an average audience of 4,000 per game and build a home venue of at least 5,000-capacity. This means nine likely new venues will be built in time for 2027, and with basketball games taking up only 30 days per year, this leaves live entertainment with a huge opportunity.

At least four new arenas will open to the public this year: The IG Arena in Nagoya (17,000), The Tokyo A-Arena (10,000), the Kobe Arena (10,000), and the Kagawa Prefectural Arena (cap. 10,000). Read more here.

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