Are you thinking to come to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan?

Do you have a baby or children? Are you are wondering if it is possible to enjoy this amazing event even with your kids in tow?

Here are some tips for hotels and locations!

Locations:

• The Rugby World Cup will take place at stadiums around Japan. See the list of venues here.
• The opening match will take place at Tokyo Stadium in Chōfu
• The final match will be held at the International Stadium Yokohama in Kanagawa.

Tips for Hotels

Book Early

• Book early – As it is going to be super busy, I would recommend booking your hotels as soon as possible!

Stay in Walking Distance

• I think the most important thing is to stay at a hotel that is close to the stadium.
• Preferably it would be good if you can stay within walking distance to the stadium. This way you don’t have to catch the train.
• The trains will be super crowded. So if you can avoid catching the train, it will be much less stress on you and your kids! Especially if you have a stroller etc. It will be much easier to walk:)

Hotels near Tokyo Stadium (called “Tokyo Stadion” ><in google map)

• Tokyo Stadium is actually in a difficult location (in my opinion!)
• It is outside of Tokyo city, about 40min by train from Shinjuku, and there are not alot of hotel options here.
• Therefore, I see 2 options – you either stay at a hotel around Shinjuku (or an Airbnb), or stay at an Airbnb closer to the stadium such as in Kichijoji.
• See the screenshot below of the hotels currently available in the period of the Rugby World Cup in Japan. The first matches will be around 22-28 Sep 2019 (I searched in Sep 2018).
• Alot of the hotels seem to be tied up with package tours. It might be good to investigate if there are any good packages that include a hotel that is within walking distance to the stadium.

Hotels near the International Stadium Yokohama (also called Nissan Stadium)

• International Stadium Yokohama is located at Shin-Yokoahama Station (not to be confused with Yokohama Station).
• Shin-Yokohama Station is the station for the bullet train (shinkansen). The bullet trains are going to be SUPER crowded!!
• I checked some hotel websites, but there are no hotels currently listing on the date of the final match, which apparently is 2 Nov. (unless the hotels have already been booked out by the teams!?!).
• There are technically a few hotels at Shin-Yokohama, as it is a popular station for people catching the bullet train. In order to book early, you could start contacting the hotels directly to inquire about making a reservation for 2 Nov 2019. Or alternative investigate the package tours.

I hope this helps with some initial steps! I will be following up with some more posts about baby-friendly and kid-friendly sightseeing spots, playgrounds, parks, diaper changing locations, child-friendly cafes and restaurants and much more. Make sure you get my Tokyo Guide!

The first match will be held at the Tokyo Stadium

Hotels available near Tokyo Stadium for Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan for the period 22-28 Sep 2019 (as of searching in Sep 2018 on Booking.com)

The final match will be held at the International Stadium Yokohama

Location of the Nissan International Stadium Yokohama for the final match Rugby World Cup 2019 Japan. Note that this is located at Shin-Yokohama Station (not Yokohama Station which is a fair distance away)

Rugby World Cup 2019 Japan pools