is a multi-purpose indoor
arenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
located in
Chūō-kuis a ward of Saitama City, Japan. It is surrounded by Sakura-ku , Minami-ku , Urawa-ku and Ōmiya-ku of Saitama city.It is a part of the Greater Tokyo Area and located about 20 kilometres north of central Tokyo....
, Saitama City,
Saitamais a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
,
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.
This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
,
volleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
,
tennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
,
ice hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
,
gymnasticsGymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
,
boxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
,
mixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
and
professional wrestlingProfessional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
take place there.
It is also the only Japanese arena equipped especially for American football. The arena features a gigantic moveable section of seating which can reduce capacity for smaller events and create a more intimate setting.
It used to house the
John Lennon Museumwas a museum located inside the Saitama Super Arena in Chūō-ku, Saitama, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It was established to preserve knowledge of John Lennon's life and musical career. It displayed Lennon's widow Yoko Ono's collection of his memorabilia as well as other displays...
which displayed
John LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
memorabilia and closed in 2010.
It is one of two home arenas to Japan Professional Basketball League team the
Saitama BroncosThe is a men's professional basketball club based in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It calls the whole prefecture home and its main home arenas are Tokorozawa Civic Gymnasium and Saitama Super Arena in Chūō-ku, Saitama City...
.
It is a favorite venue for
puroresuPuroresu is the popular term for the predominant style or genre of professional wrestling that has developed in Japan. The term comes from the Japanese pronunciation of "professional wrestling" , which is shortened to puroresu . The term became popular among English-speaking fans due to Hisaharu...
(Japanese
professional wrestlingProfessional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
) and
mixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
(MMA). As it has hosted many of the biggest fights in MMA history, it is sometimes referred to as "the
MeccaMecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
of MMA".
Access
- Immediate to JR East Keihin-Tōhoku
The , is a railway line in Japan which connects the cities of Saitama, Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company network. The line's name is derived from the characters for , and the...
|UtsunomiyaThe is the name given to a 159.9 kilometre section of the Tōhoku Main Line between Ueno Station in Tokyo and Kuroiso Station in Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan...
|Takasaki LineThe is a Japanese railway line which runs between Ōmiya Station in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture and Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. It is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company ....
Saitama-Shintoshin Stationis a train station in Saitama, Japan, on the Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Takasaki Line, and Tōhoku Main Line.- Adjacent stations :-External links:*...
- 7 minutes' walk from JR East Saikyō Line
The is a railway line between Ōsaki Station in Shinagawa, Tokyo, and Ōmiya Station in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It is a part of the East Japan Railway Company network...
Kita-Yono Stationis a railway station of Saikyō Line, East Japan Railway Company in Kamiochiai 2-chōme, in the ward of Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. From the station, it is about a 7-minute walk to the Saitama Super Arena through Keyaki Square.-Layout:...
History
- Nikken Sekkei
is a Japanese architecture firm headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.-External links:*, official site...
won the international design competition.
- 2000: May 5 preliminary open. September 1 official open.
Event Hosting
In 2000, the arena hosted a
NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
ice hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
game between the
Nashville PredatorsThe Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
.
In 2003,
NBAThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
basketball teams
Seattle SupersonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
and the
Los Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, played two games at the arena.
On May 5, 2003 the arena hosted
Kei Yasudais a Japanese singer, musician and actress under the Up Front Agency's Hello! Project. She was a member and co-leader of the pop group Morning Musume. Yasuda, along with Mari Yaguchi and Sayaka Ichii, were the second generation of singers to be recruited into Morning Musume...
's graduation from
Morning Musume, sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs...
as well as
Hitomi Yoshizawais a former leader of the pop group Morning Musume and current member of the duo Hangry & Angry as Hangry. She is the current leader of the Hello! Project futsal team Gatas Brilhantes H.P...
's graduation nearly 4 years later to the day, on May 6, 2007.
On December 24, 2004 the arena played host to
Music Stationis a Japanese music television program. It began broadcasting on October 24, 1986 and continues to be broadcast weekly in High-definition from 8PM-9PM on tv asahi...
Super Live 2004.
On February 7, 2005 the arena hosted
WWE RawWWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
for United States cable television network Spike TV. The main event of the Raw hour was
Ric FlairRichard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
vs.
Shawn MichaelsMichael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, and the main event of the Raw Zone hour featured
Triple HPaul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
against
EdgeAdam Joseph Copeland is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract....
for the
World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
.
Queen + Paul RodgersQueen + Paul Rodgers was a supergroup collaboration between Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen and Paul Rodgers...
performed at the arena on October 26 and 27, 2005. The concerts were depicted in the concert DVD
Super Live in JapanSuper Live in Japan is a DVD by Queen + Paul Rodgers, capturing the performances in Saitama Super Arena in Japan on 27 October 2005 from their world tour, featuring songs from both Queen and Rodgers' catalogues. 15 of these songs will become available on DVD to the rest of the world as a Bonus DVD...
.
In 2006, the arena hosted the Final Round of the Basketball World Championship 2006. It also hosted a concert titled "Dead or Alive" by the band
Janne Da Arcis a Japanese rock band from Hirakata, Osaka. The band's name is often seen shortened to either "Janne" or "JDA".- Career :The band is currently signed to the Motorod record label, which is owned by Avex Group...
on May 20.
During 2006, Hikaru Utada's
Utada United 2006Utada United 2006 was a 2006 concert tour by Japanese American pop singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada.- Set list :- The show :During the filmed concert, Utada wore 4 different outfits. The first outfit worn was a long, tattered, black and white outfit, with pieces of cloth that hung a little above her...
and
Mai Kurakiis a Japanese pop and R&B singer-songwriter and producer from Funabashi, Chiba. Kuraki debuted in 1999 with the single, "Love, Day After Tomorrow". In 2000, she released her debut album, Delicious Way, which debuted at number-one and sold over 2,210,000 copies in its first week...
's Diamond Wave Live Tour concert were held and recorded.
On April 1, 2007, Berryz Kobo held a concert at Saitama Super Arena, becoming the youngest female group ever to perform there whose members average age did not exceed 14 years (thereby dethroning
Morning Musume, sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs...
, whose average was 16.3).
On December 31, 2007 the arena hosted Yarennoka, an MMA promotion organized by the former staff members of Pride Fighting Championship.
On January 3, 2008 the arena hosted
Nana Mizukiis a popular Japanese singer-songwriter and voice actress. She was born and raised in Niihama, Ehime, Japan, Mizuki was trained as an enka singer. She made her debut as a voice actress in 1998; however, she released her debut single "Omoi", under the King Records label on December 6, 2000...
's live concert and released the concert DVD
Nana Mizuki Live Formula at Saitama Super ArenaNana Mizuki Live Formula at Saitama Super Arena is the sixth live DVD release from J-pop star and voice actress Nana Mizuki. It was ranked #1 in weekly Oricon chart for music DVD, and #4 for all DVD .-Tracklisting:...
.
On August 30 and 31, 2008 the arena hosted
Animelo Summer LiveAnimelo Summer Live is the biggest annual anime songs concert in Japan managed by Animelo Mix. Animelo Summer Live has been held every summer since 2005.-Description:...
2008
Challenge.
On October 4, 2008 the arena hosted
RadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
's live concert broadcast on Japanese
WOWOWWOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
.
On May 9 and 10, 2009 the arena hosted Korean artist,
TVXQTVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki , often abbreviated by international fans as DBSK; they were later introduced in Japan as Tohoshinki under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone...
,
Tohoshinki 4th Live Tour.
On July 4 and 5, 2009, the arena hosted
Masaharu Fukuyamais a Japanese singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, actor, radio personality, and photographer from Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture. He is the best-selling male solo artist in Japan. He is a member of entertainment company Amuse, Inc. and is known for his low, deep voice. Among fans, he is...
's 20th anniversary national tour concert.
On July 12, 2009 the arena hosted Japanese artist and superstar
Gacktis a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, voice actor and author. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known for his career as a solo artist and as the former vocalist for the defunct visual kei rock band Malice Mizer....
and his "Gackt Vicualive Arena Tour 2009 Requiem et Reminiscence II Final". This is last premiere of his tour after total 59 performances with enormous success. One part was broadcast on Japanese WOWOW.
On August 22 and 23, 2009 the arena hosted
Animelo Summer LiveAnimelo Summer Live is the biggest annual anime songs concert in Japan managed by Animelo Mix. Animelo Summer Live has been held every summer since 2005.-Description:...
2009
RE:BRIDGE.
On September 5, 2009, rock band
the GazettEThe Gazette is a title of several newspapers and magazines, including:-English-language newspapers:*London Gazette, the official publication of the government of the United Kingdom...
live concert and released the concert DVD "Tour 09 -Dim Scene- Final at Saitama Super Arena".
On November 29, 2009 the arena hosted one of the biggest fights in Japan's history as WBC Flyweight Champion
Daisuke Naitois a professional boxer from Japan. He is the former WBC flyweight champion, and former Japanese and OPBF flyweight champion.- Professional career :Naito made his professional debut in October, 1996...
defends his title against
Koki Kamedais a Japanese professional boxer in the Flyweight division and the current WBA Bantamweight Regular Champion. He is the oldest of the three Kameda brothers. His younger brother, Daiki Kameda, is a professional boxer in the super flyweight division, and the youngest brother Tomoki, is the WBC Youth...
.
On December 31, 2009 the arena hosted "FieLDS Dynamite!! The Power of Courage 2009" which was hosted by MMA promotions Dream and Sengoku along with kickboxing promotion K-1.
On January 9, 2010 the arena hosted the rock band
NightmareA nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
's 10th anniversary concert.
On January 23 and 24, 2010 the arena hosted
Green DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
as part of their
21st Century Breakdown World Tour21st Century Breakdown World Tour was a concert tour by American punk trio Green Day in support of the group's eighth studio album, 21st Century Breakdown, which was released in May 2009....
. Green Day taped the show for their new live album titled
Awesome as FuckAwesome as Fuck is a live album by the American punk rock band Green Day, released March 22, 2011 through Reprise Records...
, released on March 22, 2011.
On August 28 and 29, 2010 the arena hosted
Animelo Summer LiveAnimelo Summer Live is the biggest annual anime songs concert in Japan managed by Animelo Mix. Animelo Summer Live has been held every summer since 2005.-Description:...
2010
evolution.
On November 3, 2010, the arena was the venue for the Seoul Tokyo Music Festival, broadcast in Seoul and Tokyo via SBS and TBS respectively, featuring acts such as Big Bang, Kara, 4minute, 2NE1, F.T. Island, C.N. Blue, Brown Eyed Girls, U-KISS, Rainbow, and Teen Top.
On December 31, 2010 the arena hosted "FieLDS Dynamite!! ~ Power of Courage 2010" which was hosted by fight promotions DREAM and K-1.
On February 20, 2011 the arena hosted the
K-ON! anime live concert Come With Me!!.
On June 4 & 5, 2011 the arena hosted
Girls' GenerationGirls' Generation is a nine-member South Korean electropop girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2007. The nine members are: Taeyeon , Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona and Seohyun...
's
The 1st Japan Arena TourThe 1st Japan Arena Tour is the first Japanese concert tour by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation to promote their 2011 self-titled album in Japanese.- History :...
.
On August 27 and 28, 2011 the arena hosted
Animelo Summer LiveAnimelo Summer Live is the biggest annual anime songs concert in Japan managed by Animelo Mix. Animelo Summer Live has been held every summer since 2005.-Description:...
2011
rainbow.
Luna SeaLuna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
performed their October 22, 2011 charity concert, "Luna Sea for Japan "A Promise to the Brave"", at the arena. Tickets sold out in five minutes.
Siam ShadeSiam Shade was a five-piece Japanese rock band, which broke onto the visual kei scene alongside a multitude of other artists in the early 1990s. They enjoyed a decade of relative popularity before disbanding in early 2002. On November 18, 2007, they reunited for a concert in honor of their...
performed a reunion charity concert, titled "Great Tohoku Earthquake Restoration Support Charity Live Siam Shade Spirits ～Return the Favor～", at the arena on October 22, 2011.
- 9 November 2011 - Seoul Tokyo Music Festival 2011
The arena is tentatively scheduled to host the Japanese return of the
Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipThe Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
in February 2012.
External links