Ajinomoto Stadium Guide Chofu FC Tokyo

Ajinomoto Stadium Guide, Tokyo

Ajinomoto Stadium in Chofu, Tokyo. — Ajinomoto Stadium is the home of J.League clubs FC Tokyo and Tokyo Verdy

Ajinomoto Stadium (味の素スタジアム) in Chofu, western Tokyo is the home ground of J.League clubs FC Tokyo and Tokyo Verdy. It is the only venue which hosts two J.League clubs in Japan.

J.League game at the stadium. — J.League game at the stadium

History & Capacity

The multi-use, 50,000-capacity stadium opened in 2001. It sold its naming rights in 2003, the first stadium in Japan to do so, and is now known as Ajinomoto Stadium.

The ground also hosts other sports including rugby and American Football as well as music concerts and popular flea markets. It was a venue for both the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics soccer tournament.

The sports complex as a whole also includes the smaller 3,060-seat Aminovital Field and the 800-seat AGF Field (former West Field). These are stadiums for American football, lacrosse, football and track and field mostly used by high school and university teams.

The stadium has various green features including a solar-power generating roof, plants growing in the walls to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and two wind power installations for outdoor LED lighting.

The stadium is completely covered. — Ajinomoto Stadium is completely covered

Tokyo Verdy

The club was founded in 1969 as Yomiuri FC. As Verdy Kawasaki they won the first two J.League titles in 1993 and 1994, and the Emperor's Cup in 1996 with several star players of the era in the team, namely Ruy Ramos, Kazu Miura and Tsuyoshi Kitazawa.

Since those golden days it has been a story of relative decline for the team in green. They moved base from Kawasaki back to Tokyo in 2001 and renamed as Tokyo Verdy 1969 (the '1969' would later be dropped). Relegated to J2 in 2005, the club has spent a large part of the time since then in the second tier, though they have gained promotion back to J1 for the 2024 season.

The team in green also won the Emperor's Cup in 2005 under Osvaldo Ardiles but have been short of success ever since.

Yuto Nagatomo. — Yuto Nagatomo who has played for such clubs as Inter and Galatasaray and has over 140 caps for Japan began his career at FC Tokyo and returned to the team in 2021

FC Tokyo

The team in blue and red has its roots in Tokyo Gas Football Club founded in 1935. After becoming FC Tokyo in 1999 the club joined J2 gaining promotion to J1 in 2000. Relegated in 2010, they returned as J2 champions in 2011 and have been ever present in J1 since. In 2011 the team won its first major title of the modern era, lifting the Emperor's Cup with a 4-2 victory over Kyoto Sanga in the final, becoming the first J2 side to win the trophy. The club have also won the J.League (Nabisco) Cup on three occasions in 2004, 2009 and 2020.

Yuto Nagatomo who enjoyed a successful career in Europe began his career and looks like finishing it at the club. Other notable players include defender Masato Morishige who has made over 450 appearances for the club and goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda (2007-2017), who represented Japan in all its games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Gonda now plays for Vissel.

Criacao Shinjuku

JFL side Criacao Shinjuku play at the adjacent AGF field which is also used for athletics and rugby. The JFL (Japan Football League) is the 4th tier of Japanese football.

Scoreboard at the stadium. — Stadium scoreboard

Access - Getting There

Ajinomoto Stadium (Tokyo Stadium) is a five minute walk from Tobitakyu Station on the Keio Line from Shinjuku Station. Cross over National Highway 20 by pedestrian bridge to get to the stadium. Keio buses 調33, 飛01, 武91 and 境91 all run close to the stadium.

Ajinomoto Stadium
376-3 Nishimachi
Chofu
Tokyo 182-0032
Tel: 042 440 0555

The sports complex is close to Chofu Airport, Jindaiji Temple, Tokyo Metropolitan Jindai Botanical Gardens and Tama Cemetery. Various schools, colleges and universities have campuses in this leafy area of Tokyo including International Christian University (ICU) and the Japan Lutheran College. The area of the Jindai Botanical Gardens was once used to grow the trees that line Tokyo's streets and was opened as Tokyo's only Botanical garden in 1961. There are buses from Mitaka Station on the JR Chuo-Sobu Line or Chofu Station on the Keio Line.

The stadium also hosts several large flea markets throughout the year including a big one on the Showa Day national holiday on April 29.