Shimizu S-Pulse Soccer Club: Atmosphere at Nihondaira Stadium in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Nihondaira Stadium in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City is the home of Shimizu S-Pulse Soccer Club

The two official mascots of Shimizu S-Pulse soccer Club was created in 1993 to become one the teams taking part in the inaugural Japan League (J-League) the same year.
It is still the only non-corporate-owned club in the upper tier of Japan Professional soccer leagues, and the atmosphere is certainly different from in other clubs!

Most come by bus, although some do choose to reach the stadium in many ways from walking to private cars.
Do check the parking availability first!

Even the home team comes by bus, but this is fairly normal!

As it can be pretty crowded I advise to come at least an hour before kick-off to enjoy the atmosphere at ease!

It is a very children-friendly stadium and the mascots make sure they enjoy their trip!
Fans are extremely well-behaved by European and South American standards, and although you should ensure a minimum of care thefts and fights are unheard of, even during the most crowded games, whatever the result!

The venue has become increasingly popular with overseas fans of both genders and any age for many reasons: safety, great hygiene, superlative service and crowds truly enjoying themselves!

Staff at the information are extremely dedicated and will gladly serve you beyond the language barrier!

Join the local fans and get your face painted to the colors and emblems of Shimizu S-Pulse!

There are plenty of food stands outside and inside the stadium for hungry and thirsty fans!
Plenty of beer available!

I will introduce the food stands in a separate article but you must try the Japanese specialty: octopus dumplings!

And tai yaki/sweetmeat fish-shaped cakes, freshly cooked for the sweet tooth!

And there is plenty to choose from the souvenir stand!

Don’t worry, there plenty of washrooms all around inside the stadium, gender-separated and even for wheelchair users!

The home fan stand!
The seatings are divided between 4 stands, the main, the back stand, the home fans stand and the away fans stand!
The big difference is that many fans choose to mingle with other fans, difficult to imagine abroad!

The stadium with a capacity of 19,000 is very compact and the stands are very close to the pitch!
Some Kashima Antlers fans pointed out to me that Shimizu SPulse ground had a great atmosphere because it is just right size with a great proximity to the players. A German fan I met during the Sanga Tosa game said the same thing with the safety added to it!