Perfect for Rugby Games! Recommended Takeout Gourmet Finds Around Hanazono Rugby Stadium

Rugby World Cup France will be played from September 2023. Many people are paying attention to this big game. It seems that a lot of people are interested in rugby games because of the World Cup. This time, we’re going to introduce Hanazono Rugby Stadium known as a holy place of rugby and popular places around the stadium. Here, you can meet gourmets which are perfect for rugby viewing and souvenirs. It is also attractive that you can visit there without any transfers from Namba Station on the Kintetsu or Hanshin Line, which takes about 15 minutes. Please use this as a reference when watching the game.

The Holy Ground of Rugby, Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashi Osaka City

Hanazono Rugby Stadium opened in 1929 as the first rugby-dedicated stadium in Japan. Every year, the national high school rugby tournament is held from the end of the year to the beginning of the year, so it’s also known as the ‘holy place of rugby’ and is a dream destination for high school rugby players. In 2019, when the Rugby World Cup was held in Japan, it was one of the venues, and the whole town welcomed rugby fans from around the world. It was very successful. It’s usually the home base of the team Hanasono Kintetsu Liners of the professional rugby ‘League One’. There are many shops with deep ties to the area, including shops gathered by players and shops where fans gather. During the autumn season, there are student rugby matches, professional leagues, and occasionally international matches taking place. If you’re interested in watching a rugby match, be sure to plan a visit. At the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, there will be a free public viewing of the match against Argentina, which kicks off at 20:00 on October 8. Please check it out.

Opening Hours	Business hours are different depending on Game’s schedule
Address	1-1-1 Matsubaraminami, Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Access	From Hotel Gracery Osaka Namba: 10 min. walk from Higashi Hanazono Station which is 16-minutes away from Kintetsu Namba Station on the Kintetsu Line
URL	https://hanazono-rugby-hos.com/

Scrum Road, is a street lined with rugby-related shops. Let’s get the famous Hana Rugby Manju at Kashinan Kinuya

The road leading from Kintetsu Higashi-Hanazono Station to Hanazono Rugby Stadium is called ‘Scrum Road’. There are many rugby-related shops, such as restaurants displaying uniforms in front of their eaves and sporting goods stores. Simply taking a stroll around will put you in the rugby mood. Kashin-an Kinuya (菓心庵 絹屋), which has a long history is located in the street. The popular Japanese confection, Hana Rag Manju (花ラグ饅頭), is a manju (bean-paste bun) made in the image of Hanazono Rugby Stadium. The Japanese warbler bean paste is wrapped in a dough made from domestic wheat and brown sugar from Okinawa, and baked into the shape of a rugby ball. It features light melt-in-your-mouth with less sugar. Because they are individually wrapped, they are perfect for eating as a snack while watching a rugby game, taking them home as a souvenir, or as a gift for rugby fans.

Opening Hours	9:30AM – 5:00PM （Closed on Monday）
Address	1F Seneshio 6-6-37, Yoshita, Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Access	From Hotel Gracery Osaka Namba: 6 min. walk from Higashi Hanazono Station which is 6-minutes away from Kintetsu Namba Station on the Kintetsu Lin
URL	https://wanoka-kinuya.jp/index.html

GEORGE BAKERY, is known for its Hard bread. The popular baguette sandwich is a perfect companion for watching the game

GEORGE BAKERY is a bakery shop located in a quiet residential area, about 5 5-minute walk from Hanazono Rugby Stadium. It is one of the most popular shops in Higashi-Hanazono, and many players of the professional rugby team Hanazono Kintetsu Liners visit this shop. Signed uniforms are also displayed in the store, and you can see that the store has a deep connection with the local area and its passion for rugby. Hard bread especially has a good reputation such as baguettes, and there are many attractive breads that taste better the more you chew. The surface of the baguette has a hard, crunchy texture with a toasty and strong flavor, and the dough inside is chewy, making it a filling meal. How about taking out the baguette sandwich and having it as a snack while watching rugby?

Opening Hours	9:00AM – 5:00PM （Once it is sold, it will end） Closed on Monday & Tuesday
Address	1-27 Sakuramachi, Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Access	From Hotel Gracery Osaka Namba: 13 min. walk from Higashi Hanazono Station which is 16 minutes away from Kintetsu Namba Station on the Kintetsu Lin
URL	https://www.instagram.com/georgebakery2019/