Hi! My daughters are into ice skating and rock climbing. I was wondering if someone could give me information or resources for facilities in or near Tokyo. Thanks
Karyn

I know of two indoor ice skating rinks here in Yokohama, one near Yokohama Station (in the Hama Bowl facility) and the other near Kanagawa Station (Kanagawa Skating Rink). Both are open year round. I expect there are many more in Tokyo.

I believe REI opened a store with a climbing wall in western Tokyo last year, and expect there are others. For rock climbing proper, the Tanzawa mountains (western Kanagawa prefecture) are popular with climbers, but I am not sure if there is an English-language guidebook.

If you live in western Tokyo and want to skate, the best place is Seibu Yuenchi, an outdoor rink located within a large amusement park. We went there with our two year old and used the smallest shoe for her (16cm) with two pairs of socks. She was into it from the start... The only concern at that place is the chairs that they let circulate on the ice for beginner skaters. Those are quite dangerous, so skate with caution...
Open: Daily 10am-4pm (until 5pm on weekends)
Tickets: 1000 yen for adults, 500 yen for children
Skate rental: 800 yen
Access: Five minute walk from Seibu-yuenchi station on Seibu Shinjuku line which starts from Kokubunji station.
Info: 0429-22-1371

Unfortunately Tokyo skating rinks are on a serious demise.

Suisui Land, Ayase-ku
3-4-1 Higashi Ayase, Adachi-ku
03-5616-2500

Access: 15 min. walk from east exit of Ayase Station (Chiyoda subway line).
Parking for fee available. This outdoor rink had a great atmosphere and lots of kids, a short season open only until the end of February, and operated by Tokyo city government. They shut it down permanently in 2001, even though a petition gathered about 5000 signatures, due to lack of tax revenues (10 years of recession). The indoor pool behind it in the glass dome is still open. It was also the cheapest -- my daughter and I could skate here for under 1000 yen.



Hibiya City Skate Rink also didn't open this 2001-2002 season. An outdoor rink without a motorized ice paver, centrally located in Hibiya in front of a small set of shops including McDonalds, not cheap (800 yen adult, 600 yen children, 700 yen skate rental) but less than the very expensive rink at Sendagaya.



There is still one reasonably priced olympic indoor rink available but it is far out and the schedule changes every month until May when it is turned into a swimming pool for the summer. But it has free parking if you have a car. Edogawa-ku Sportsland (tel: 03-3677-1711) way over in Eastern Tokyo right on the Edogawa River. You can get there on the Toei Shinjuku subway (Shinozaki station: 310 yen from Sengoku) and then take one of three buses: two require a walk and one goes straight there. Adults 500 yen, kids 200 yen, babies free, skate rental 300 yen and 200 yen. Monthly and season passes for 2500 and 4300 yen for adults, 1000 and 2200 yen for kids. This rink definitely has a hockey club and there are all sorts of time slots in the schedule marked off for lessons and things.



All the rinks appear to have a glove rule, no gloves -- no can skate.

Finally there are two indoor rinks that cost an arm and a leg (for me and my daughter just about 3000 yen) at Sendagaya (well, that's the station I use to get there) and at Takadanobaba.

Looking for ice skating lessons around Fussa-shi (Yokota Air Base) for my almost 6 year old little girl. The lessons must be in English. Please email if you know of any place or anyone. Thanks, Elizabeth

There is a small skating rink set up in a parking lot right at the Hakone Prince Hotel lakeside building, but it has a short season. Skate rental, glove sales and metal gliders for beginners (look a bit like walkers for old people) are all available. I can't find the brochure but you can probably get the info about hours and length of season by calling the hotel.

http://www.princehotels.co.jp/english/

Hakone Prince Hotel
144 Moto-hakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun,
Kanagawa, Japan 250-0592
Tel: 0460-3-1111
Fax: 0460-3-7616

Other attractions close by:
Teddy Bear Museum
Aquarium

By the way, this particular Prince Hotel is probably the best one they have in terms of location and architecture. And my daughter was welcome at age 3 (at no additional charge). Unfortunately, the hot spa is separated by sex and there are no private spa rooms for the whole family to enjoy together. You do not have to be a guest of the hotel to use the skating rink.

Takadanobaba, Tokyo "Citizen's" ice skating rink
tel: 03-3371-0910
http://www.h2.dion.ne.jp/~c.i.s (Japanese only -- their photo makes the rink look a lot better than my photo!)
weekdays opens at 12:00 - 19:45 (this includes Saturdays)
holidays opens at 10:00 - 19:45
Address:
4-29-27 Takadanobaba
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 129-0075
7 minutes walk from Takadanobaba Station, Tokyo
Adults: 1300 yen; after 5 pm 1000 yen
Children through 9th grade: 800 yen; after 5 pm 600 yen
Skate rental: 500 yen
Observer ticket (7th grade and up): 400 yen (6th grade and under can observe for free)
Locker: 100 yen



Group discount includes skate rental:
20 - 49 people -- adults Y1300, children Y1000, per person

Large group discount: 50 or more people -- adults Y1200, children Y900, per person

Discount club tomo-no-kai: club registration fee (nyukaikin) 2100 yen adult and child same price
nenkaihi one year membership fee Y3150, adult and child same price
With club membership: adult one day entrance Y1000, child one day entrance Y600
With club membership: adult one month pass Y12600, child one month pass Y7350

6 month personal locker rental:
Adult: 9450 yen, Child: 6300 yen

Classes offered (there is no teaching fee on top of entrance fee):
7:15 - 8:15 Sundays: all ages but must be Shinjuku-ku residents
8:30 - 9:40 Sundays: all ages
10:30 - 11:45 Mondays: all people
12:15 - 13:15 Mondays and Fridays: Adults only
12:15 - 13:15 Tuesdays: Shinjuku-ku residents, Adults only
18:30 - 19:40 Tuesdays: ACC (beginners to skilled adults)
18:00 - 19:00 Saturdays: Seniors
15:30 - 16:15 Wednesdays: 3-6 year olds
17:00-17:45 Fridays: elementary school students
15:30-16:15 Saturdays: junior high school beginners
16:15-17:15 Saturdays: junior high school intermediate
10:15-11:15 Sundays: under 16 years beginner and intermediate

Kogaigakushu -- like a school field trip, minimum # of children 20 or more, includes ice skate rental, only available from Tuesday through Saturday (between 8:30 and 11:45 the rink is reserved but after 12:00 the rink must be shared with others)
1-9th grade Y840 per child
10-12th grade Y945 per child
skating instructor costs extra

note: I have only been there once. They did not renew the ice for more than two hours, and I have to say it was pretty choppy the last hour. So Edogawa gets my vote for best combo of good ice and good price. Also there may be mistakes in the above translation, sorry.

Seibu Yuenchi's ice skating rink is having a New Year's Skating event from 8PM on 31 December to 2AM 1 January. (If I am reading the Japanese web site correctly...
http://www.seibu-group.co.jp/rec/yuenchi/6skate/skate.html)

I think admission is only Y200 (if the rest of the amusement park is closed) A lot of trains run all night on New Year's Eve. Their phone number is: (042) 922-1371

Hi,
Just moved to Tokyo with my family. I have a 9 year old son that is looking for a hockey team to play on. If any of you have any children playing on one of the local kid's team, I'd to like hear from you.
Thanks, Jack

The following message was mistakenly sent to the site Admin:

5 Aug 2003 14:35
Hi Jack,
My 10-year-old son plays for a team called Seibu White Bears here, and they practice at the Suntory Higashi-Fushimi ice arena. You can call the arena at 0424-67-7171 for info. The Citizen ice arena in Takadanobaba also has a team, as does the Meiji-Jingu ice arena.
If you'd like more info on feel free-mail me: drop[at]bekkoame.ne.jp.
Vicki

Hi, I know this is a site for kids, but I can't find anything for young adult hockey on the internet. I'm a 24 year old based in yokosuka and was looking for any place to go and play pick-up games of ice hockey. If anyone knows of any place that has times where they do this could they please help me? Thank you.

Peter, this site is not for kids, it's for families, and that includes families without children or grown up kids, or whatever. Your question is welcome, and as soon as I get back from vacation I will send you all the info I have on adult ice hockey (and yes, I do have some).

Peter
I know of a group of men who play ice hockey at Shin Yokohama. It may be on a Thursday evening. I will e-mail you the details.

The Kokoritsu Yoyogi Kyogijyo ice skating rink in Harajuku opened yesterday for it's brief season (3rd January). See more details here.

Hello! I am a 21 year old University student in Tokyo. I lived in the U.S. for 15 years, which makes me an English/Japanese bilingual. I had been figure skating for 13 years in Chicago, Illinois. I have competed and won various competitions and ice shows in the Illinois State Area. I am looking for students (both children and adults) to coach skating at all levels. Lessons will be taught in either English or Japanese, depending on the student's preference. Figure skating is a beautiful sport and I wish to share it to you all!

hi :o)

does anyone have any information on synchronized skating in japan? I live in Kyushu now but am willing to move. Im 22.

I have the same question that peter had on Dec 24 2003 - I would like to know a place to go and play pick-up games of ice hockey or roller hockey. If anyone knows of any place that has times where they do this could they please help me? Thank you

I think the admin sent a list to Peter - if you could send it to me - that would be great.

Rob

Robert, check out the Tokyo Sports and Leisure Directory. They have information about ice hockey. http://tsdtokyo.tripod.com/index.html

Hi, I have a daughter that is 12 years old, and on Freestyle 5 on her figure iceskating.
From 23 december - 4 january 2007 we will be in Tokyo for a vacation.
I would like to find a private coach that can coach my daughter for a short period of time for at least 1 artistic routine and 1 footwork routine. I would like her to be exposed with different ways and technique done in Japan coaching. Rian