Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Stadium
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Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Stadium (近鉄花園ラグビー場, Kintetsu Hanazono Ragubī-jō) in East Osaka is the oldest dedicated rugby union stadium in Japan. Owned by Kintetsu Corporation, it was opened in 1929. It is the stage for the annual National High School Rugby Tournament held every year at the end of December, and has also hosted important international, Top League and Microsoft Cup games.
Hanazono is the home of the Kintetsu Liners rugby union team.
Kintetsu had been thinking of selling the stadium, as it was a loss-maker despite subsidies from Higashi Osaka city, but now that the Liners have returned to the Top League for the 2008-9 season the prospect of disposal of this asset has receded.
[edit] World record
On May 14, 2006 Daisuke Ohata scored the most tries in a test match at Hanazono with a hat trick for Japan against Georgia. The previous record holder was David Campese.
