Icehockey - Yokohama Sports Teams Special

Ice hockey is a winter sport played by two teams of six players on a 30m x 60m oval skate rink. The players, wearing skates, skate on the ice at speeds of nearly 40 kilometers per hour and use sticks to launch hard rubber disks into the opponents' goal. The intense contact between the players, which is often referred to as "martial arts on ice," is what keeps the fans hooked.
Ice hockey was the subject of a Japanese TV series that aired in 2004, and Yokohama’s scenery and ice hockey rinks were used as filming locations.
There are various theories as to where ice hockey originated. A Dutch painting from the 16th century depicts citizens playing with sticks on ice, and there are also theories that it originated in Ireland and Scotland. In the United States, it is one of the four most popular sports, along with American football, baseball, and basketball.
In Japan, ice hockey has been played as far back as 1915 at Suwa Lake, and many Japanese women's teams have participated in the Olympics, placing 6th at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

Tips for a better sports experience!
Spectator's Guide

POINT1

As this is a physically demanding sport, players change continuously during a game. Since they can be replaced without stopping the game, you can see players being replaced one after another even within a minute, which is hard to see in other sports.

POINT2

The temperature inside the venue is set low to maintain the ice on the skating rink. Warm clothing is recommended to watch the games. If you are worried about the temperature, bring a blanket as well.

POINT3

Ice hockey is also called "martial arts on ice”. The spectacle of players strongly clashing with each other is powerful. Pucks fly past each other at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour. The game is fast-paced, with quick changes between offense and defense, so there is no time to catch your breath while watching it.

POINT4

Ice hockey has a rule called the "penalty box," in which players who commit an infraction are not allowed to leave the box for a certain period of time. The team that commits an infraction has to fight with fewer players, so the opposing team will attack harder to take advantage of this opportunity.

*Information of teams, players, uniforms and uniform numbers are as of March 2023.

Yokohama GRITS

Yokohama GRITS is the first professional ice hockey team based in Yokohama, that launched in 2019, and has officially joined the Asia League Ice Hockey on June 2, 2020, the anniversary of the opening of the Port of Yokohama.
The team's official character is the white and cute "Guluga," who is “1-stick tall” and weighs “3 pucks”. It also is called "Daifuku” (Japanese name for rice cake with bean jam).
The team holds ice hockey classes for children and encourages the promotion of local sports. Also, the Yokohama GRITS actively promote ice hockey and tackles the issue of second careers for players by establishing a "dual professional development model (DPM)" through reforms in the way of working.
Team Information
Home Stadium KOSÉ Shin-Yokohama Skate Center
Address 2-11 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Official website (match information) https://grits-sport.com/
Access to stadium 5-minute walk from JR Shin-Yokohama Station
Parking Available