Someone else probably has a definite answer, but here are a couple of guesses: - the organizers wanted to promote other, smaller cities that foreign visitors don't always go to, and with other communities around Tokyo already hosting (Kashima, Saitama, Yokohama), it would have been better for a city in another region to have the opportunity - Tokyo is a large large city, and with its web of different railroad networks, it can be pretty complicated for first timers to get around.
yeah I have to say, I was a bit surprised by the WC venues chosen. Regarding Tokyo, I wasn't that surprised. Like Skipshady said, the organisers chose venues close to Tokyo but with a bigger footballing tradition (Saitama, Kashima, Yokohama). While it was the right decision, I still would've chosen Tokyo (national stadium) over Yokohama for the final. It might be old, but it has a lot more character than the anonymous "uberstadion" that yokohama has. Great atmosphere and great location (you can see the Shinjuku skyline from the stadium). Surprise inclusions: Kobe and Osaka: It should've been either Osaka or Kobe but not both. There's very little interest in football in the Osaka bay area. Miyagi: Why does Sendai need two stadia? I doubt Vegalta alone can justify all this infrastructure. Surprise exclusions: Nagoya: The Toyota stadium deserved to be there. Hiroshima: The biggest city in southern Japan, with a great stadium (Big Arch). I would've thought it would be a natural choice. ---- but to be honest, it's all a mute point. You couldn't fault the hosting. Does it matter that there were other (better) choices available? And the end result, is that Japan has arguably the best football infrastructure in the world. It's incredible. All the J-League teams are spoilt for choice. Compare that with other countries!
going to yokohama and saitama from tokyo can be much more complicated for first timers than staying in tokyo.
i will never go to sendai again unless inevitable. you seem to know a lot about japan. how long have you been there? yeah, they should have included hiroshima and nagoya.
I agree. They're so close to each other, and they ended up using an existing stadium in Osaka anyway. Osaka's spot should have gone to Nagoya.
Nagoya should get it. Kobe should not get it. At least, Osaka got a bigger stadium. I was at the Wing last month. Boy, it was smaller than I thought.
Niigata is way more "country bumpkin" than Hokkaido. It would have been cool to see a game in the Sapporo Dome, though.
I myself was surprised that Tokyo was not included...especially when Miyagi and Oita were.... Tokyo has several stadiums which could have been chosen, and nice ones at that. Hiroshima should have been included, as should have several others. Here's a great idea, give Korea no hosting rights whatsoever, that country is a shithole, and filthy compared to the vastly surperior Japan.. and may I add that Koreans are amongst the most racist people I have ever met!. sorry, I'm done ranting about that. I have no problems with Osaka, because being heavily tattooed myself, it's the only place in Japan I regularly see other tattooed folk..... sure it's where the Yakuza are based, but still, it's reassuring. Yokohama was a bad pick for the final. The stadium was okay, but National stadium is a very gorgeous stadium. For entertainment purposes, I think the final should have been in the Naruto Whirlpools. Sebastian