(1) Kawasaki Cultural Center Intersection of Youth Culture Limited time until 25 years Basketball and e-sports barrier crossing: Tokyo Shimbun TOKYO Web

One minute walk from Keikyu Kawasaki Station ticket gate. Last year, the building that used to be a pachinko parlor next to the overpass was reborn as the “Kawasaki Bunka Kaikan” (pictured). When the silver automatic door opens, the hustle and bustle of the downtown area changes, and a different space spreads out with multi-courts where you can enjoy basketball and cafes. “Wow”. The sound of skateboards slipping and the lively voices echo.

“You can keep your balance by moving your hands.” Parents and children stretched out their hands and enjoyed skateboarding using the slope in one corner of the court. Yuki Kojima, 34, a part-time employee in Takatsu Ward, Kawasaki City, said, “I came here for the first time today because my child wanted to try skateboarding. It’s nice to be able to do it indoors.” My son Tatsuki (age 5), wearing a helmet, exclaimed, “It’s all fun.”

A 43-year-old male office worker from Kawasaki Ward who came to visit with his 9-year-old son after learning about it from an exchange site (SNS), said, “I went to a skateboarding spot in Shin-Yokohama, but it doesn’t rain here. Staff. It’s great,” he said happily.

Bunka Kaikan is a youth culture transmission base opened in August 2022 by the management company of the Kawasaki Brave Thunders basketball men’s B1 team. Three-on-three basketball, BMX freestyle cycling, breaking (breakdance), computer game competition “e-sports”, hip-hop dance… We offer free trials and paid schools for a variety of sports, including Double Dutch (a jump rope competition), which will be held in Kawasaki Ward in 2013.

Hiroki Matsumoto, 40, of the company that manages the hall, said, “People who dance are interested in e-sports and are able to interact with each other.” At the beginning of the opening, it was in the middle of the corona misfortune. Although measures were taken to limit the number of people on the court and require the wearing of masks, the restrictions on the number of people have been eased since the beginning of this year. The number of users has gradually increased through word of mouth and SNS, and about 100 people of all generations, from elementary school students to the elderly, come to visit on holidays.

Ahead of the redevelopment of the Keikyu Kawasaki Station area, the Bunka Kaikan will operate for a limited period until March 2013. A plan to create a complex facility that includes a new arena that can accommodate people. The new arena is also expected to be used for events such as music, dance and e-sports.

Mr. Matsumoto said, “People who promote youth culture such as breaking and skateboarding will connect at this facility, and the number of players who will play a leading role will increase. I hope that the new arena will also be an opportunity for all sports to be involved.” I can see (Naoko Takeya)

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