Kamei Arena Sendai

Sendai City Gymnasium goes by the nickname Kamei Arena Sendai. It is a multipurpose indoor arena that opened in 1984, used for everything from sports tournaments to concerts and trade shows. It is currently closed for a major renovation, so you cannot go inside.

A pilgrimage site for Haikyu!!

Kamei Arena Sendai is a pilgrimage site known to fans of the manga and anime Haikyu!!. Created by Haruichi Furudate, this high school volleyball series is set in Miyagi Prefecture and follows the players of Karasuno High School. It ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2012 to 2020 and has more than 55 million copies in print.

In the series, Sendai City Gymnasium appears as the venue for the Miyagi prefectural tournament. Around episodes 15 to 24 of the first anime season, the matches against Aoba Johsai High School are set here. The exterior, the lobby, the inside of the main arena, and even the park around the building were traced into the anime in fine detail. That close attention to detail is why fans have called it a pilgrimage site.

The recognition goes beyond fans alone. In August 2023, the city of Sendai appointed Shōyō Hinata and Tobio Kageyama as Sendai Tourism Ambassadors. In effect, the official role of promoting tourism was handed to characters from the series. On the same day, a glass monument featuring an illustration drawn specially by Furudate was installed beside the south entrance. It measures 1.41 meters wide and 2.19 meters tall. It is fair to call this a pilgrimage site recognized by the city itself.

The facility and what you can do there

At the heart of the building is the main arena, the first competition hall. It covers about 2,642 square meters and seats 5,705 people across fixed and retractable seating. Lay folding chairs across the arena floor and it can hold up to roughly 10,000. That is enough to handle official volleyball matches, basketball games, and large concerts.

The Sendai 89ERS of basketball's B.League have used it as their home arena since 2005. Beyond the main hall, there is a second arena and a training room, with a heated pool on the second floor. It is also a place where local residents can enjoy sports day to day.

It has hosted many international events as well. The Volleyball World Championship, badminton's Thomas Cup and Uber Cup, and figure skating's NHK Trophy have all been held here. More than a sports venue, it is a multipurpose facility used for trade shows and concerts too.

The Kamei in the nickname comes from Kamei Corporation, a general trading company headquartered in Sendai. Founded in 1903, it has held the naming rights to the facility since July 2016.

Getting there

Even if you are visiting from abroad, a single subway line takes you there. From Sendai Station, the Sendai Subway Namboku Line runs to its last stop, Tomizawa Station, in about 12 minutes with no transfers. A ticket costs 310 yen, and from Tomizawa Station it is about a five-minute walk. There is no need to deal with rental cars or bus transfers, and you can head straight there from the station. If you drive, there is parking for 99 cars.

Things to see nearby

There are also a few spots you can stop by along with your pilgrimage.

First, Tomizawa Park, right next door. The monument was moved to this park to coincide with the closure. Because it is outdoors, you can still see it while the arena is shut.

A little farther afield is the Sendai City Tomizawa Site Museum, known locally as Chitei no Mori, the Underground Forest. It sits about a five-minute walk from Nagamachi-Minami Station, one subway stop back from Tomizawa. The museum preserves and displays a patch of ground from the Paleolithic period, roughly 20,000 years ago, exactly as it was found, and admission is 460 yen for adults.

Within Taihaku Ward, you will also find Haikyu!! design manhole covers set into the streets.

Closure for renovation (latest information)

Kamei Arena Sendai entered a full closure on May 21, 2025. It is a major renovation to address the aging of a building now more than 40 years old. Reopening is planned for March 15, 2027. The arenas, the pool, and the training room are all included, and you cannot go inside at the moment.

Even so, there is no need to give up on the pilgrimage. The monument has been moved to neighboring Tomizawa Park, so you can still go and see it during the closure. Since the pace of the work and the reopening date can change, check the official website for the latest information before you go.