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For a long time, Japan has been famous for miniaturising -and often improving- pre-existing ideas. The Walkman, the Haiku, the Capsule Hotel, and even the Tamagochi can be seen as a few examples of this trend. While the game of Futsal traces its roots back to early 20th Century Brazil and Uruguay, it perhaps comes as no surprise that this widely-enjoyed miniaturised version of football has taken hold in modern Japan.
As a logical conclusion to a love of football coupled with a lack of space, many high-rise building owners in Tokyo began turing their rooftops into futsal pitches after the 2002 World Cup. Japan also formed its own professional futsal league, the F League, in 2007. The pitch pictured above is the Adidas Futsal Park, located on top of the Tokyu Building at Shibuya Station – right next to the famous scramble crossing. Looks like a lot of fun, but If you’re thinking of booking it for a kick about you better get in early – the last time I checked it was fully booked for the next 9 months!