TOKYO STREET HOCKEY ASSOCIATION

ABOUT US

The Tokyo Street Hockey Association is a group dedicated to playing the great game of ball hockey in and around Tokyo since 1996. We play for the fun of it, and anyone is welcome to join!

You can just show up and play, as we decide teams on the night. No need to try out for teams or pre-register.

We're always open to new members, whether they've never played ball hockey before, or they're long time veterans. Our priority is to have a good time, so while games can get competitive, we always make sure that everyone who comes to play is included.

You can find out a little more about us by checking out our old website, where have pictures and stories spanning the years since we started!

WHAT IS BALL HOCKEY?

Ball hockey, sometimes called "street hockey," "deck hockey," or even "dek hockey" is most similar to ice or roller hockey, with the key difference being that we don't play on ice with skates, or with roller blades. Instead, we play with running shoes. However, the sticks are the same, and the rules are very similar.

Because there's no need for skates or lots of padding and gear, ball hockey is more accessible than ice or roller hockey. If you want to give it a try, we have sticks at the rink we can lend you, so just grab some running shoes and come on down!

Please note that what we play is not at all like field hockey, which uses a completely different stick, is usually played outside on grass, and has different rules.

SCHEDULE

We usually play on the first, third, and fifth Friday of every month.

Hours of play are usually in the evening from 20:00 (8 PM) to 22:00 (10 PM).

Upcoming Dates

Friday, January 17th, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, January 31st, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, February 7th, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, February 21st, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, March 7th, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, March 21st, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, April, 4th, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, April 18th, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, May 2nd, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, May 16th, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, May 30th, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, June 6th, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
Friday, June 20th, 20:00 (8PM) to 22:00 (10PM)
(Summer Break)

LOCATION

MHL Rink

We usually play at the Misconduct Hockey League Rink, which is located near Musashi Urawa Station on the Saikyo Line, about 25 minutes north of Shinjuku.

Please see our complete guide for getting to the MHL Rink.

Other Places

Sometimes in the spring and summer, we play additional games at an outdoor rink near the Edogawa river. We've also sometimes put a team together to play at tournaments in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Seoul. Details about when we play somewhere different will be made available when it happens.

PRICE

Standard Admission:
3000 YEN
First time discount: 1500 YEN
Goalies:
1000 YEN
Women:
1000 YEN

You can also buy a pack of 4 tickets for 10,000 yen which is a 2000 yen discount!

WHAT TO BRING

You need to bring clothing and shoes appropriate for sports, and suitable for the weather. The rink is indoors, but not climate controlled, so it may be warm or cool depending on the season. Note there aren't showers at the rink, so you'll also want something to change into for the train ride home, and maybe a towel or body wipes to help with sweat.

Bring one white and one black shirt. This is for when we divide into teams, which is decided on the night. Please make sure the shirts are clearly white or black so it's obvious which team you're on. Avoid shirts with complicated patterns or ambiguous shades of grey.

If you don't already have a stick, there are sticks at the rink that you can borrow.

That's basically it. If you happen to have any protective gear, like an athletic cup or shin guards, that's recommended, but not required. Lots of people play without much protection, because we try to keep the games safe and fun.

SAFETY

Our first priority is safety so that everyone can play competitively without risk of injury.

No aggressive body checking.
You may stand your ground, but you can not force another person out of their position.
Never push anyone into the boards.
Do not raise the blade of your stick high enough to strike anyone in the face.
Touching the ball with your stick above your shoulders (or above the height of the net) is considered high sticking and results in the other team getting posession of the ball.

Slap shots are allowed, but exercise responsibility.
Don't just shoot into crowds.
Always be in control of yourself and your stick.
It is your responsibility to ensure your actions do not risk injuring others.

RULES

The rules we play by are based on the NHL rules for ice hockey, with a few differences.
Depending on how many people show up, we play 4 on 4, or 5 on 5, not including goalies.
Players waiting on the bench switch, or "sub," with active players every couple of minutes. It's usually the active player that calls for a sub and approaches the bench. Note that you don't just sub when you're tired, but frequently enough so that everyone has fair and equal game time.
Inexperienced players often sub on and off separately from the rest of the team. If this applies to you, someone will explain when and who to sub with on the night.
We don't have offsides.
After a goal, the team that was scored on takes posession of the ball. Both teams must separate to their side of the centre line. The team without posession must wait until the team with posession crosses the centre line before they can cross it. Play begins when any player on the team with possession, or the ball, crosses the center line.
If the ball hits the roof, or the netting above the glass, and comes back into the playing area, we just keep playing. We stop the game if the ball goes out of the play area and stays out. In that case, possession is given to the team that was not the last to touch the ball.
We usually don't play with referees, so most infractions are just called by the group collectively. If there's an infraction, the ball is given to the other team. There is no penalty box, unless we're playing a special tournament.
When the play is stopped for any reason, and a team takes posession of the ball, the opposing team must give the player with the ball at least 3 seconds, and adequate space to make a pass or play, before they can be checked.

HOCKEY RESOURCES

Equipment

Most guys order hockey equipment online. Eurosport (site in Japanese only) has reasonable selection and decent prices for Japan. There's a small equipment store at the MHL Rink where we play, but it's usually closed when we play, and its selection is limited.

Knapper is also a good resource for ball hockey gear, and they will ship to Japan, though it might be expensive depending on the item. TSHA members will generally take advantage of times when they're outside of Japan to buy gear and bring it back with them.

Ice Hockey

If you want to play some ice hockey, you might want to try In The Box Hockey, which is a website that lists open skates and other information about teams and stuff in the Tokyo area. It may or may not have complete information, but should get you started. Or if you come and play a game with us, you'll meet some guys who can help you get started, as a lot of our guys play ice as well.

Roller Hockey

For Roller Hockey, the Misconduct Hockey League plays at the same MHL Rink where we play ball hockey, so if you come down for a game with us, you'll easily be able to find out more. A lot of our guys also play in the MHL league, so you can be introduced to someone who can get you on the right path.