The sound of taiko drums fills the air as hundreds of people mill around Odaiba on a cloudy September afternoon. Stalls straight out of a summer matsuri (festival) offer games for kids, and food trucks sit beneath strings of paper lanterns.
Towering above this mini matsuri is the capital’s newest entertainment landmark, Toyota Arena Tokyo.
The arena will host its first B. League professional basketball game in a few hours — a match between defending champions Utsunomiya Brex and Toyota-owned Alvark Tokyo, who call the 10,000-seat venue home. A massive video board hangs above the court, with ribbon-style displays wrapping around the interior. Visitors can catch the action while walking the concourse, which is dotted with concession stands, bars and lounges.
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