Top Indoor Stage Kameido: Anyone for Tennis (and Golf)?

Published: May 7, 2019

Lifted by the successes of Kei Nishikori and Naomi Osaka, tennis in Japan is enjoying a golden age not seen for twenty years. Inspired by Naomi and Kei, Japanese people of all ages are taking to the courts to learn the game or brush up their skills once more. With summer on its way, we dropped in at Top Indoor Stage, the tennis and golf school in Kameido.

 

 

Located equidistant from Kameido, Ojima, and Nishi-ojima stations, the facade of Top Indoor Stage gives little indication of how enormous it is inside. Comprising an area of offices, meeting rooms, changing rooms, a shop, and a nursery, together with three full courts and a half court, it’s enormous. And that’s just the ground floor!

 

 

Our guide to the club was Mr. Kohei Inui, sub-head coach and, like all the coaches, licenced by the Japan Sports Association. “I’ve been playing tennis for 25 years now,” said the cordial and breezy Chiba Prefecture native. “I began in junior high school and it’s been my hobby and work ever since.”

 

 

“Our concept is to take beginners and teach them tennis as part of an overall lifestyle, to give them one to one practical personal training, and then to add power to their game,” says Mr. Inui. Top Indoor Stage Kameido offers a wide variety of classes, starting with total beginner classes for a maximum of four people, for 45, 60, or 90 minutes. After that comes elementary, semi-intermediate, intermediate, and advanced level classes, all for 90 minutes.

 

 

“We have students aged from three to over sixty,” adds Mr. Inui. There are special classes for the over sixties and for those who cannot commit to attending at the same time every month. The contents of each class and overall targets for every term are clearly explained, so that the students understand what they will be practicing week by week. Strokes, form, volleying, footwork, and movement are all dealt with during the 12 weeks of the course.

 

 

One of the more interesting courses offered at Top Indoor Stage Kameido is the Parents and Kids course. Mothers or fathers can practice with a coach while nursery staff take care of the children in another room.

 

 

After the adults have finished, the kids warm up with some dancing and then practice with the mini-net, child-size racquets, and smaller, softer balls.

 

 

They were having a whale of a time while we were there; who knows, perhaps a future Naomi or Kei was among this group? These classes are held on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, last for 90 minutes, and cost 8,191 yen for 12 or 8,873 for 13 times.

 

 

Remarkably, the club has over 2,700 members for tennis and over 700 for golf. Membership and fees are separate, but players can join both. The club opens at 6:00 am on weekdays and is invariably full at that time. “Many early risers enjoy the peace and quiet of the mornings,” says Mr. Inui, “while others like to practice and take a shower before they head off to work.” Top Indoor Stage Kameido also stays open well after midnight for those who prefer to exercise late or want to relieve their stress from the working day.

 

 

Members can borrow racquets and tennis shoes. The playing surface is carpet with a rubber underlay so it’s easy on the knees.

 

 

The changing rooms are spacious and spotlessly clean. They also feature these rather splendid ultra-modern showers, produced by a well-known housing products maker and signed by Japan’s number one male tennis player himself!

 

 

Prices vary depending on the level of the class, the day and time but are very reasonable. Weekends and evenings are more expensive, of course. For example, a daytime course of 13 one-hour classes will cost 8,667 yen, while a course of 13 ninety-minute classes on daytime evenings, Saturdays or Sundays is 14,135 yen. The charming staff will be more than ready to answer all your questions.

 

 

There’s also a shop where you can pick up any items you may have forgotten, mainly racquets, shoes, and clothing, all at reasonable prices.

 

 

Up on the second floor is the golf school. Here, members can practice their swings at eight tees, get wedge practice in a bunker, or have their swings analysed on one of four “swing navigators” which film each player in action.

 

 

The swing’s the thing in golf and this little machine can tell you exactly where you’re going wrong.

 

 

There’s a putting area too and fully licensed staff on hand at all times. Trial lessons cost 3,000 yen for 90 minutes or 2,000 yen for 60. The golf school is open from 9:30 am to 11:00 pm on weekdays and 8:30 am to 11:10 pm at the weekend. Even the most hopeless duffer can improve their game here.

 

 

Whatever your needs, budget, or schedule Top Indoor Stage Kameido definitely has something for you. Why not drop in and let the experts improve your game!

 

 

Story and Photos by Stephen Spencer