K's denki Stadium Mito

<p>The current structure was designed for the 2009 renovation, when the original architect's plans were discarded and the concrete was rebuilt to meet </p>

<p>UEFA and J.League standards. The work was carried out by a joint venture of builders, replacing a roof that had buckled under the weight of snow during the 2011 earthquake. That was not the first time the structure failed: a lightning strike in 2010 had already blown out the power, forcing the match to be abandoned. The new roof does not show that kind of weakness anymore, but the scars remain in the memory of the fans who watched the clean-sheet run come to an end that day. The stadium fell silent, then the crowd turned to the kids in the front row, waiting for the restart. The pitch is natural grass, and it holds the rain well, even when the wind comes off the lake and cuts straight through the stands. The capacity sits at 10,152, a number that has lost meaning since the 10,181 who turned up for the derby with no love lost against Kashiwa Reysol. The name changed then too, from Mito City Stadium to K's denki Stadium Mito, but the ground itself has not changed much. It is still the only place in town where the lights go on at dusk and the sound bounces off the concrete.