A Japanese delegation arrived in Dunedin on Tuesday night and spent most of yesterday visiting sites around the city.
The leading priority was a stop at Forsyth Barr Stadium. The world No 11-ranked side will play Costa Rica at the venue on July 26.
The party also checked out various hotels and some training facilities. But Forsyth Barr Stadium left a big impression.
It is a world-class venue, but team manager Riza Yamamoto said it was the roof and the protection it would provide from Dunedin’s weather that brought the most smiles.
"We heard Dunedin was really cold," she said.
But the group was surprised how much warmer it was on the pitch than outside the stadium.
"It is going to be winter here during the World Cup and we were wondering how cold it is going to be. But we felt good that we have the roof and that it is going to be all covered."
Coach Futoshi Ikeda told the Otago Daily Times through a translator they "were really happy they could play in the great stadium".
The Japanese delegates were in New Zealand for the draw and added a reconnaissance mission to the trip. They started in Hamilton, where the side will play Zambia on July 22, and will today be in Wellington, where Japan will play Spain on July 31.
That shapes as a key fixture in group C. Spain is the No 6-ranked side in the world.
Ikeda said the Japanese team won the 2011 tournament and it would be a big challenge to win again, but they were looking forward to the competition.
