Yokohama - hosts Ireland final group game. (Allsport)
WHERE IRISH EYES COULD SMILE
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Japan's staging of the World Cup will take flight with Ireland's opening game
in the 'Big Swan' stadium.
Mick McCarthy's men will then stop off in Ibaraki before concluding their
group campaign in Yokohama - the venue for the final on June 30.
PA International looks at the three venues to host the games against Cameroon, Germany and Saudi Arabia.
June 1 v Cameroon - Niigata Stadium Big Swan, Niigata
The 'Big Swan' stadium get its nickname from the graceful curves of the roof that have been likened to the image of swans landing on the nearby Toyanogata lagoon.
Completed in March 2001, the 42,300-capacity arena hosts Ireland's opener, also the tournament's first match to be played in Japan.
Two days later Croatia and Mexico will meet here, while England could pay a visit for their second round match if they finish runners-up in their 'Group of Death'.
Niigata, the largest port on the Japan Sea coast, is located 300 kilometres north west of Tokyo at the mouth of the country's longest river, the Shinano.
The region is renowned for its 'sake' - a spirit made from rice.
The local football team, Albirex Niigata, play in the second division of the J League but still enjoy a large fan base.
They have created a campaign to welcome the many thousands of visitors under the slogan "Kick-off! Niigata to the World".
June 5 v Germany - Kashima Stadium, Kashima City, Ibaraki
In comparison to most of the other stadiums, the Kashima Stadium is out of date at nine years old.
The 42,000-capacity stadium, the smallest of the 20 venues, is also more European than space-age in its design.
In addition, standing at the entrance of the stadium is a statue of Brazil's former World Cup star Zico, the most popular past player of Kashima Antlers.
Now director of football at the club, Zico played out the twilight years of his career with the Antlers in the J-League.
Just one hour north west of Tokyo, the region offers mountains, lakes, lagoons and sandy beaches - making it a popular retreat for city dwellers.
Italy and Argentina will also be playing group matches at the Kashima Stadium.
June 11 v Saudi Arabia - International Stadium, Yokohama
This is where it will all end on June 30 in Japan's largest stadium.
Yokohama, just outside Tokyo, has hosted several internationals including the final of the Confederations Cup which saw France beat Japan.
The International Stadium has among its hi-tech features an air-driven, high-speed camera which can travel 100 metres in seven seconds.
A port city with a population of over three million, Yokohama is Japan's second largest city and reputed for its large Chinatown.
The city's developers hope the World Cup final will give extra impetus to the Minato Mirai 21 project - an ambitious plan to convert the international port with many Western-style old buildings to a "21st Century metropolis".
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