Rugby-Venues for 2019 rugby World Cup

March 3 (Reuters) - Brief profiles of the 12 cities chosen to host matches at the 2019 rugby World Cup in Japan. - - - - TOKYO Matches will be played at the 80,000 New National Stadium, which is being constructed for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The stadium will host the opening match on Sept. 6 and also the final on Oct. 20. - - - - SAPPORO The host site for the 1972 Winter Olympics and one of the venues for the 2002 soccer World Cup. Matches will be played at the Sapporo Dome (capacity 41,410). - - - - KAMAISHI CITY Kamaishi City, in Iwate Prefecture, is the site of Japan's oldest steelworks. The coastal city was devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Matches will be played at the Recovery Memorial Stadium (capacity 16,187). - - - - KUMAGAYA CITY Kumagaya is a suburb outside of Tokyo in Saitama Prefecture. Matches will be held at Kumagaya Rugby Ground (capacity 24,000). - - - - YOKOHAMA The International Stadium (capacity 72,327) was the venue for the 2002 soccer World Cup final between Brazil and Germany. - - - - SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE One of two prefectures straddled by the iconic Mount Fuji, Shizuoka will stages matches at the Ogasayama Sports Park Ecopa Stadium (capacity 50,889). - - - - TOYOTA CITY Toyota Stadium was another venue used for the 2002 soccer World Cup. The ground has a capacity of 45,000. Unsurprisingly, the city is also host to the Japanese automotive manufacturer. - - - - HIGASHI OSAKA CITY The third-largest city in the Osaka region. Hanazono Rugby Stadium (capacity 30,000) is Japan's oldest purpose-built rugby venue, built in 1929. - - - - KOBE CITY Kobe City Misaki Park Stadium (capacity 30,312) is one of Japan's most picturesque stadiums, with mountains on one side and the sea on the other. Was also used for the 2002 soccer World Cup. - - - - FUKUOKA Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu, hosted the 2001 world swimming championships. For the 2019 World Cup, matches will be played at the Hakatanomori Football Stadium (capacity 22,563). - - - - OITA PREFECTURE Also on the island of Kyushu, the Oita Stadium (capacity 40,000) was another venue used for the soccer World Cup. It was one of the few domes with a retractable roof. - - - - KUMAMOTO CITY The third venue on Kyushu, the southernmost of the four main Japanese islands. Kumamoto is home to one of the world's largest active volcanoes. The Prefectural Athletic Stadium holds 32,000 spectators. (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Peter Rutherford; )