A 15-minute walk from Sannomiya Station reveals a stylish sign amidst the beautiful cityscape of Kobe!!
This is "eSPARKLe KOBE," an esports experience facility located on the 1st floor (south side) of the NTT West Kobe Chuo Building in Sannomiya, Kobe, offering a cutting-edge playground!
This time, Saiga NAK went to interview "eSPARKLe KOBE," which has been operating the longest in the Kansai region!
Reporting on "eSPARKLe KOBE"!
This is what the exterior looks like.
The "eSPARKLe KOBE" logo is prominently displayed at the entrance, making it easy for first-time visitors to find.
And there are monitors displaying various discounts!
"eSPARKLe KOBE" is currently planning various discounts!
There are many notable offers, such as an interesting "senior discount," student-friendly "student discount," "group discount," and "beginner pack." If you want to know more, please check the "eSPARKLe KOBE" official website.
Next, is this whiteboard filled with doodles from visitors? There are lots of cute illustrations!
Reika also immediately started drawing.
"I drew Saiga from Saiga NAK!"
Huh!?!
This is the entrance!
Upon entering, a cool glowing logo greets you head-on.
"eSPARKLe KOBE" operates on a system where you register as a member and charge points before using the facility.
The QR code needed to use the facility is also displayed here.
The price is quite affordable at 500pt for 60 minutes, which is great for PC game beginners and students, making it easy to visit. (Any leftover points can be carried over to your next visit!)
There are webcams too!
Also, there are many autographs from professional teams, and it's quite moving to think that those players also gathered here...
The first thing that caught my eye was a large audio mixer.
Since this is a large esports facility that hosts national tournaments, the casters' desk and the operations desk are different.
The one with the audio mixer is the operations desk!
This is what the casters' desk looks like. It's nice that the facility provides most of the equipment!
If you're looking to host a gaming tournament in Kobe, be sure to check out "eSPARKLe KOBE"!
Also, all PCs have OBS installed, so you can stream anytime.
However, it seems you can only stream games; face-cam streams or elaborate streams are too demanding.
As for the general seating, I felt that the wide desk and ample mouse pad, along with the well-equipped hub, were excellent!
The chairs were also incredibly comfortable, as if you were being embraced, making it seem like you could relax and play games!
Furthermore, the official website provides a list of the equipment used.
For details, please check the "eSPARKLe KOBE" equipment introduction page!
Titles Playable at "eSPARKLe KOBE"
"eSPARKLe KOBE" offers many esports games that a wide range of generations can enjoy.
- Apex Legends
- Counter-Strike Global Offensive
- Dead by Daylight
- Dota2
- Fall Guys
- Fortnite
- Hearthstone
- League of Legends
- Minecraft
- MTG Arena
- Overwatch
- PUBG BATTLEGROUNDS
- PUBG LITE
- Rocket League
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
- VALORANT
- Street Fighter 6
- TEKKEN 7
- TEKKEN 8
- Granblue Fantasy Versus
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- Puyo Puyo Champions
- GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE-
These are the titles.
There are heartwarming stories of users reporting to their parents waiting outside, "I defeated the boss!", so it seems safe to let your children immerse themselves in the world of games here!
Usage Fees
You're probably curious about the usage fees.
It's not uncommon for people to have the impression that esports facilities are expensive because there aren't many examples.
- General usage fee: ¥500/1 hour (60 points)
So, you can use it starting from just one coin!
What's more, any leftover points can be carried over to your next visit, so for those nearby, it's a cost-effective way to play games.
It's a prepaid charge system of 60 points per hour, and any leftover points can be used on your next visit.
Please note that points are valid for 6 months.
Payment methods include cash and electronic payments, as follows:
| Payment Methods | |
| Credit Card | VISA / Mastercard / UnionPay |
|---|---|
| Electronic Money | ID, WAON, Transportation IC (Kitaca, Suica, PASMO, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA, SUGOCA, nimoca, Hayakaken) |
| QR Code | Rakuten Pay, d-Pay, PayPay, Merpay, au PAY, Yucho Pay, WeChat Pay, Alipay |
Additionally, "eSPARKLe KOBE" offers coaching, as the manager is a former professional gamer.
- Coaching usage fee: ¥2,500 - ¥5,000/1 hour + "general usage fee"
Advance reservations are required, and you can choose your coach. (Prices vary depending on the coach.)
While there's coaching available on social media, meeting in person to discuss is often clearer for both parties, and seeing their expressions can be reassuring.
This is highly recommended for those who want to improve their current game level!
Furthermore, "eSPARKLe KOBE" can be rented out for private use!
| Private Rental Overview | |||
| Standard Usage Hours 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM |
Within Standard Usage Hours | Outside Standard Usage Hours (Extension) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-day Fee | Fee/1 Hour | Fee/30 Min Extension | |
| Weekdays | ¥99,000 | ¥11,000 | ¥7,700 |
| Weekends & Holidays | ¥220,000 | ¥22,000 | ¥15,400 |
| Cancellation Policy | |
| Cancellation Date (from usage date) | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| 20 to 8 days prior | 20% |
| 7 to 2 days prior | 30% |
| Day before | 50% |
| Same day | 100% |
| No-show cancellation | 100% |
These are the details.
Examples of private rentals include tournament operations, as well as esports and streaming classes, and programming classes using "Minecraft."
"eSPARKLe KOBE" is a very clean facility, so you'll definitely be captivated by the atmosphere the moment you step inside!
We encourage many people to experience it.
