For our convenience, of course. Food Vendors sell Yokohama BayStars Lager even outside of the ballpark. Photo: Jeff W. Richards Those new to the country may be unaware, but the unofficial “Japanese Bylaw of Regional Travel” mandates that, when visiting another prefecture or region, one is required to eat that area’s famous dish whether one wants to or not. Failure to comply with this Bylaw will result in scornful derision from one’s Japanese colleagues upon return to the office the following Monday.
Therefore, I dutifully lined up for some stadium gyutan (beef tongue) in Sendai, tebasaki (Japanese chicken wings) in Nagoya and lemon-flavored kakigori (shaved ice dessert) in Hiroshima. Did you know that Hiroshima is famous for lemon? I didn’t, but that’s what the sign said, so my hands were tied on the matter. As I sat munching on some takoyaki (battered octopus balls) in the futuristic-looking Kyocera Dome during an Orix Buffaloes game, I dared wonder how Osaka’s famous version of the dish actually differed from anywhere else’s. To my unrefined palate it seemed, well, identical.
Baseball palaces: Tales from every pro stadium in JapanOne evening in Tokyo’s Meiji Jingu Stadium, I sat thinking about other things as my beloved Yakult Swallows’ bullpen imploded, blowing yet another late-game lead. The team’s on-field ineptitude lent itself well to daydreaming. Celebrated Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami was sitting in Jingu’s right field seats when it first occurred to him to write a book; the Swallows’ history of miserable seasons stretches back decades.
Hanshin Tigers @ Orix Buffaloes in May - Osaka - TripAdvisor Answer 1 of 11: We're going to be in Japan in May and I really wanted to see a baseball game. I was hoping to catch the Giants when we were in
In-house entertainment Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan - September 21, 2019: Cheer dancing in Yokohama near Yokohama Stadium from photo shooting area. Photo: iStock/JianGang Wang Baseball brings out the traditionalist in me. That inner curmudgeon enjoys sighing loudly enough for the people around to hear when there are just too many dancing mascots on the field. At some point, a well-turned double play needs to get more of the focus than the backflipping cheergirls. The good: the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Fukuoka PayPay Dome and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters’ Sapporo Dome both do a nice job of energetic and creative (but not overbearing) entertainment, keeping both teams off the “Soulless Dome” list.
Finally, he came over after the game. He wanted a photo together, but turning with his camera, he found his wife had already started walking toward the exit. At Yokohama Stadium, my companion and I made an error. A misreading of the seat map on the digital ticket terminal resulted in seats one in front of the other, rather than beside.
This Sunday, today, with a stadium full of expectant onlookers and newly-minted Roki superfans, the pitcher was given the day off to rest. Then, the visiting Nippon-Ham Fighters tallied nine early runs, effectively ending the competitive nature of the game and leaving us all to sit in the cold rain for a few more hopeless hours. Many of the Marines’ faithful remained to the bitter end. Hats off to them. The soulless domes Kyocera Dome, Osaka: "You can point out that domes make sense in a country with a pronounced rainy season, and you’ll get no argument from me. But give me some fresh air and a summer sunset over these bland, sterile environments any day. " Photo: Todd Wojnowski The Yomiuri Giants’ Tokyo Dome.
But give me some fresh air and a summer sunset over these bland, sterile environments any day. Hiroshima Carp Mazda Stadium Hiroshima has a “modern/retro” style of gratifyingly classic architecture, beautiful mountain views and a fantastic fanbase. Photo: Todd Wojnowski Mazda Stadium Hiroshima, the home diamond for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, was my favorite. It has a “modern/retro” style of gratifyingly classic architecture, beautiful mountain views and a fantastic fanbase. Bonus feature: wide seats and plenty of legroom. Many Japanese stadiums rival airlines in their black-hearted calculations of just how little space human beings need for prolonged sitting.
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The “jet balloons” all whistle and shoot up into the air in a fun scene. A generous woman sitting nearby handed me a balloon so I could join in. Later, I’d see jet balloons at other stadiums along my journey. They’d always remind me of that Lions fan’s kindness. (Note: Since this visit actual seats have been added to the outfield, favoring comfort over quirkiness. ) Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi The Tohoku Rakuten Eagles’ home ballpark in Sendai has a Ferris wheel beyond its left field wall: a pretty feature and Japanese pro baseball’s sole outfield artifact.
The bad: the Yokohama DeNA Baystars put perhaps too much into their gameday revelry at Yokohama Stadium. As we all know from our schooldays: trying too hard to be cool certainly makes you not so. The human touch The Fukuoka PayPay Dome does a nice job of energetic and creative entertainment. Photo: Todd Wojnowski Many journeys are most strongly defined by the characters we meet along the way. At a Swallows game in Hiroshima, I made eye contact with an elderly man in my section who was similarly decked out in Swallows green — although he had apparently raided the Swallows’ merchandise counter and had every manner of official trinket pinned to or dangling from his person. Sitting alongside him was his disinterested wife. Smiles and nods were exchanged. Then, fist pumps after key plays.
On this particular night, I was imagining a journey across Japan to visit the home stadium of each of Nippon Professional Baseball’s (NPB) 12 teams. It would take a while, but baseball is an unhurried sport that appeals to patient minds. I decided to do it. The journey begins Belluna Dome, the bizarre result of some architect’s fever dream, sits in the city of Tokorozawa in very rural Saitama Prefecture. Home to the Saitama Seibu Lions, it was constructed on the side of a steep hill, resulting in “climbs” to the restrooms.
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hanshintigersenglishnews - Instagram Last year Yakult and Orix ranked 11th and 12th in bullpen ranks out of 12 As Yalult waits, traditional rivals Hanshin Tigers and