Day 30: Japanese Baseball - Tokyo Yomiuri Giants

It's baseball season in Japan, too, and they are nuts about baseball. We bought tickets for a Tokyo Yomiuri Giants home game against the Rakuten Eagles at the Tokyo Dome. Purchasing tickets is a relatively simple process...if you can read Japanese. Even today, online transactions are limited in Japan; therefore, all sorts of tickets, including baseball tickets, are sold through kiosks located in many of the convenience stores such as Seven Eleven, Lawson, etc. If you go to the convenience store when it's not crowded, I bet the store clerk will be able to help with operating the kiosk. Once the tickets are selected, take the paperwork that gets printed from the kiosk to the cash register where the clerk will hand you the tickets, once they are paid for. Our tickets were mid-range on the second level for ¥2400/seat. Nose bleed seats start somewhere around ¥1000, but you could also spend more than ¥6000 for better seats.

Going to a baseball game is mostly a universal experience. However, here are a few observations that stood out:

1. Although they don't allow glass or plastic bottles inside, you are allowed to bring in your own drinks, which are then poured into plastic cups for you at the gate.
2. Of course the concession stands serve Japanese food such as rice bowls, fried noodles, sushi, etc. but we did see a good share of hot dogs and French fries, too.
3. We loved the cute beer girls running up and down the stands with a pony keg strapped to their back. How efficient is that? They literally came by every few minutes, and there is no last call after the 7th inning!
4. Tokyo Giants' mascot is called a "Jabbit"...a Giants-Rabbit. Huh, 'interesting.'
5. Yes, the Tokyo Giants' name, logo, and black/orange colors resemble the San Francisco Giants because they copied the Giants' team when they were still the New York Giants.
6. We love that one of the pitchers is named Kubo #11! He's off for elbow surgery, however. Too bad.
7. They also do a 7th inning stretch, but to different music.
8. Hello Kitty was at the game. She's everywhere in Japan, I swear.
9. We witnessed a no-hitter game! Congratulations to the Giants!

(Note the "Jabbit" mascots and Hello Kitty running around!)

We stuck around the Tokyo Dome City area after the game for some late night snacks and drinks. We found an American baseball themed restaurant where we proceeded to order several 'yards' of beer!! In our defense, it's on the menu and there were 6 of us, but this amused many of the Japanese customers as they took pictures of us. Glad we could entertain.