A night at Tokyo Dome watching a live baseball game ended up being one of the absolute highlights of our trip to Japan. So today I’m sharing all about it, thanks so much for stopping by 😊
Tokyo Dome Baseball Experience
Before we left Sydney, we had a loose itinerary with plenty of ideas of what we wanted to see. But the only things we locked in were DisneySea, Tokyo Disneyland, and tickets to watch the Yomiuri Giants vs the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. And it turned out to be a winning trifecta!
When I told friends we were going to a baseball game and how excited I was, I got a few surprised looks. And truly, who could blame them? I’m not exactly the most sporty person on the planet.
But my family are. In fact, my cousins, who we travelled with, love baseball. They play all year round, coach younger teams, and referee as well.
So while I don’t play sport (please don’t throw me a ball, I’ll just duck), I do enjoy a good game of pretty much any sport (no boxing though). I get right into the spirit like any die-hard fan.
Inside Tokyo Dome
The minute we walked into Tokyo Dome, we felt it straight away. The energy was incredible, with thousands of people, but it was so organised, completely in sync and almost calm. One of the things that stood out on our trip was how good the Japanese people are at organising large crowds to move quickly, calmly and efficiently. It was truly impressive.
Our Tickets and Seats
My cousin, the amazing trip organiser, got us the best tickets through KKday, and we had the perfect seats. And there was so much to see, I didn’t know where to look!
The Atmosphere and Crowds
First up, there was the cheering, which was completely next level. It wasn’t just random shouting, no way. It was coordinated chants, songs, trumpets and clapping, with whole sections moving together like they had been rehearsing for years.
I think I spent just as much time watching the crowd as I did the actual game because it was that fascinating.
The Food at Tokyo Dome
Then there was the food, and it wasn’t just soggy chips and hot dogs. Although there’s nothing wrong with chips and hot dogs, I do love those too. But the menu was impressive with bento boxes, fried chicken, rice, beef dishes, and curry. Real proper meals, like something you’d find in a restaurant rather than a stadium.
The sweets were also really good. I had ice cream and some kind of doughnut-style treat. So Yum!
Beer Girls
Then there were the beer girls running, yes running, up and down all those stairs through the stands, selling drinks and snacks as they went. They carried huge beer kegs on their backs and somehow managed to pour and serve drinks while weaving through packed rows of seats. It was incredible to watch.
And they were so sweet and friendly too, always smiling and making it look effortless, even though I’m sure it was an intense job. I kept thinking how unbelievably fit they must have been.
Half Time Entertainment
The half-time entertainment was a hoot! There were people dressed as sushi doing a proper “ready, set, go” race… and the sushi roll won. I’m still laughing, thinking about it.
A Night To Remember
What surprised me most during this Tokyo Dome baseball game experience was how respectful everything felt. So many people, so much passion, but no chaos. No pushing, no aggression, no booing (except maybe from us… oops!).
The Tokyo Dome baseball experience was truly a night we’ll never forget. It’s gone down as one of the biggest highlights of our trip.
And all of this is from someone who doesn’t fully understand all the baseball rules. But of course, now I’m well and truly a Giants fan for life!
If you are planning a trip to Japan, add a Tokyo Dome baseball game to your list. Even if you are not sporty. Especially if you are not sporty!
Ruth!! They are called umpires not referees, and there is no “half time” in baseball, maybe it was the 7th inning stretch?! Haha, I tease! We love baseball so this was fascinating, I would love to see a game in Japan. One of our Blue Jays, Okomoto, is just here from Japan this year, he’s getting used to the Major Leagues. They said he couldn’t believe his teammates had their own handshakes with everyone, but he is getting the hang of it, and how his handshake with Guerrero now includes a little bow.
I guess you could cheer for the Giants, but consider the Blue Jays – Canada’s only team!!
Hahahaha!!! Told you I wasn’t sporty 😂
That does sound like fun.. and I’d be just about as clueless as you never having sat through any sort of pro baseball game in my life.
Oh wow! Tokyo Dome looks huge! It sounds like you had such a great time! The whole experience sounds amazing!
Very interesting post as I’m trying to wrap my mind around playing baseball inside a building. It must have been a huge building! #MMBC
The sushi roll race is funny – here they have the condiment race with ketchup, mustard, and relish! It’s interesting that it’s so organized with no pushing, etc. In Israel, there is so much pushing! Cultural things like that are so interesting.