ElizabethIt was an aggressive plan to take three little ones to the vast Tokyo Dome to watch the Yomiuri Giants battle the Chunichi Dragons – in a country still foreign to us – in a language we don’t yet understand. But in an effort to stack the deck in our favor, we chose a Saturday 2pm start on a warm September day. (I should mention that mom was gone, so it was prime time to have a dad + kiddos day at the ballpark.)
It took me a bit to get the lay of the land. There are two professional baseball teams in Tokyo, the Yomiuri Giants and the Yakult Swallows. And there are teams in the surrounding regions too, so it can be confusing. The Giants play in the massive Tokyo Dome, which sits in the center of a ‘larger than you can imagine’ development complex with a carnival-esque feel. Yes, there’s a rollercoaster and a Ferris wheel, a rock-climbing gym and a mall. Did I mention the onsen? The Swallows are home-based in Meiji-jingu Stadium. Both are considered downtown Tokyo stadiums, so if you’re interested in catching some Japanese baseball, don’t feel like you must head to the Tokyo Dome.
Buying tickets is easy! There are a variety of ticket sites, but I used the Giants website. Ticket cost is anywhere from about 2000 JPY up to tens of thousands. You can opt for digital tickets (QR code), then just present your QR code(s) at the gate upon arrival. Our tickets were straight-forward. They listed our entrance gate into the stadium, our aisle (entry porthole), row and seat numbers.
The Tokyo Dome is a beautiful climate-controlled dome. It was fantastic to not have to worry about temperature or precipitation for the day out. That meant I didn’t need to carry hats or rain jackets, so it made our trip to the stadium a bit lighter.
Our little group of four arrived to Tokyo Dome by the Namboku Line, but the facility is accessed by a variety of train and bus lines. It’s quite easy to get to. You’ll even find a convenient 7/11 store or Lawson’s in whatever station you choose, where you can load up on snacks and drinks for the game. But why do that when the Tokyo Dome is chock-full of great food options. Sure, you’ll find the standard ‘ice cream in a plastic baseball helmet’ for 750 JPY, a scoop of Baskin Robbins for 500 JPY and popcorn for 500 JPY. But you’ll also find Giants player bento boxes for 1600-2300 JPY, a hot curry for 1200 JPY and plenty of fried foods. Tokyo Dome has the best selection of stadium food I’ve seen, and at lower prices.
For the thirsty, you’ll find a variety of drinks. But for a really fun experience, head to your seats and wait for a beer seller to make her way to you. These employees are dressed in the colors of their product’s company (Yebisu, Dewars, Asahi, ++) and are fast, professional, and friendly. If you don’t speak Japanese, don’t panic. It’s pretty easy to know what’s beer and what’s soda! Remember that Tokyo Dome is cashless, so have a credit card on hand for payment.
Baseball in Tokyo looks like baseball in the United States. If you’re looking for a wild variant of the game, try Pesapallo in Finland. I attended a match there a couple of years back and think every baseball fan should try it. The big difference with Japanese baseball was that the 7th inning stretch didn’t feature “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” If that’s the biggest difference I could find, then we’re talking pretty similar sports!
The Tokyo Dome was incredibly clean and everyone at the game was respectful. Sure, there was a lot of cheering, but it was a safe environment to enjoy the afternoon.
Watching a baseball game in Tokyo is such a fun experience, but there’s so much more to explore nearby too! We sometimes use GetYourGuide to find cool activities, and as an affiliate, I may earn a small commission if you book through the widget below (at no extra cost to you). If you’re looking for more ways to round out your Tokyo adventure, check out what else is happening in the area.
