Job Discussion Forums

LITTLE PEACHES · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:21 pm Post subject: baseball games in tokyo

i'm a huge baseball fan and in the US i have no problem going on my own. I hear that in Japan baseball games are quite intense. It is safe to go alone? should i find someone to go with? Does anyone have any experiences there they could share to help me out?

Cool Teacher · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:27 pm Post subject:

Probably safe but less fun! go with a group of people maybe some students will take you, in Tokyo the Yomiuri Giants is the big team and maybe Seibu I like the Hanshin Tigers though I went to some of their games and they were lots of fun but I drank too much beer. Smile

move · Joined: 30 May 2009 Posts: 132

I don't think you really have to worry about safety in Japan honey. It's not like you're going to the outfield of a Dodger game. Found a link for you, bam!

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/travel/05journeys.html

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

May I suggest taking in a game with Tokyo's #2 team? They are the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. They play in Meiji Jingu Stadium, which is a nice little stadium (is a capacity of 37,000+ considered little?) near Meiji Shrine. It's pretty easy to get to via the Ginza Line (Gaienmae Station, G-03).

There are five teams located in and near Tokyo: the Yomiuri Giants, the Yakult Swallows, the Seibu Lions, the Yokohama Bay Stars, and the Chiba Lotte Marines.

It's perfectly safe to go to a baseball game in Japan.

I too am a baseball fan and I find the Japanese game to be good.

Check out these links for more information.

http://www.japanball.com/
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports.html

Robert Whiting, who is arguably the foremost Western expert on Japanese baseball, has written two highly informative books about Japanese baseball and baseball players: "You Gotta Have Wa" (1989) and "The Samurai Way of Baseball: The Impact of Ichiro and the New Wave from Japan" (2004). Give them a read if you get the chance.

Here are links to a series of four articles written by Mr. Whiting in the Japan Times Online.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sb20070411c1.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sb20070412c1.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sb20070413c1.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sb20070414c1.html

Hope that helps you get started!

Regards,
fat_chris

Cool Teacher · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 4:16 pm Post subject:

Very true articke. Yes the games are fun and I think you should go and have fun. Smile

And I think Robert Whiting wrote a good book, I read 'You must have wa!' and there is a really early one called Crysanthemum and the Bat! Maybe not in print now though.

LITTLE PEACHES · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 4:22 pm Post subject:

thanks so much on tips for baseball..keep them coming!! i'm following the swollows....in regards to going with students, i'm told the policies on interacting with students outside of the classroom are very strict. I'm teaching k-senior citizens, so i have interaction with all ages.

cvmurrieta · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 209 Location: Sendai, Japan

If you want to check out some games online, you could also watch them on http://www.myp2p.eu Smile

Jamerikoi · Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 17 Location: Tokyo

I've been watching a lot of the Yomiuri Giants (kyojin) on TV. The Giants - Tigers rivalry is well known and fun to watch. I was thinking about going today, but need to check if they're sold out or not... final game of 6 at Tokyo dome.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Most likely sold out.

Regards,
fat_chris

David W · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 457 Location: Japan

I went to a Tigers- Carp game a few years back, a few fights in the crowd and more drunken idiots than you could shake a stick at. Made me feel like I was back home, probably the only place in Japan I've ever felt that an all in brawl could break out any second. I left after the 5th innings as it wasn't a good place for my son to be.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing