The Unique Japanese Way of Watching Baseball
Watching a baseball game in Japan is completely different from the way you watch games in other countries. There are ten professional baseball teams in Japan, divided into two leagues. Each team has its own songs and dances, and the food and drinks are different at each stadium.Even if you’re not interested in baseball, I’ll share with you how you can enjoy watching a baseball game in Japan!
The tickets are reasonably priced
The basic price for a cheap ticket is about 1,500 yen (13.18 US$), and for an expensive ticket, about 10,000 yen (87.88 US$). In all stadiums, the closer the seat is to the home base and the closer to the players, the higher the price is set. Also, the price for reserved seats is higher than that for unreserved seats. However, higher priced tickets are not always better seats. The best seats vary depending on whether you want to watch the players’ movements in detail, or whether you want to see the whole game.
The music and cheering is amazing!
In addition to the team’s cheering song, each player in professional baseball has his own original cheering song, and you can enjoy all kinds of cheering. You sing, dance, and clap along with the brass band. The cheering is especially intense in the cheering seats. It is standard for the audience to stand and cheer while the team is attacking, and some people wave large flags.
Some teams jump when the team has a chance, and other teams move small umbrellas up and down when a point is scored. There are so many different ways to cheer, depending on the team, so have fun!
A wide variety of food
The food changes depending on the stadium, and you can enjoy it at a very affordable price, just a little higher than usual. There are the standard items such as cutlet sandwiches, fried chicken, and French fries, but there are also original stadium foods! Food made with local ingredients is delicious.There are also drinks inspired by the players and food produced by the players. There are also drinks that are only available when the team wins, so it’s fun to change the drinks depending on the day!
The staff will come and pour you a beer
In Japanese stadiums, there is a woman walking around with a beer server on her back. They allow you to buy beer without having to leave your seat. I wish they would come to my desk at work.By the way, the girls who sell these beers are paid on commission, so many of them are good looking. Many of them become popular at the stadium to become celebrities and make a name for themselves.
Baseball game during the coronavirus pandemic
Singing and cheering are not allowed with the current situation of coronavirus, making the stadium a different and quieter place than usual. Alcoholic beverages are also not allowed, and you have to sit with one seat open. I’m sure it will be back by the time you come to Japan to visit, so if you come to Japan, be sure to include a baseball game in your schedule!
