One of the things I was looking forward to the most when I got transferred to Sendai was the chance to check out some professional Japanese baseball.  Sendai is the home of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.  Let’s break down the name first.  Tohoku is the northern region of Honshu (the main) island.  Rakuten is the name of a giant online store in Japan.  The Golden Eagles (more commonly known as the Eagles) is the name of the team.  Here in Japan teams are named after their main sponsor.  It’s a little tacky coming from North America, but at least my local team isn’t named Nippon Ham like Sapporo’s team.

There are 12 teams in Nippon Pro Baseball (NPB), divided into two leagues, Central and Pacific.  The Eagles are in the Pacific League, which has a designated hitter like MLB’s American League.  In the Central League the pitchers hit, like MLB’s National League.  If you remember Mr. Baseball, you know that NPB is pretty different than MLB.  In NPB, there can be tie games.  NPB is generally less aggressive than MLB, and there is more bunting.  The season is almost as long as MLB’s, playing 144 games.

Kyoko and I’ve been to 4 games this season, and we’re also going to 2 games this week.  I guess I’m back into baseball, at least the Japanese version.  Here are a few reasons why…

The Eagles’ home field, Kleenex Stadium, is not only the softest stadium in NPB but also the smallest, with a capacity of just over 20,000.  Because of this there really isn’t a bad seat in the house.  Kleenex Stadium is also an open stadium.  Watching MLB games in the old Kingdome and BC Place, it never really felt like a real ballpark.  Having the sun beat down on you on a Sunday afternoon or sitting under the bright lights on a Thursday evening, being out in the open definitely adds to the overall experience.

Ticket prices. The outfield bleachers, which are general admission, cost around $10-15.  The most expensive tickets, behind home plate, will run you around $70.  Similarly located seats to a Blue Jays game will cost you $31 and $210 respectively.  And that’s for the crappy Blue Jays in the craptastic Skydome.

There’s also a section in the outfield that’s simply a grass field.  Bring a blanket and have a picnic while you watch the game and enjoy the day.

Drinking. Japan of course has a legendary drinking culture, and at the ballpark it’s no different.  Countless girls dressed in beer logo baseball uniforms endlessly parade around the stadium, lugging mini-kegs of cold beer, chu-hi, or soft drinks.  If you prefer to stand in a line, a selection of hot or cold sake can also be enjoyed.  Hot for those chilly spring and autumn night games, cold for the summer.  Prices range from $4-6.

However, if you don’t feel like paying for your booze, not to worry.  Not only are you allowed to bring outside alcohol into the stadium, the staff will happily pour your can of beer into a cup for you!  I tell you, it doesn’t get much better than that.

There’s a lot more I can say about the Japanese baseball experience, but for today let’s leave it at that.  Below are photos taken from a few of the games we saw last month.  There’s also a video of the “7th Inning Stretch“, Japanese-style.  Enjoy!