Despite the fact that I’m not likely a baseball fan I’ve nearly by default ended up visiting a justifiable share of the stadiums belonging to the 12 Japanese golf equipment which make up the Central and Pacific Leagues. Apart from the Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium in Hiroshima, all the others have been based mostly in Higher Tokyo however there was a reasonably handy one in Yokohama that would assist add to my tally. Higher than that although, I obtained to expertise it with a few mates from work who help the groups concerned within the sport.
For a couple of years now, the concept of my former college supervisor Shinobu (a Yokohama DeNa Baystars supporter), James (a Yakult Swallows fan) and me (a really informal Hiroshima Carp follower) attending a sport in Yokohama or Tokyo has been talked about quite a few instances however nothing actually got here out of these informal conversations so it was as much as me to get the present on street. Consequently, I regarded on the schedule a couple of months in the past and thought an early September date can be an excellent time for the three of us to reunite and see a sport on a scorching summer time’s evening!
Nonetheless, when the day of the sport lastly got here spherical final Friday (September fifth), heavy rain was forecast all day till about 7:00 pm (the sport was attributable to begin an hour earlier) so I actually didn’t assume there was any probability of it happening however my mates have been extra optimistic. After they messaged mid-afternoon to say they’d each be there at round 5:00 pm I used to be fairly shocked because the rain was heavy at the moment with thunderstorms quickly following!
I had been settling in for the remainder of the day and was greater than comfy on my couch however I then needed to prepare and exit (because it hadn’t been cancelled!) so my head was not mentally ready for going to see a baseball sport. Fortunately it was a really direct prepare to take me to the stadium which is a spot a few individuals I do know have gone to by mistake when aiming to observe Yokohama F. Marinos! Their house stadium is definitely about 9 kilometres away to the north!
It was a brief stroll from Nihon-Odori station on the Minatomirai Line to Yokohama Stadium, and it took me about 90 minutes in complete to get there from the Tokyo Fox World Operations Centre which ain’t too dangerous given the space and ease of not needing to alter trains in any respect!
The station was adorned with Baystars imagery in all places.
Yokohama Stadium was fairly an imposing construction on first sight based mostly on the tall stand I noticed which lacked actual width.
Another excuse for desirous to go to this stadium was as a result of it was used within the ill-fated Tokyo 2020 Olympics which passed off 12 months later than deliberate because of the international pandemic. The stadium hosted the baseball which was gained by Japan after they defeated the USA within the gold-medal remaining. There’s a small exhibition commemorating this exterior the stadium.
The sport was already underway, and within the second innings by the point I lastly took my seat up on the fourth ground. I used to be pretty impartial however as I had a Yakult Swallows high I made a decision to place that on and help them moderately than becoming a member of the house help.
It was purchased from a second hand store for 500 yen a few years in the past in anticipation of someday becoming a member of James for a Swallows sport. I lastly did that a few years again once we watched the Swallows get thrashed of their yard by Chunichi Dragons.
The meals connoisseur at Japanese stadiums is at all times a spotlight of any matchday expertise at any time when I do determine to splash out. I didn’t must this time although as Shinobu kindly gave me some gyoza, and James shared his lengthy fries with us.
The fourth innings was most likely probably the most thrilling of the early ones for the Swallows as they scored a few runs and took the lead ensuing within the (correct!) followers elevating their mini-umbrellas and spinning them in unison which is at all times fairly the sight.
I sort of remorse placing on the Swallows shirt although because it meant I couldn’t actually take part with the unbelievable environment created by the 30,000 Baystars followers within the stands. Soccer could also be my sport however I’ve to say that the environment right here was higher than on the different two Yokohama soccer grounds; Nissan Stadium and Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium.
Seven is extensively thought-about to be a fortunate quantity in Japan so the fortunate seventh innings appears to be a factor at varied baseball stadiums, and in Yokohama there have been balloons being let off in addition to cheerleaders, dancing mascots and a sports activities automotive driving across the turf! I didn’t actually know what was happening!
So having arrived fashionably late I then snuck out early because the seventh innings proved to be very fortunate for the house workforce who scored three runs to just about put the sport to mattress. Or so I believed!
The youthful me can be ashamed of me leaving sports activities occasions early however once I’m a impartial I’m not too bothered about lacking one thing vital. Because it was, Swallows replied with three runs within the ninth and remaining innings to make it a tenser end than I had definitely anticipated. I suppose it was a disgrace I missed it however I can reside with it and can be glad simply remembering the nice environment in Japan’s second largest metropolis.
Ultimate Rating: DeNa Baystars 7-6 Yakult Swallows
Bonus: Again in Could I used to be in Hiroshima so popped alongside to the Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium one night to see Hiroshima Carp towards Chunichi Dragons. The spotlight was the environment, particularly for the so-called fortunate seventh innings (seven is extensively thought-about to be a fortunate quantity in Japan) the place balloons are inflated after which let off. The man sat subsequent to me kindly introduced me with one. It’s definitely an excellent advertising ploy for promoting such gadgets every sport, and in addition occurred on the aforementioned Yokohama sport albeit on a a lot smaller scale.
Replace: Since posting about Yokohama Stadium, I’ve been to a different baseball sport! Following an early end at work (ninth September), I made a decision to pop into the Tokyo Dome on the way in which house to see Yomiuri Giants towards Hiroshima Carp. The house workforce hit a whopping six runs within the first innings and Carp have been at all times taking part in catch up after that. They managed to claw it again a bit nevertheless it completed 6-4 to the Giants.
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