Well, my adventures through the NPB in 2010 have drawn to a close. I’ll be stuck reading highlights about the rest of the pennant race and playoffs online. However, having visited all the active home stadiums this season, here are my recommended baseball places to visit if you want to plan a trip for the 2011 season.
In my opinion there are three main stadiums to experience: Koshien Stadium, Tokyo Dome, and Mazada Zoom-Zoom Stadium.
Koshien Stadium
Koshien Stadium. This ballpark has a lot of history surrounding it. The museum is the best baseball museum in Japan (slightly better than the Hall of Fame in Tokyo) and the stadium itself, with the new renovations is spectacular. Plus it is outdoor baseball which will make more American fans feel at home.
Tokyo Dome. While the stadium itself is not one of the best in the league, it will be very familiar to Major League Baseball fans as it has been the site of several season opening series over the last decade. In addition, the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame is located at the Tokyo Dome and will provide good background on the league.
Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium. This ballpark, in my opinion, is the class of NPB. Again, it is outdoors, has wider concourses and plenty of great food choices. Hiroshima itself, is a great city and worth the visit. Stop by the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Museum for a chilling account of August 6, 1945 and amazingly fair depiction of events considering the devastation caused by the atomic blast.
Of course, if you can get to any of the ballparks in Japan to see a game, it will be well worth the trip. The atmosphere is different from any Major League Baseball stadium and the fans are much more passionate than any in the States (Yes, even the Fenway Faithful, Yankees and Cubs fans out there).
Thanks for following along this season. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to visit again next season. I would like to climb Mount Fuji and maybe see the All Star Games (yes games – NPB has two). The “Japanese Baseball Road Trip Guide” is on the way to the editors and should be available within the next two months on Amazon. Sign up for the email list or follow the blog on Facebook for updates.
