Baseball - Japanese style

We couldn't visit Japan without catching a ballgame, so we went to the Tokyo Dome the other day to see the Yomiuri Giants (Tokyo) play the Hanshin Tigers (Osaka area).

This is historically the biggest rivalry in the Japanese baseball league, which people here like to compare to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry in the U.S., with the Giants being compared to the Yankees, and the Tigers to the Red Sox. I don't buy the comparison though - the Japanese Giants and Tigers fans are way cooler than Yankees and Red Sox fans, who we all know can be quite obnoxious and annoying at times (as an O's fan, I couldn't help myself!).

It was great getting a chance to observe the ballgame experience in Japan. While the actual rules of the game in Japan are nearly identical to the U.S. (one difference is that a tie game during the regular season game doesn't go beyond 12 innings - and the game ends as an official tie), it was cool seeing the little cultural differences on the field and in the stands.

-We didn't see any argued or disputed calls. Maybe the umps happened to call a perfect game that night? I doubt it.
-Didn't hear the crowd didn't boo once.
-There were no bullpens. I guess the relief pitchers warm-up behind the scenes, and they don't sit separately from the other players during the game.
-About half the stadium rooted for the Giants and half for the Tigers, and the Giants and Tigers sections where separate from each other. When we bought tickets, we were asked if we wanted to sit with Giants or Tigers fans.
-The fans sang and chanted the entire game. It sounded more like a soccer match.
-The aisle vendors were all women and served only drinks, including beer on tap (the women walk up and down the aisles with mini kegs on their backs - definitely tough work).
-At the end of the game, both teams lined-up and bowed to the crowd.
-No floppy hats or bobble heads - plastic fans were the promotional giveaway for this game.
-There were cheerleaders.
-No seventh inning stretch.

As for the game, it was a pitchers duel through the first 6 innings, and by the eighth the Tigers were up 2-1. In the bottom of the eight the Giants tied the game with a solo HR, and then the Giants won it with a walk-off HR in the bottom of the ninth. Despite what you may have heard otherwise, the Japanese are down with high-fives!

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Vendor serving beer on tap.






















Cheerleaders












Postgame on-field interview