Can Baseball Really Be Considered A Cultural Experience?

In Japan, simply stepping out of your house could be considered a cultural experience, and, therefore, baseball in Japan would qualify as a cultural experience. So, taking a trip to the Fukuoka Dome to watch the 2003 Japan League Champion Fukuoka Daiei Hawks is a highly recommended destination. If you are at all familiar with baseball, (which is certainly not a prerequisite), it is more like going to a minor league baseball game in the States that has been taken over by the owner of a circus. Expect anything from excessive organized cheering, tons of garish plastic noise-makers, balloons and mascots to scantily-clad female cheerleaders, fireworks and retina-burning, neon-wearing beer venders. In short, expect a ton of fun.

The dome itself is completely air-conditioned, although it can be a bit warm in the upper-stratosphere seating section, and has the most florescent green field you’re ever likely to see. The best section to sit in is the right-field bleacher section. This is where the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks’ most passionate supporters wave their flags, play their drums and cheer. It is like a school sports day festival, except with more beer. If you like to lazily enjoy the game while eating three hot dogs and a bucket of popcorn like most Americans, be warned, you will be expected to stand every time the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks are batting and dance and cheer.

The good thing is you can eat that hot dog and not feel guilty about it, as you will probably be using up more energy than in all the other baseball games you have every attended (or played in) combined. As an added bonus: the more foreigners you get in a row in the bleacher section, the more likely you’ll wind up on that coveted Jumbotron television.

Tickets are available from any Lawson’s convenience store (owned by the Daiei corporation, incidentally) and can be purchased generally one month before the actual date. Outfield seating is a reasonable 1,500 yen, with ticket prices going up from there. All seating is good by the way.

Getting there

Take the train into Hakata station and take the subway out to Fukuoka Hawks Town or drive towards the harbor on the urban expressway until you see a big dome on the left-hand side. Parking is not difficult to find around the area.

The season starts in late March and goes until early October.