Japan Baseball Tour Itinerary

DETAILED ITINERARY

WEDNESDAY - September 1, 2010

Main Tour leaves Home

Main Tour begins as you board your plane bound for Tokyo Narita Airport. During the flight you cross the International Dateline and go ahead one day, getting that day back on your return flight home.

THURSDAY - September 2, 2010

Main Tour arrives in Tokyo. Overnight in Tokyo.

Flights generally arrive during the afternoon at Tokyo Narita Airport, the crossroads of Asia. We greet you as you exit customs and get you on an express train for the brief trip into downtown Tokyo and our JapanBall headquarters hotel.

Many of you arrive in plenty time to wander around the Ochanomizu area of our hotel area before our evening gathering at the world famous JapanBall Hall of Fame.

The Kanda River runs through the Ochanomizu area of Tokyo where our hotel is located.

FRIDAY - September 3, 2010

Tokyo to Sendai. Game at Eagles. Overnight in Sendai.

Rakuten Golden Eagles (vs Seibu Lions)

Kleenex Miyagi Stadium - 6:00 PM

This morning we visit Tokyo Station and board the Yamabiko (Tohoku Shinkansen) bullet train to Sendai to see Japan's most recent expansion team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles.

Kleenex Miyagi Stadium is simply a delight with loads of life about it and it's a proven JapanBall favorite.

The Eagles boast a full menu of seating options from lawn seats to opulent luxury boxes to right-on-top-of-the-action infield seats, and we never fail to get terrific seats. It’s a small, intimate park seating about 23,000. Its experience is one of quality, not quantity.

Like many Japanese parks, the bullpens are set under the stands out of view of the seating bowl. Here, however, windows open up in the outer concourse area to allow fans to watch the pitchers warm up.

In an interesting twist concession stands are located both inside and outside the stadium. The Eagles make great use of the space outside as people spaces. A wonderful, yet simple, concept that allows you to use their entire grounds for your baseball experience.

Kleenex Miyagi, certainly one of the most colorful and fan-friendly ballparks in Japanese pro ball.

SATURDAY - September 4, 2010

Sendai to Yokohama. Game at BayStars. Overnight in Yokohama.

Yokohama BayStars (vs Yakult Swallows)

Yokohama Stadium - 6:00 PM

From Sendai we head back toward Tokyo and on a bit south to Yokohama. Our hotel and the ballpark are just outside the Yokohama train station.

With Yokohama Stadium as their home since 1978, the BayStars play in one of the best locations in Japan, a few blocks from a bustling Chinatown and waterfront.

The ballpark is set in the midst of a municipal park that's conveniently located no more than a long fly ball from the train station. There's plenty to see and do within walking distance in almost every direction from the stadium. This ballpark is high on my list.

Yokohama Stadium has undergone a recent facelift with lots of bright colors and upgraded concession stands and kiosks throughout. The high outfield walls now cut down on the number of home runs, but the upgraded seating configuration puts fans right on top of the action.

It's in this park where two-time JapanBall trip participant Martin Smith famously remarked, "I love this country. Every time I wave to a cute girl I end up with a beer in my hand!"

One of the ubiquitous beer girls at Japanese games.

SUNDAY - September 5, 2010

Yokohama to Hiroshima. Game at Carp. Overnight in Hiroshima.

Hiroshima Carp (vs Hanshin Tigers)

Mazda Hiroshima Stadium - 3:00 PM

From Shin-Yokohama Station we'll take the Hikari Super Express bullet train to Hiroshima, the Main Tour's furthest point down Japan's main island of Honshu, for a game at Japan's newest stadium, Mazda Hiroshima Stadium. The ballpark is a short walk from our hotel.

Wayne Graczyk, our JapanBall colleague and columnist for The Japan Times wrote, "This new facility promises to be one of the best ballparks in Japan, or anywhere else, for that matter." The stadium opened last year and our JapanBall guests visited and agree with Wayne. We're glad we can include it again this year.

Located alongside Japan Railway tracks near JR Hiroshima Station, the park has seating for 30,000 with an asymmetrical playing field, a rarity in Japan. It has huge concourses for strolling, a seemingly infinite variety of food choices, and so many nooks and crannies that you could easily spend much of the game simply exploring this most interesting ballpark.

Opened in 2009, Mazda Hiroshima Stadium is the newest park in Japan.

MONDAY - September 6, 2010

Baseball Off-Day. World Famous JapanBall Circle Tour. Overnight in Hiroshima.

Baseball in Japan shuts down today and we use the off-day for exploring with Bob and Mayumi's World Famous Circle Tour of Hiroshima, Iwakuni and Miyajima.

We stop by the old Hiroshima ballpark, now eclipsed by the new stadium we visited yesterday.

Just across the street from the ballpark we take in the A-Bomb Dome, Peace Park and A-Bomb Museum located at ground-zero of the first atomic bomb drop. The museum is first-rate and reasonably even-handed given its location and topic.

We venture out of the metro area to visit the small town of Iwakuni. We explore its picturesque Kintai Bridge and environs, including a feudal lord’s castle with an expansive territorial view. We stop for lunch at one of our favorite noodle shops.

Minutes away from Iwakuni we take a short boat ride to visit Miyajima, a small island in the Inland Sea, Japan’s most beautiful body of water. It's a sacred island and cutting trees is forbidden, so the island is covered in virgin forest, which provides habitat for scores of bird species and tame deer.

After a late afternoon break, we offer a group dinner at a time-honored barbeque place in Hiroshima, Mayumi's hometown. After dinner, for those up for it, we'll rent rooms to do some karaoke.

Part of the island complex on Miyajima, a ten-minute boat ride from the mainland, but a world away.

TUESDAY - September 7, 2010

Hiroshima to Osaka. Game at Buffaloes. Overnight in Osaka.

Orix Buffaloes (vs Chiba Lotte Marines)

Kyocera Osaka Dome - 6:00 PM

This morning we'll head back up the island toward Tokyo stopping in Osaka for our hotel near tonight's ballpark.

Our hotel is in Osaka's famous shopping district, Shinsaibashi, which offers a mix of huge department stores, high-end designer places, and independent boutiques ranging from very cheap to very expensive. Within Shinsaibashi, the Amerika-mura (American Village) area is particularly popular among young people and is said to be the source of most youth fashion trends in Japan.

Osaka is an excellent place to eat, exemplified by the Osakan maxim: "Eat yourself into ruin." The best place we've found to eat ourselves into ruin is the Dotonbori night-life area near our hotel, with one restaurant after another.

Okonomiyaki, what some call Japanese pizza, is often found here in do-it-yourself places. Tables are equipped with embedded hot plates and you'll receive a bowl of ingredients that you are expected to cook on your own. However, in larger franchised chains the staff can often cook for you — and even in smaller places staff will usually gladly help if asked.

The Osaka Dome Stadium is a donut-shaped shopping mall surrounding a few acres of green carpet. The visibility is good and some of the seats feature personal air conditioning vents and miniature television monitors.

Interestingly enough, the Hanshin Tigers also use the dome as their home for part of the season since their Koshien Stadium is site of the national high school baseball tournament, testimony to the broad popularity of the game in Japan.

One of the plazas and approaches to the Kyocera Osaka Dome.

WEDNESDAY - September 8, 2010

Osaka to Tokyo. Game at Lions. Overnight in Tokyo

Seibu Lions (vs Nippon Ham Fighters)

Seibu Dome - 6:00 PM

We return to Tokyo on the morning train with part of the afternoon free before going to see the Lions.

Tonight's game is at the Seibu Lions ballpark in West Tokyo. The stadium is part of a large entertainment complex that includes an amusement park, a golf course, two practice baseball fields and an indoor ski slope.

Unlike other Japanese dome stadiums, the Seibu Dome is not really a dome, but had been an outdoor ballpark until Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, owner of the Lions, decided to put an umbrella over it. With its open air sides it gives the partial feel of an outdoor park.

Slightly smaller than most stadiums and because of the breeze that can blow through to the outfield, the Seibu Dome tends to see more home runs than any other Pacific League park. Concession stands and restrooms line the tree-ringed rim of the stadium.

Sunset at Seibu Dome in West Tokyo.

THURSDAY - September 9, 2010

Main Tour to Tokyo Narita Airport to Home

Main Tour travels to Tokyo Narita Airport for flights out of Japan. You arrive home the same date, getting back the day you lost when crossing the International Dateline on your flight over.

THURSDAY - September 9, 2010

Disney Resort Option to Tokyo Disney

Overnight in Tokyo

Disney Resort Option travels to the outskirts of Tokyo to the Tokyo Disney Resort. There you have your choice of visiting one of the two parks on the grounds: Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo Disney Sea.

We now offer this option because so many guests have asked about it. Those who go are struck by how the Japanese have taken something so uniquely American and put their own twist on it in a way that Western visitors find delightful.

Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disney park outside the United States opening in 1983. It was built by Walt Disney Imagineering and is owned by The Oriental Land Company. It, along with its companion park, Tokyo Disney Sea, are the only Disney parks not owned by The Walt Disney Company.

Tokyo DisneySea has quickly become one of the most popular Disney Parks in the world. It's also the most expensive theme park ever built at over $4 billion. And it's the clear JapanBall guest favorite between the two parks.

The intention with DisneySea was to create a more adult-themed park, including faster, scarier rides and shows designed for an older audience. Those not interested in rides seem to will find plenty to do with all the sights and exhibits available. By the time Tokyo DisneySea opened in 2001, its concepts and designs had been in development at Disney Imagineering for well over 20 years.

Here's a partial view of the expansive Tokyo DisneySea. Note Pacific Ocean in the upper left corner.

THURSDAY - September 9, 2010

See It All Option in Osaka to see Tigers

Hansin Tigers (vs Chunichi Dragons)

Koshien Stadium - 6:00 PM

Overnight in Osaka

See It All Option returns to our Osaka hotel for a game tonight with the the Hanshin Tigers.

The Tigers play in Koshien Stadium. Built in 1924 it's Japan's oldest, most traditional and most revered ballpark. Taking it a bit far, some call it Sacred Koshien Stadium. But it is indeed the only stadium with a shrine just outside where offerings are made for the home team!

Originally built for the national high school baseball tournament, Koshien is still used for that purpose. It seats 55,000, has a grass outfield, a dirt infield and ivy covered walls. A classic ballpark that in 1934 hosted Babe Ruth and other MLB All-Stars touring Japan.

Koshien Stadium is Japan's Fenway Park and, as such, the seats and aisles are narrow, there are no private boxes, and the amenities are basic. There is, however, renovation going on, but the character of the park remains, along with the most exuberant and colorful fans anywhere in Japan.

Tigers faithful at Koshien Stadium.

FRIDAY - September 10, 2010

Disney Resort Option to Tokyo Narita Airport to Home

Disney Resort Option travels to Tokyo Narita Airport for flights out of Japan. You arrive home the same date, getting back the day you lost when crossing the International Dateline on your flight over.

FRIDAY - September 10, 2010

See It All Option in Fukuoka to see Hawks

Softbank Hawks (vs Nippon Ham Fighters)

Fukuoka Yahoo Dome - 6:00 PM

Overnight in Fukuoka

See It All Option boards the bullet train to travel to the southernmost point on your journey, to Fukuoka on Kyushu Island for your game with the SoftBank Hawks.

Only recently was the JapanBall Main Trip able to work this ballpark into the schedule and we loved it. It's a fabulous ballpark set in this seaside town.

Playing in the Yahoo Dome, a relatively new ballpark modeled after Toronto's SkyDome, the Hawks have a loyal following and have occasionally rivaled the Tokyo Giants for the attendance lead.

The Yahoo Dome offers Japan's only removable lid, so it may well be open for your visit.

The area surrounding the stadium is called Hawk's Town and features a stunning array of restaurants, shopping and amusement activities to enjoy before and after the game.

Sadaharu Oh, former pilot of the Hawks who holds the home run record in Japanese baseball at 868, visits with his new JapanBall best friends during batting practice in Fukuoka.

SATURDAY - September 11, 2010

See It All Option in Nagoya to see Dragons

Chunichi Dragons (vs Yokohama BayStars)

Nagoya Dome - 3:00 PM

Overnight in Nagoya

Today you head back north toward Tokyo arriving in Nagoya for your game with the Dragons at the Nagoya Dome.

The Chunichi Dragons are owned by the local newspaper. They play in a dome, but it's not bad and the Dragons put on a good show being one of the more hip ballclubs in Japan. They keep their park sparkling and make it come alive.

The only distinguishing aspects of Nagoya Dome from other domes are its vibrant interior colors and its ceiling tiles that open to allow in sunshine,

Nagoya, Japan's fourth largest city, developed as a castle town housing one of the branches of the ruling Tokugawa family. It grew to house heavy manufacturing and is home to Honda, Mitsubishi and Toyota. Because of such heavy manufacturing it was a prime target in the air raids of 1945. The city was rebuilt with a large grid pattern of spacious boulevards and avenues.

The Dragons always draw well to their Nagoya Dome home.

SUNDAY - September 12, 2010

See It All Option in Tokyo to see Giants

Tokyo Yomiuri Giants (vs Hiroshima Carp)

Tokyo Dome - 2:00 PM

Overnight in Tokyo

Returning to Tokyo you'll visit the raucous Tokyo Dome to see the Tokyo Giants, Japan's favorite team. Located just blocks away from our JapanBall headquarters hotel, the team operates a shopping mall, restaurant center and amusement park outside the dome.

The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame is outside the perimeter of the building along with a terrific souvenir store. There's a spectacular “you gotta see it to believe it” eight-story off-track horse racing parlor adjacent.

As for the Hall of Fame, it's a long way from the charm of Cooperstown, but for the price of a hamburger, it may be worth a look. Team uniforms, pictures, cards and other memorabilia fill a long procession of glass cases, while one room contains member plaques.

Outside on the premises is the Baseball Cafe that boasts a huge caricature statue of Tommy Lasorda that greets you as you enter. It's sort of a baseball Hard Rock Cafe and, while they don't serve Dodger Dogs, you can order burgers and other typical American fare at reasonable prices.

Partial view of Tokyo Dome City with its Tokyo Dome on left and amusement park roller coaster on right.

MONDAY - September 13, 2010

See It All Option - Baseball Off Day - Travel to Sapporo

Overnight in Sapporo

Japanese Baseball takes Monday as an off day. You use part of the day going via monorail to Tokyo's downtown Haneda Airport. From there you make a short flight to your northernmost point, the city of Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido.

Upon arrival at New Chitose Airport in Sapporo you take a quick express train into town, check into your hotel, and have the night and next day free for sightseeing.

For Sapporo, as with all the cities you visit, we'll have sightseeing suggestions for you.

I think you'll like Sapporo a lot. It's very much a small town compared to the cities in which you've been so far. You can get your arms around it quickly, the pace is laid back, and it's far enough away from the mainland that few foreign tourists venture there.

A view up the park boulevard in Sapporo.

TUESDAY - September 14, 2010

See It All Option in Sapporo to see Fighters

Nippon Ham Fighters (vs Golden Eagles)

Sapporo Dome - 6:00 PM

Overnight in Sapporo

The nickname of the Nippon Ham Fighters is Fighters, not Ham Fighters. Nippon Ham is the owner of the team. As a New York Times article notes, "It's simply a bit of misfortune that the organization's full name suggests lunch-meat gladiators."

The Sapporo Dome is remarkable in that it features the ability to move a soccer field in and the baseball field out on rollers. From the dome’s 160-foot high observation deck, one can see not only the layout of Sapporo, but Ishikari Bay as well.

A nice touch that I like about this park is the wide concourse that is unobstructed by gates allowing you to circle the stadium stopping here and there to take in the game from different vantage points.

You can get to the ballpark by subway, a subway station being just a few blocks from the hotel.

During your visit to the Sapporo Dome will you see the Fighters' Yu Darvish pitch? Is Darvish really Dice-K 2.0 - the next Daisuke Matsuzaka?

WEDNESDAY - September 15, 2010

See It All Option in Tokyo to see Swallows

Tokyo Yakult Swallows (vs Tokyo Yomiuri Giants)

Jingu Stadium - 6:00 PM

Overnight in Tokyo

You leave your Sapporo hotel to take the express train back to the airport for your flight to back to Haneda Airport in downtown Tokyo. Your Tokyo hotel will be waiting for you where you can rest and unwind before your game this evening with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows a few trains stops from the hotel.

The Swallow's Jingu Stadium is set in the Meiji Shrine's Outer Garden and many find this unpretentious gem to be the best place in Tokyo to see a game.

Opened in 1926, Jingu Stadium is Tokyo's oldest ballpark still in use. The old brickwork evokes images of Ebbets Field and, unless you look closely through the tree-lined sidewalks, you might fail to notice there's a stadium in the neighborhood. This is a place you can go, close your eyes, and imagine how baseball was years ago.

Some say the Jingu scoreboard is the best in Japan, if for no other reason than it alone posts each player's batting average and home run total for the duration of every game. It gives you what's important without relying on a lot of technological gimmicks - part of the quiet appeal of Jingu.

The ballpark is in the center of a national sports complex that contains a rugby field, soccer stadium and tennis courts.

Jingu Stadium, an old-time park set in ultra-modern downtown Tokyo.

THURSDAY - September 16, 2010

See It All Option in Tokyo to see Marines

Chiba Lotte Marines (vs Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks)

QVC Stadium - 6:15 PM

Overnight in Tokyo

(Sumo Tournament available before game)

Today's game is in East Tokyo where you see the Chiba Lotte Marines.

The Marines play in QVC Stadium in Makuhari City, one of the largest urban development projects in Japan, located halfway between downtown Tokyo and Narita Airport. There's a huge convention center, new high-tech buildings, luxury class hotels and the ballpark.

The ballpark is a round multi-purpose affair like those of Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh of the '70's. They've done nice upgrades to the ballpark including a wonderful museum, gift shop and photo studio in which guests can pose and take thier own pictures in replicas of the locker room, bullpen, outfield and more.

During this week the Tokyo Sumo Tournament is in full swing. This is the perfect day in your trip to attend. The sumo arena is located on your way to the ballpark. You might consider making a stop before going on to the game to take in part of the all-day event. We can easily get you tickets.

A panoramic shot of QVC Stadium. The Pacific Ocean is just over the outfield wall.

FRIDAY - September 17, 2010

See It All Option to Tokyo Narita Airport to Home

Today you return to Tokyo Narita Airport for your flight out of Japan. You arrive home the same date, getting back the day you lost when crossing the International Dateline on your trip over.

* BECOME A MEMBER OF THE HALL OF FAME!

The JapanBall Hall of Fame Induction Committee has established the following criteria for admission:

1. The combination and successful completion of the See It All Option with the Main Tour in any one season, or

2. Successful completion on three separate occasions of the Main Tour over any number of seasons.

Should you complete either of the above you will have earned your rightful place in the JapanBall Hall of Fame, with all the rights and privileges thereof.

Your official member plaque will be forever enshrined in the JapanBall Hall of Fame located in Roje's Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan. A duplicate plaque will be presented to you.

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