Go (Tokyo) Giants!

I've really started to embrace the ✌ sign

Last night we had a great time at the Yomiuri Giants baseball game even though they didn't play their best, losing 0-7 to the Yakult Swallows. 

             

The stadium, located in Tokyo Dome City hosts a variety of other attractions including an amusement park and spa. For $20 a ticket, we sat on the lower level (row 18) on the third baseline, and received a free t-shirt upon entry. Inside the dome itself was pretty cool, offering a range of food from hot dogs and fries to beef noodles, katsu and udon (It felt funny using chopsticks at a baseball game). Drinks were affordable and beer was priced at least $5 less than a beer at AT&T Park. 

It looked like most fans came right from work, dressed in suits and ties. We were surprised that not too many people were wearing Giants gear, especially baseball hats. I guess we're used to seeing SF Giants fans all decked out. In Japanese baseball, they do not partake in the "seventh inning stretch" or the "kiss cam", but the crowd was still entertaining, constantly making noise and waving on screen (not dancing like fools like we do in America 😝). 

It was also interesting to see a section reserved for the visiting team. Swallows fans would play drums and horns when their team was at bat, and they would ritualistically sing while raising mini umbrellas in the air every time they scored a run. They almost seemed a bit more energetic than the Giants fans. We're thinking Swallows/Giants may be the equivalent to A's/Giants? (I just read that the Hanshin Tigers/Yomiuri Giants are like the Dodgers/Giants rivalry)

 Swallows fans in green

Every time there was a fly ball, it made a whistling sound as it flew through the stadium. One flew our way, landing just a few feet away from us. The poor kid in the row ahead of us missed the catch, and the ball bounced off the stairs and down three rows. He held his head in his mitt for the rest of the game. 

Until next time, Peace!