Meiji Jingu Stadium (Photo by Jun Sakahira/Stripes Japan)
In Japan, one of the favorite summer pastimes is heading to the ballpark for a fun game of Nippon Professional Baseball.
The stadiums around the country offer an atmosphere unlike any other with custom cheers for the team and its players, delicious food, drinks and culture.
After you’ve grabbed your snacks like karaage fried chicken or gyoza, take your seat and flag down a “beer girl” for a frosty cup of your favorite Japanese brew. “Beer girls” are young women in colorful uniforms carrying backpacks with mini-beer kegs. They’re popular among the regular and even have their own following.
As of early October, the regular season of the NPB league is about to wrap up, the post season may run until November, so there’s some time to get to a stadium near you.
There are a couple of stadiums a short train ride away from Hardy Barracks and New Sanno including Tokyo Dome, Meiji Jingu Stadium and Yokohama Stadium. Many of the bases are also close to the home stadiums of many of the teams. Check the NPB schedule for games happening near you and for when the next season starts March 2026.
Meiji Jingu Stadium (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)
Yokohama Stadium (Photo by Jun Sakahira/Stripes Japan)
Yokohama Stadium (Photo by Jun Sakahira/Stripes Japan)
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Organization:
Website
AloJapan.com