2017/03/25
There are many things to love about living in Japan. But as an American, one of the things I love the most is how close everything is. Specifically, how close major sports events are. Sure, America has all kinds of sports events, but they're all so spread apart.
But Tokyo hosts so many awesome events, and is just a short train ride away. And some events are even more local. I mean, the Volleyball World Cup had some matches within walking distance of my apartment!
So a couple of weeks ago, I got home after work, turned on my TV, and caught one of the first-round games of the World Baseball Classic. "Oh right!" I thought. "That's going on now." It also reminded me that Tokyo Dome was going to be a host for first- and second-round matches. It was one of those things I had seen advertised a few months before and had meant to look into later, but I'm getting old and my memory ain't what it used to be. Still, I had wanted to go.
"Can't be any more tickets left, can there?" A quick internet search showed that yes, there were still tickets left to the second-round games on Sunday, March 12. Hotels were a bit harder to find, though finally I found a Toyoko Inn in Yashio, about 25 minutes and one transfer away from Tokyo Dome.
This will be important in a minute.
Anyway, I immediately nabbed a ticket and booked the room, and crossed my fingers that Japan would advance to the second round. The ticket was only ￥4000, and that covered BOTH of the day's games. Insanely good deal.
Saturday, the 11th, I grabbed the last train from Matsumoto to Tokyo after work. Sunday came, and I headed out to Tokyo Dome.
First stop was the souvenir stand. I needed something Japan to wear. So I nabbed an official team Japan baseball cap for ￥4000. I thought about getting one for the USA as well, but...it was over ￥6000! Yeah...no...I'll just stick with the one hat.
First match was Cuba versus Israel. I was excited for the match. Israel was the underdog story of the tournament. And it was a good game, with Israel continuing their run of upsets. Shame so few people were there to see it.
The first game finished at about 3 pm. The second game wasn't to start until 7 pm. So what to do until then? Watch sumo via one-seg TV, obviously.
Around 6, people really started showing up. By 7, the Dome was PACKED.
Everybody had shown up to watch Samurai Japan take on the Netherlands. And it was an AMAZING game. Japan took a 4-run lead, only to have the Netherlands immediately tie it up again. The Netherlands would get batters on base, but Japan would constantly escape the inning safely.
Next thing I knew, it was the 9th inning. Japan up 1, but the Netherlands threatening. A base hit, and the game's tied. I glance at my watch. It's almost midnight.
I had to decide between missing the last train, and watching the end of the best baseball game I'd ever seen in person. IT WAS NOT AN EASY CHOICE. I really, really did not want to leave...but I absolutely did not want to be walking around Suidobashi in the middle of the night with no place to sleep. I left. I watched the rest of the game on my smartphone. It was an anticlimactic ending to an excellent day, but at least Japan won, and I had an awesome time overall.
(Also, congrats to USA, first time winning the WBC, woo!)
--Josh
But Tokyo hosts so many awesome events, and is just a short train ride away. And some events are even more local. I mean, the Volleyball World Cup had some matches within walking distance of my apartment!
So a couple of weeks ago, I got home after work, turned on my TV, and caught one of the first-round games of the World Baseball Classic. "Oh right!" I thought. "That's going on now." It also reminded me that Tokyo Dome was going to be a host for first- and second-round matches. It was one of those things I had seen advertised a few months before and had meant to look into later, but I'm getting old and my memory ain't what it used to be. Still, I had wanted to go.
"Can't be any more tickets left, can there?" A quick internet search showed that yes, there were still tickets left to the second-round games on Sunday, March 12. Hotels were a bit harder to find, though finally I found a Toyoko Inn in Yashio, about 25 minutes and one transfer away from Tokyo Dome.
This will be important in a minute.
Anyway, I immediately nabbed a ticket and booked the room, and crossed my fingers that Japan would advance to the second round. The ticket was only ￥4000, and that covered BOTH of the day's games. Insanely good deal.
Saturday, the 11th, I grabbed the last train from Matsumoto to Tokyo after work. Sunday came, and I headed out to Tokyo Dome.
First stop was the souvenir stand. I needed something Japan to wear. So I nabbed an official team Japan baseball cap for ￥4000. I thought about getting one for the USA as well, but...it was over ￥6000! Yeah...no...I'll just stick with the one hat.
First match was Cuba versus Israel. I was excited for the match. Israel was the underdog story of the tournament. And it was a good game, with Israel continuing their run of upsets. Shame so few people were there to see it.
The first game finished at about 3 pm. The second game wasn't to start until 7 pm. So what to do until then? Watch sumo via one-seg TV, obviously.
Around 6, people really started showing up. By 7, the Dome was PACKED.
Everybody had shown up to watch Samurai Japan take on the Netherlands. And it was an AMAZING game. Japan took a 4-run lead, only to have the Netherlands immediately tie it up again. The Netherlands would get batters on base, but Japan would constantly escape the inning safely.
Next thing I knew, it was the 9th inning. Japan up 1, but the Netherlands threatening. A base hit, and the game's tied. I glance at my watch. It's almost midnight.
I had to decide between missing the last train, and watching the end of the best baseball game I'd ever seen in person. IT WAS NOT AN EASY CHOICE. I really, really did not want to leave...but I absolutely did not want to be walking around Suidobashi in the middle of the night with no place to sleep. I left. I watched the rest of the game on my smartphone. It was an anticlimactic ending to an excellent day, but at least Japan won, and I had an awesome time overall.
(Also, congrats to USA, first time winning the WBC, woo!)
--Josh
2017.03.25│Comments(0)
