Discovering Baseball, Japan’s National Pastime, in Tokyo

Despite what many people may believe due to depictions of sports such as sumo wrestling and martial arts in western depictions of Japan, baseball is actually the most beloved and popular sport in this Asian country. It turns out that it’s not just America’s pastime.

Travelers to Japan that have an interest in this sport can take in a professional baseball game in the world’s second-best league, known as Nippon Professional Baseball. 

The Greater Tokyo area itself has 5 of the league’s 12 teams, including the Yomiuri Giants, the league’s most successful team that has won 22 league titles. They play in the world-famous Tokyo Dome which provides spectators with a raucous, almost party-like atmosphere.

Those interested in the history of baseball in Japan can also visit The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum to learn more about the origins of the game in the Pacific country, dating back to the late 1800s, as well as the figures such as Ichiro Suzuki and Sadaharu Oh that have helped to popularize Japanese baseball to a more international audience.

While many see baseball as only the American national pastime, visitors to Tokyo can easily discover that the game’s popularity extends to Japan as well.

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