Baseball game at Nagoya Dome

During the Silver Week Holidays of 2015, hubby and I had been to his home in Ichinomiya City. On the afternoon of 21st September 2015, we went to see a professional baseball game at Nagoya Dome. Nagoya Dome is a geodesic dome that opened in Nagoya City in 1997. The dome is primarily used for baseball, and is the headquarters for Chunichi Dragons baseball team. It has a seating capacity of 40500 people (38414 people during baseball games). On 21st September, the game was played between Chunichi Dragons and Yomiuri Giants teams. Baseball is probably the most popular sport in Japan. There are two professional baseball leagues in Japan; the Central League and the Pacific League, each consisting of six teams. Chunichi Dragons and Yomiuri Giants teams both belong to the Central League.

My father-in-law presented hubby with two tickets for the baseball game held on 21st September 2015 in Nagoya Dome. The tickets were for the seats called Platinum Seats. It was an afternoon game that started at 2 pm. We started from our home at about 10.30 am and after about 1.5 hours of car ride we reached a shopping mall located adjacent to Nagoya Dome stadium. We parked our car at the car parking lot of the mall and got a wonderful view of the massive stadium from the parking lot. To walk up to the stadium, we had to walk through the shopping mall. Inside the mall we saw a small shrine named Doara Jinja which is dedicated to the Chunichi Dragons mascot character Doara with the motif of koala. The shrine has navy blue Torii gates and white roof, which signifies the two colors of the team. We appreciated the cute shrine, and then walked up to the stadium where we noted that there was festive mood all around. After taking a few photos of the stadium entrance and its surroundings, we entered the stadium. The minute we entered inside the stadium, we were transported to a different world altogether.

Nagoya Dome as viewed from the car parking lot of an adjacent shopping mall

I am standing in front of Doara Jinja Shrine inside the shopping mall

I am standing in front of Nagoya Dome

Hubby standing in front of the dome stadium

Yet another view of the dome stadium

I am standing near the entrance area of the Platinum Seats

Nagoya Dome stadium is really big and clean. Our seats overlooked the stadium and the whole field was visible. We loved viewing the stadium architecture. We bought a few snacks from a food stall located inside the dome and settled in our seats. The Platinum Seats with back cushion were very comfortable. We loved the atmosphere inside the stadium where there was a huge crowd of people excitedly watching the game. Hubby and I are Chunichi Dragons fans and almost all people around our seats were also fans of the same baseball team. We all fans cheered for our favorite team. We could clearly see the bullpen of Yomiuri Giants as well as Chunichi Dragons teams where the relief pitcher or the next batter warmed up. Adjacent to the bullpen, we saw crew members of various media and television networks recording the game.

Platinum Seats with back cushion were very comfortable

Snacks and cold drinks we had while watching the baseball game

View inside Nagoya Dome stadium

View inside the dome to our left side

Staff busy with the final preparation of the ground before the baseball game began. One of the cameras of a media or a television network is also seen.

The ground

Hubby posing inside the stadium

The crowd to our left side inside the stadium

The crowd and I

Hubby is watching the game intently. We can also see the huge crowd to our right side inside the stadium.

Hubby taking photos of the game

Bullpen of Yomiuri Giants team

Bullpen of Chunichi Dragons team

Several times during different short breaks in the game, many cute Chunichi Dragons cheerleaders danced to the team’s theme song on the field at the stadium. We also saw the mascot characters Shaolon (a boy) and Paolon (a girl), with motif of a dragon, dance around the ground and entertain the spectators. Another mascot character Doara, with the motif of a koala, also made its appearance many times and entertained everyone. We loved the cheerful atmosphere inside the stadium. I would like to mention here that attending a baseball game in Japan involves active participation of the spectators and fans in cheering their favorite team. For me the most fun part was enjoying this uniquely coordinated non-stop cheering and singing by the fans. In addition, there was highly choreographed and rhythmic cheering by Oendan cheering squad, and their cheering and singing continued throughout the game. The fans of the batting team chanted, sang, and rhythmically banged plastic bats. Their synchronized roar dominated the stadium. The fans of the team in the field maintained a respectful silence that was interrupted only by a wave of applause after a good defensive play. It was really fun to watch orange-jersey-shirt wearing Yomiuri Giants as well as blue-jersey-shirt wearing Chunichi Dragons Oendan squads and fans energetically cheer for their favorite teams from their respective outfield seating sections.

Cute Chunichi Dragons cheerleaders dancing energetically to the song of the team

The cheerleaders and the mascot character Doara

A few of the cheerleaders

The mascot characters Shaolon (left) and Paolon (right)

Paolon and Doara

Yomiuri Giants Oendan squad and fans wearing orange colored jersey shirts cheering for their beloved team

Another photo of coordinated cheering by Yomiuri Giants fans

Chunichi Dragons Oendan squad and fans in blue colored jersey shirts cheering for their favorite players

Another photo of coordinated cheering by Chunichi Dragons fans

This particular baseball game was important for the Chunichi Dragons team fans because one of the star players Ogasawara Michihiro retired from professional baseball that day. A small ceremony was held midway during the game where Ogasawara was presented with a flower bouquet by Takahashi Yoshinobu of Yomiuri Giants team. This is probably because Ogasawara had earlier played professional baseball for six years with Yomiuri Giants also. After the ceremony, there was a dance performance by the cheerleaders called Oldies Cheer-dragons who danced wearing cute vintage style dresses of the 1950s-1960s era. In addition, at the end of the game, Ogasawara gave a speech and an interview. Players of both the sides respectfully cheered and thanked him in a sincere gesture of goodwill. It was too emotional sight for all the spectators.

Takahashi Yoshinobu presenting a flower bouquet to the retiring Ogasawara Michihiro at a small ceremony held midway during the game

The ceremony was followed by Oldies Cheer-dragons dancing wearing vintage style dresses. The mascot character Shaolon is also seen dancing.

The mascot character Paolon is dancing with the Oldies Cheer-dragons. Paolon is also wearing a vintage style dress.

Oldies Cheer-dragons

At the end of the baseball game, players of both sides respectfully cheered and thanked Ogasawara Michihiro (red arrow)

Ogasawara giving an interview at the end of the game

Thank you very much Mr. Ogasawara for your contribution to professional baseball

It was very interesting to watch the game also. As the game progressed, the atmosphere in the dome stadium got hotter and stronger, and the fans cheered non-stop for their team. The fans have an immense love for their team and an endless reserve of energy. Here are some photos of several batters and pitchers of Chunichi Dragons as well as Yomiuri Giants teams. In addition, I also compiled animated GIF photos of all the above batters and pitchers. It is fun to watch these animated GIF photos.

Baseball game between Chunichi Dragons and Yomiuri Giants teams in progress at Nagoya Dome stadium

Chunichi Dragons pitcher Yamai Daisuke

Another photo of pitcher in action

Yet another photo of the pitcher in action

Animated GIF photo of the pitcher in action

Chunichi Dragons batter Ogasawara Michihiro

Another photo of the batter in action

Yet another photo of the batter in action

Animated GIF photo of the batter in action

Chunichi Dragons batter Wada Kazhuhiro (he has now retired from professional baseball)

Another photo of the batter in action

Yet another photo of the batter in action

Animated GIF photo of the batter in action

Yomiuri Giants pitcher Taguchi Kazuto

Animated GIF photo of the pitcher in action

Yomiuri Giants pitcher Scott Mathieson

Another photo of the pitcher in action

Animated GIF photo of the pitcher in action

Yomiuri Giants pitcher Yamaguchi Tetsuya

Another photo of the pitcher in action

Animated GIF photo of the pitcher in action

Yomiuri Giants pitcher Sawamura Hirokazu

Another photo of the pitcher in action

Animated GIF photo of the pitcher in action

Chunichi Dragons batter Fujii Atsushi

Another photo of the batter in action

Animated GIF photo of the batter in action

That day Yomiuri Giants beat Chunichi Dragons 4-0 in 9 innings, and we were a bit sad that our favorite team had lost the game. Anyway the best team won the game for sure. As mentioned earlier, players of both the teams appreciated and applauded the retiring Ogasawara Michihiro after the game. The game and other ceremonies were over by 5.15 pm. Afterwards the atmosphere inside the dome stadium calmed down, and everyone packed up their belongings and shuffled out of the stadium. After some time, we also left the stadium.

Yomiuri Giants players celebrating after winning the game

Players of both teams respectfully saying good bye to Ogasawara Michihiro (red arrow)

Hubby is standing outside the stadium after the game. He is a bit sad as his favorite team lost the game that day.

We left Nagoya Dome stadium at about 5.20 pm, and walked up to the car parking lot of the nearby shopping mall where we had parked our car. We did some shopping at the mall and finally reached back our home in Ichinomiya City at about 9 pm. We really enjoyed the baseball game.