Remember Babe Ruth’s legendary swing echoing through the stadium? Meiji Jingu Stadium, a cornerstone of Japanese baseball history, awaits. Opened in 1926, this stadium stands as the second-oldest in Japan.
Meiji Jingu Stadium is more than just a ballpark. It is a living museum where echoes of baseball legends resonate. It holds 37933 fans. The Meiji Shrine owns the stadium. It proudly serves as the home field for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
Imagine the roar of the crowd, a sea of umbrellas waving in unison. This unique cheering tradition started with a fan’s simple idea. Use something from home to support the team. Now, it is a spectacle. Fans create a vibrant display of unity, all supporting the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
Meiji Jingu Stadium has dimensions that would impress any baseball enthusiast. The distance to left and right field is 97.5 meters. Center field stretches out to 120 meters. The outfield fence stands at a height of 3.5 meters.
Babe Ruth played here in 1934. He joined other American baseball stars on a tour of Japan. Meiji Jingu Stadium is one of the few remaining stadiums where Ruth played. Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, and Koshien Stadium are the others.
Matsutaro Shoriki organized that American tour. He is known as the father of Japanese professional baseball. Shoriki survived an assassination attempt for allowing foreigners to play at Meiji Jingu Stadium. A broadsword injured him.
In 1964, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows made Meiji Jingu Stadium their home. They moved from Korakuen Stadium. Korakuen was too crowded with the Yomiuri Giants and Toei Flyers also playing there.
The 1964 Summer Olympics also used Meiji Jingu Stadium. A United States college team beat a Japanese all-star team 6-2 in an exhibition game. Eight future major league players were on that US team.
The Tokyo Big6 Baseball League and the Tohto University Baseball League also play here. Meiji Jingu Stadium hosts many college baseball games. It is a significant venue for baseball at all levels.
The stadium is conveniently located in central Tokyo. It is near Shibuya. Gaienmae Station is a five-minute walk. Shinanomachi Station is ten minutes away. Sendagaya Station is a fifteen-minute walk.
Meiji Jingu Stadium appears in manga and anime. Ace of Diamond and Gurazeni feature the stadium. Gurazeni’s fictional team is the Jingu Spiders. The stadium also appears in Haruki Murakami’s short story collection.
Redevelopment plans are in place. The current plan is to demolish Meiji Jingu Stadium and rebuild it on the site of the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium. A new rugby stadium will be built on the current site of the Meiji Jingu Stadium Number 2 field. The new stadium will have a roof.
Meiji Jingu Stadium is more than bricks and mortar. It is a testament to the enduring love of baseball in Japan. It connects generations of fans and players. Its story continues to unfold with each game played.