Visiting the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame

Visiting Tokyo in December meant that I was tragically unable to catch an NPB game (I have to book another trip, right?) - however, I was able to visit the next best thing, the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at the Tokyo Dome.

Tickets to the museum were only 800 yen (around five dollars US) for adults, and even less for children, which makes it an extremely affordable stop for any baseball or sports fan visiting the capitol city. The museum is manageable in about an hour or so, but there is enough interesting memorabilia (as well as a small theater to watch footage from classic games) that a very detail-oriented visitor could spend a good couple hours soaking in Japan’s baseball history.

The museum leads visitors through the history of amateur (there are artifacts from the famous Koshien tournament) as well as professional baseball in Japan. There is a display featuring uniforms and memorabilia from each NPB team, and sprinkled throughout the artifacts of Japanese baseball history were a few artifacts from American players not associated with NPB, including Ken Griffey Jr., Julio Rodriguez, and Babe Ruth (though, of course, Ruth had visited Japan on a famed goodwill tour in 1934).

Other artifacts of note included Sadaharu Oh’s katana used for batting practice, the baseball used for the final out in the final game between Team Japan and Team USA in the 2023 WBC, and baseballs and replica equipment from the early 1900s. For MLB fans, of course you’ll see some Shohei Ohtani gear, Ichiro gear, as well as gear from Matsui, Nootbar (pepper grinder, of course), Suzuki, and other current MLB players with ties to Japan.

As a non-Japanese reader or speaker, I found the museum easy to navigate. We were handed an English-language map and directory that explained each room, and I used the Google Translate app for the exhibit descriptions. I would have liked to see a little information on the exhibit plaques though, as a lot of the artifacts were accompanied by just a description that didn’t provide much wider context.

As an American baseball fan, it was cool to see a bunch of history of different aspects of Japanese baseball condensed into one space. At the hall, there is no formal souvenir shop, but you can grab gifts from the front register and two vending machines near the restrooms. While the offerings mostly contained the usual (branded key chains, baseballs, pencils), I did nab something unique - an omamori - or a charm which features a prayer for good luck. While these are usually sold at temples, the one sold at the Baseball Hall of Fame is meant for good health during the baseball season. Though the charms are likely aimed at young baseball players visiting the hall, I purchased one for myself, hoping that the power of the charm will rub off on my Angels this season.

Overall, if you’re in Tokyo and like baseball, definitely plan a trip to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. It may not take up a whole morning or afternoon, but it is certainly worth the stop. Plus, if you’re a fan of the Yomiuri Giants, their large (though pricey) gift shop is right next door.

The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum hours is open Tuesday through Sunday (except on Dec 29-Jan 1) from 10-5:00, and on Tokyo Dome game days, the museum is open until 6:00.