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  Like their North American
counterparts, Japanese pro baseball features a minor
league system, known locally as ni-gun (second army),
dedicated to developing players. But farm teams on both
sides of the Pacific differ greatly. In the Major League system, each
team has three lower levels (A, AA, and AAA) through
which players advance as they hone their skills. But in
Japan, each varsity team only fields one minor league
squad. Consequently, the Japanese system features less
consistent teams as players with widely different skills
play together on the same field. It is not unusual for
some borderline players to join ni-gun games during the
afternoon and "major league" matches later that
evening.
While
North American farm teams often play in outlying areas,
most Japanese minor league squads play close to the
varsity team. All six Tokyo area teams have varsity
squads that play in the Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area.
Some have called Japan's minor league games little more
than glorified practice scrimmages. Minor league games
are never televised and barely covered in the sports
press. Baseball Magazine Sha does, however, include
weekly reports on ni-gun games and schedules for the
following week.
With
little media attention, farm team games are usually
sparsely attended. On a nice day in Nagoya, maybe a
thousand fans will turn out. In the Tokyo area, where
fans have ample opportunity to watch six varsity teams
play, minor league attendance often varies from 50 to 150
fans. Without the noisy oendan (cheering section) and
other distractions, ni-gun games offer an atmosphere not
much different from American high school baseball games.
The
Yakult farm team is no exception. Playing in Toda, a
Tokyo suburb, the Swallows minor league squad attracts
little attention and few spectators. During last year's
regular season, the ni-gun team played reasonably well
and featured several players who regularly appeared in
varsity games at Jingu Stadium. Incidentally, if you like
to collect photos and autographs, a minor league game
offers a great opportunity to see Yakult players up
close.
To
catch a minor league Swallows game, just visit Toda
Stadium, located in eastern Saitama along the northwest
corner of Tokyo. While named a "stadium," the
ballpark in Toda bears a greater resemblance to a little
league field, with a seating capacity of about fifty.
Fortunately, there is no entrance fee, so don't worry
about tickets.
Unless
you arrive about an hour early, chances are you won't get
a seat on one of the two five-meter benches that lie on
each side of the infield. Your only other choice will be
to either stand around the playing field or climb the
levee that runs along the left field foul line. But, if
you bring a beach towel and a picnic lunch, you'll enjoy
yourself. The view of the playing field is good, and the
scenery surrounding the park is expansive. If living in
crowded Tokyo makes you claustrophobic, you'll love the
vista at Toda Stadium.
Built
along the Ara Kawa riverside, the ballpark is part of a
larger sports complex including three practice baseball
fields, a track and soccer field, and two tennis courts.
Across the street, you'll find a large grassy park with
few people. You couldn't ask for a better place to play
soccer with friends or toss around a Frisbee.
Most
of the fans who show up at Toda games appear to be local
residents. They generally arrive on bicycles or stop to
watch a few innings while walking their dogs.
Although
short on amenities (there is, thankfully, a rest room),
the playing field is well groomed. While the outfield is
covered with natural grass, the infield has a blanket of
artificial turf with cutouts for the bases, home plate,
and the pitchers mound. Bullpens lie along the foul
lines. Although no dimensions are listed, the outfield
walls are relatively shallow. There is a very simple
hand-operated scoreboard, and players are announced over
the PA system
To
get to Toda Stadium, take the Saikyo Line to JR Kita-Toda
Station then grab a taxi (fare will cost about 1,300 yen)
to the ballpark. If that sounds like too much money,
remember, you don't have to pay for game tickets.
Or,
if you are feeling more adventurous, go to JR
Musashi-Urawa Station (also on the Saikyo Line) and take
a Toda Stadium-bound bus (at a cost of about 230 yen).
The bus stop is about three hundred meters north-west of
the ballpark. When you get off the bus, walk south two
blocks, climb the levee and turn left. Keep walking until
you get to the second baseball field.
Since
you have little chance of finding a taxi after the game,
you'll have to take the bus back to Musashi-Urawa.
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