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  Meiji Jingu Stadium rarely invites
comparison to Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, or Camden
Yards. Jingu is no architectural masterpiece, nor does it
have the flashy appeal of newer arenas. The 48,000 seats
are not as roomy as you'll find in more modern ballparks,
and the artificial turf helps turn up the temperature for
summer games. The color scheme is rather bland--royal
blue seats bolted on pale green concrete. No, Jingu is no
trophy stadium. Unfortunately, the same drawbacks
appear at nearly every Japanese ballpark. Despite the
flaws, this unpretentious gem remains the best place in
Tokyo to see a game.
Opened
in 1926, Jingu Stadium is the oldest Tokyo pro ballpark
still in use. From the outside, the old brickwork evokes
vague images of Ebbets  field and unless you look closely
beyond the tree-lined sidewalks, you might not even
notice there's a stadium in the neighborhood.
Befitting
a field of it's age, Jingu Stadium has hosted some of the
greatest players who ever smacked ball with bat. Even
Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and other American all-stars have
played there. In a land where old ballparks are routinely
demolished to make way for shiny domes with luxury boxes,
there is still a place you can go, close your eyes, and
imagine what took place years before you ever heard of a
sport called baseball.
Despite
wire fences that separate fans from the playing field
(which you'll find at all Japanese Stadiums), when you
open your eyes, you'll have a good view of the field.
With a simple layout, and only a small grandstand behind
home plate, there are virtually no posts to block your
view.
At
Jingu, fans are treated with far more respect than they
receive elsewhere. You can bring your own food and drinks
with you. And unlike many other Japanese ballparks, if
you catch a home run or foul ball at Jingu Stadium, you
can keep it.
With
outfield dimensions two to seven meters (seven to
twenty-five feet) shorter than major league ballparks,
you'll see a lot of balls sailing over the  Jingu
Stadium fence. Standing 2.5 meters (9 feet) high, the
outfield fence measures 91 meters (298 ft.) from home
plate, 112m (367 ft.), and 120m (394 ft.) to
straight-away center field.
Although
written in Japanese, the Jingu scoreboard is by far the
best in Japan, if for no other reason than it alone posts
each players batting average and home run total for the
duration of every game. Giving you what's important
without relying on a lot of technological
gimmicks--that's the quiet appeal of Meiji Jingu Stadium.
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