Enjoy watching the game in person for double the fun! A guide to the stadiums and surrounding areas of popular MLB teams

In addition, JAL and MLB signed a partnership agreement in December 2024. Up until now, JAL has supported Japanese players active in MLB, and many baseball fans have boarded our flights. We will continue to provide initiatives that allow you to feel closer to MLB and enjoy it even more. MLB viewing tours are also on sale, so why not take a trip to America to support baseball?

Shohei Otani is doing great! "Los Angeles Dodgers"

Dodger Stadium: a glamorous location close to Hollywood

The Los Angeles Dodgers, the 2024 World Series champions, are probably the MLB team most familiar to Japanese people. Since Hideo Nomo sparked the "Nomomania" craze 30 years ago, many Japanese players have played for the team.

In 2025, expectations are high for Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who will be in their second year with the Dodgers, to perform even better.

Dodger Stadium, the team's home stadium, is the third oldest and largest in MLB, and offers spectacular views of downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Mountains.

One of the things to look forward to is the stadium's gourmet food, such as the famous hot dog "Dodger Dog," which sells 23,000 meals per game at a stadium with a capacity of 56,000 people, and nachos served in a helmet-shaped container. In addition, the Japanese food menu will be enriched, with the opening of "Tsukiji Gindaco," a familiar restaurant in Japan, in 2024.

Many movie filming locations! Tourist spots around the stadium

Dodger Stadium is located close to downtown Los Angeles, within a 10-minute drive from Union Station, the central train station. There are plenty of sightseeing spots to enjoy before and after a game.

In Little Tokyo, the largest Japanese town in North America, a giant mural of Ohtani, which will be completed in 2024, is becoming a new tourist attraction. For those who are also interested in watching basketball, we recommend checking out the Crypto.com Arena, home of the Los Angeles Lakers, the team Rui Hachimura plays for, which is also located in downtown.

Dodger Stadium is about 10km from Hollywood, the movie capital, and the Griffith Observatory, famous for its night view, is also nearby. If you go a little further, the ultra-luxury residential area of Beverly Hills and the Santa Monica Pier with its Ferris wheel are both within 30 minutes by car.

Anaheim is also the home base of the Los Angeles Angels, the team that Yusei Kikuchi has signed with. It is located in the suburbs, about an hour's drive from downtown, but it is also known as the city where Disneyland is located. Both are must-see spots for sightseeing.

JAL MLB viewing tours are now on sale. Check below for details!

San Francisco Giants: A location where you can feel the bay breeze is also an attraction

Oracle Park, located on the seafront

Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, is famous for the view of the ocean behind the right field outfield. The stands in that area are narrow, and the so-called "splash hit" is a famous occurrence, where the ball flies into the ocean after a home run outside the park. Even Ohtani has yet to hit a splash hit. It will be interesting to see if we can see the first splash hit in 2025.

Oracle Park is also famous for its ballpark cuisine that reflects the diverse culture of San Francisco. The specialty "garlic fries" are sure to be addictive. The crab sandwich called "Crazy Crab Sandwich" is also popular.

The highlight is the spectacular view surrounded by nature. Tourist spots around the stadium

Before or after the game, you can enjoy sightseeing in San Francisco. Just a few kilometers north from the stadium, you'll find Fisherman's Wharf, lined with seafood restaurants and gift shops.

You can take a sightseeing boat around San Francisco Bay and visit Alcatraz Island, a former federal prison famous for having imprisoned Al Capone, and experience the power of the Golden Gate Bridge, known as the most beautiful bridge in the world, up close. The bridge, which is about 2.7 km long, can be crossed by bicycle or on foot, so cycling or jogging while taking in the spectacular views is also a fun experience.

Although the port city of San Francisco has many steep hills, it is also a compact city that is convenient for sightseeing, as it is possible to walk around all the famous spots. If you don't like walking, we recommend using the cable cars that run through the city. Let's go to places that interest you, such as Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in North America, and North Beach, the neighboring town of Italian immigrants.

The San Diego Padres, whose home base is in a sunny beach town

Petco Park, an open stadium located downtown

The San Diego Padres, which have two Japanese pitchers, Yu Darvish and Yuki Matsui, are also a popular team in the National League West Division along with the Dodgers and Giants. Their home stadium, Petco Park, opened in 2004. It is a relatively new stadium in the MLB, combining modern looks and functionality.

It's also close to downtown San Diego and can be reached via Amtrak train.

San Diego is a city close to the border with Mexico, and a popular baseball stadium dish is the combination of Mexican fish tacos and local craft beer.

Take a leisurely stroll around the beach town. Tourist spots around the stadium

Petco Park is located right next to the historic preservation district known as the Gaslamp Quarter. With numerous bars and restaurants in old Victorian-style buildings, it's the perfect location for post-game nightlife.

San Diego is also recommended for family trips. The San Diego Zoo, located in Balboa Park, about a 10-minute drive from Petco Park, is famous for its pandas. The Model Railroad Museum in the same park is also very popular with children.

If you drive another 20 minutes north, you'll arrive at the ocean theme park, Sea World. Not only are there many animals in the vast grounds, from popular creatures like dolphins, penguins, and sea turtles to rare species of jellyfish, but there are also a wide variety of shows and rides that can be enjoyed by both adults and children.

San Diego is full of other attractions, such as Mission Bay Park, the birthplace of triathlon, for outdoor enthusiasts and Old Town for history buffs.

The prestigious MLB team! "New York Yankees"

Yankee Stadium: Experience the history of Major League Baseball

The history of Yankee Stadium overlaps closely with the history of MLB. The original stadium opened in 1923 and was called "the house that Babe Ruth built," the second stadium opened in 1976 and was called "the house rebuilt by Steinbrenner (the Yankees' famous owner)," and the third stadium opened in 2009, all of which have almost the same appearance as the original. The conditions for playing baseball, such as the distance from home base to the left and right field fences, are also very similar to those of the original stadium.

The Yankees have retired 22 uniform numbers, the most in the MLB. Monument Park, located in the outfield stands, is lined with memorials to those players.

In addition to standard menu items such as New York-style thin-crust pizza, pretzels, and hot dogs, the stadium's gourmet food will be attracting attention with the launch of the "99 BURGER" in 2023. It is a Wagyu beef-based cheeseburger named after the uniform number of Aaron Judge, who was named the American League MVP in 2022 and 2024.

Don't miss this popular multicultural tourist spot! Tourist spots around the stadium

Yankee Stadium is conveniently located just a few minutes walk from the 161st Street–Yankee Stadium subway station, and is about 20 minutes from the center of New York. Even after the night game is over, New York is a city that never sleeps. It's the perfect place to enjoy food and nightlife.

If you have time in New York, we recommend visiting world-famous tourist spots such as Central Park, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, etc. If you want to experience multiculturalism and art, you can't miss the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Broadway, Carnegie Hall, etc.

In addition, New York is also the home of another MLB team, the New York Mets, and all other major sports (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS) have at least two teams based in New York, making it the home of sports. For those interested in sports other than baseball, it is a fun city to visit at any time of the year.

The Chicago Cubs: A team with a strong sense of tradition and a loyal fanbase

Wrigley Field: A place covered in ivy and filled with history

The Chicago Cubs, the team that Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga belong to, were founded in 1871. They are the third-oldest team in the MLB. Their home stadium, Wrigley Field, is also the second-oldest ballpark in the MLB. Located on the north side of Chicago, they are famous for their ivy-covered outfield fences and passionate fan base.

The stadium's distinctive feature is the manually operated scoreboard located at the rear of center field. Night game lighting was installed as late as 1988, but this tradition remains to this day, and the majority of games are still played in the daytime at this stadium.

Traditional ballparks are perfect for food that has been loved for many years. When you watch a baseball game in the United States, hot dogs and draft beer are what come to mind. If you want to try the famous thick Chicago pizza, look for Home Run Inn Pizza, the official pizza place of the ballpark.

Sophisticated spots are the attraction. Tourist spots around the stadium

Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States after New York and Los Angeles. Wrigley Field is conveniently located with relatively easy access to many of the city's tourist attractions.

Millennium Park, located about 10km from the stadium, is Chicago's most famous park, where outdoor concerts are often held in the summer. Right next to the park, Navy Pier, a pier facing Lake Michigan, offers a Ferris wheel, restaurants, boat tours, fireworks, and more. The Art Institute of Chicago, which boasts an extensive collection including works by Monet and Van Gogh, is also located very close to the park. From the observation deck "360 Chicago" of the 100-story skyscraper "John Hancock Center," you can enjoy a spectacular 360-degree view of Lake Michigan and downtown Chicago, as its name suggests.

Public transportation such as subways and buses are convenient for moving around Chicago. Since it is quite cold in winter, it is recommended to walk around the city from summer to autumn, which coincides perfectly with baseball season.

Enjoy the charms of American cities while watching MLB games

In the United States, watching MLB games is often described as the "national pastime." Baseball in the United States is more than just a sport; it is also a traditional culture. Each team and each stadium has its own history and traditions, and the local characteristics and fans are all different.

You can travel while watching an MLB game, or you can watch an MLB game while traveling. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

JAL MLB viewing tours are now on sale. Check below for details!

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