angra

by examining videos of games, I was able to spot the band at around aisle 95-96 on that graphic.

closest I could get a seat for my date was in aisle 91.

mapleg

Here's what some may consider an offbeat suggestion, but if you love baseball and you have the time, there is a Pro Womens' League in Japan.

They play series of games in various locations in Japan, typically over a weekend. Games are cheap, and fun to watch.

Here's their web site:

https://www.jwbl.jp/

747FC

Looks like we will be in Tokyo the last weekend of September, which seems like the last weekend of the season. The games seem to be sold out. Can I hold out hope that a concierge will be able to procure tickets?

angra

which games? which dates? Are you looking for only a specific team or would any game reachable from Tokyo be of interest?

747FC

We were looking for the Giants or Swallows on 9/28 or 9/29

angra

It looks to me like Swallows tickets for September don't go on sale until August 5th.

Send This Link through google translate to check for yourself. I could see Giants being sold out for those dates, but I'd bet you can get Swallows tickets. I haven't checked giants yet though

edit: checked giants, they do look sold out.

I'd say a concierge might be able to secure tickets. I do think that there is a resale market though I am not sure the legal status of them in Japan.

Don't forget that Yokohama is a pretty short train ride away, and the Marines and Lions are also within shouting distance.

747FC

Many thanks for your help!

evergrn

Somebody asked me how to get J-League tickets while in Jpn.

I get my J-League tickets at one of those ticket machines at a convenience store. I get bus tickets there, too. It's very easy and convenient. But I'm Japanese, so using the machine is not an issue.
I don't go to baseball games and have never bought baseball tickets in Jpn, but I presume you can buy baseball tickets at those konbini machines also.

Anyways, can someone tell me if those konbini ticket machines have English option? (I'm not in Jpn now, so I can't go check.)

kevincrumbs

Serious question: how many matches sell out and which match does he/she plan to go to? I've only been to one, sadly, but it was FC Tokyo v. Nagoya Grampus and I was able to walk up and buy one from the ticket office at Ajista. I ended up in the general admission area with the FC Tokyo supporters but if OP's friend wanted nicer seats, maybe it wouldn't have been available. I only casually follow the J-League but I would imagine that a derby like one between the Osaka teams or S-Pulse v. Jubilo Iwata would sell out but I have my doubts about a lot of the other matches.

I started to get curious about this and did some poking around on the internet. It looks like the J-League's official website sells tickets but it looks like only for certain clubs and not terribly far out. I couldn't find anything past October.

https://www.jleague.jp/en/ticket/

angra

I'll be visiting in a few weeks and will check on this if no one else has by then. If you have specific chains that you'd like to make sure that I check, please post them.

RichardInSF

The Ghibli museum tickets sold by the Lawson machines are only in Japanese. I know this because it gives a guide to buying tickets for English speakers on the Ghibli site.

That at least suggests that the machines in general have no English option.

evergrn

There's hardly any sellout in J-League. Reds and Frontale may sell out sometimes. Derby matches as you say, and Tamagawa Classico (FC Tokyo vs Frontale), Marinos matches at Mitsuzawa Stadium, games where championship or relegation is on the line. Those matches will sell out.

He's not looking for any particular game or team. He just wants to go see a match. I'll have to look at the league schedule when they go to Jpn and see what matches are on. I'm just going to recommend they go to a game where the stadium is soccer-specific (no tracks) and is easily accessible by public transport (ie, not Machida Zelvia). The only way I've known to get tix are either at konbini machine or at the gate on match day. I might just recommend he do the latter. Personally I've never bought tix at the gate, because it's more expensive on match day.

Thanks for the offer, angra. But it sounds like there's no English option based on what Richard says.

kevincrumbs

Don't forget about J2 if timing doesn't work out and the J1 teams near where they are visiting are away. I looked into J2 in Yamagata a few years back but it would've been dicey making it back to Sendai (Vegalta were away that weekend) post-match. Sadly, Shimane is barren in terms of football or any other major sport, so I won't get to attend a sporting event on my next Japan trip.

Anyway, I'm jealous. J-League fans are great, the displays, noise and atmosphere are top notch. Hope he enjoys whichever match he goes to!

angra

I'll check some chains anyway. That report was just for one chain. I suspect it's the same at the others but it shouldn't be too big of a hassle to swing into a family mart, 7-11, and any other big chain I see.

evergrn

You're right. J2 is just as good. I'd argue that J2 is even better than J1 if you're not after any particular team. Tickets are cheaper than J1. There's not as much difference in quality of play between J1 and J2 as one might imagine. Even at J2 matches, there's plenty of food stands, beer keg girls, cheering, kids play area, pregame activities. J2 attendances are significantly less than J1, so it's way easier to grab great seats if you're seated in non-assigned section. I was at the Yokohama FC game 2 wks ago. 51yo Kazu Miura came on for the last 5-10min.

Thanks, that'd be great!