I will be going to Japan in late March and was wondering if there is a way to buy an advanced ticket for a baseball game from the US. I would like to go see the March 28th Chiba Lotte Marines game. It will be opening night so I would imagine that it will sell out. I arrive in Tokyo on the 24th. Do you think there will still be tickets and if there are where can I buy them without going all the way to Chiba stadium?

Go to any major department store, and ask the information desk for the "Ticket Pia" counter. The "Ticket Pia" folks will be happy to sell you a ticket for any sporting or cultural event...

I have no idea if your game will sell out early.... I have only been to one professional baseball game in Japan. For that game there was no shortage of tickets. I was able to purchase tickets on the day at the counter immediately outside the Tokyo Dome stadium.

I have noticed that there are always scalpers at the popular events - who will try to sell you a ticket on the day at a hefty markup...

If you want to avoid any risk of being unable to get a ticket, then you should get a Japanese friend to help you to navigate Ticket Pia's website. Good luck.... It is a monument to awful usability.

Jib71,
Thanks for the information! I will try to go to one of these Ticket Pia locations. My one fear is that they won't be able to help me in English.

Write down the date, place (name of stadium) and other details of the event (seat request etc). They should be able to handle it.

The 28th being a Tuesday, and the game against the Fighters, I really would doubt you'd have any problem getting a ticket after your arrival. In fact, I would be pretty sure you could get tickets at the stadium, provided you do not have a specific request for the seats.

Tickets are not on sale yet.

The tickets are available everywhere, Ticket PIA counters are a good bet and you also have various ticketing machines at convenience stores like Lawson, but yes, the language could be a problem, so jib71's suggestion of writing down your request is useful. Is there a concierge at your hotel who could book or at least write it down in Japanese for you? If you know in which area you will stay I could check the nearest counter for buying them.

aleph08, I will be staying in a Business Hotel so I doubt that they will have a concierge. My hotel is in Asakusa. I found this website that list the branch locations and tells what is involved with getting tickets through Ticket PIA. Ueno looks to be the closest location. Hopefully I can just tell them what I need instead of the very complicated instructions given on that website. http://metropolis.japantoday.com/tok...cultureinc.htm

It's not that easy to find things around Ueno station (at least for me), so you might consider an easier to find branch that is further away. For example, the Sony building in Ginza is pretty easy to find and the Ticket Pia booth there is right smack in the middle of the main entrance -- if you can find the building (and bystanders might well be able to help you, it's well known), you can find the ticket booth.

At Ueno, maybe Marui City is easiest to find. The symbol for Marui stores looks like a big "0101." I am sure someone else can tell you why, I have no clue.

0101
The zero is like a "circle" = Maru
And the 1 is "ichi" = i
(It also looks like an "i" or a イ　= i)

But.... the observant people will have noticed that the 01 is repeated.

So, surely the store should be called "Marui marui" ???
My wife gets annoyed when I call it that.

I am planning to go to Ginza the night I arrive and might make it by 8 to check for tickets. I think I will try Yamano Music as it is open 30 minutes later than the Sony Building and it sounds like a cool place. If I can't get there in time I will try Marui the next morning as I plan on going to the National Musuem then. Thanks for all the help.

Since someone is asking for advice in buying baseball tickets in another thread I will post my results from late March. I ended up buying the ticket at the Ticket Pia in Daimaru department store in Tokyo Station. It's on the 2nd floor but if you go there just ask at the info desk at the main entrance for the exact location of it as it is kind of hidden. I had no problem buying the ticket even though the clerk did not know English. She filled out all of the information on the form. By the way, the game was an excellent experience. We need to get the keg serving beer girls at games here in the US.

Agreed. Even if you're just a casual baseball fan as I am, it's worth seeing a game. I went to opening day in Yokohama in April and had a great time. I sat in right field, where the most enthusiastic Yokohama fans sit, and was treated to their synchronized cheers for the home team, complete with trumpets and drums. The beer was pretty good too!

While living in Osaka last year I had the opportunity to see the Hanshin Tigers for 2 games. If you have a chance to go to a game in Koshien, I would try my best to get there. They are like the Red Sox of Japan baseball. Fans are like college football fans, absolutely great atmosphere.

What's the best method of getting tickets? We plan on going mid week ... are the games normally full then?

I just got back from Japan today, MOF. My Boss wanted to see a game while he was there so we went to the Concierge Desk at the Hyatt and they arranged the whole thing for him. I had to go see friends in Nagoya, otherwise I would have gone with.

Definately an experience you should have, even if you're not a Baseball Fan.

Let's Go Mets!!

CHeck out this site, it's in English and is helpful:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/baseball.html

-Hammer

Also, try www.japanball.com. They got me tickets for a game in Japan. The tickets were waiting at my hotel.