Wikipedia

Tokyo Dome

Not to be confused with Tokyo Dome City Hall.

Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム, Tōkyō Dōmu) is an indoor stadium in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium (whose former site is now occupied by the Tokyo Dome Hotel and a plaza for this stadium). In Japan, it is often used as a unit of size; for example, "the new construction is five times the size of Tokyo Dome."

Tokyo Dome
東京ドーム
The Big Egg, Tokyo Big Egg
Map
Location3, Koraku 1-chome, Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan
Public transit
OwnerTokyo Dome Corporation[a]
(Mitsui Fudosan (80%) and The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings (20%))
Capacity42,000–55,000 (events)[4]
45,600 (baseball)[5]
Field sizeFacility Capacity Area[6]

Site: 112,456 m2 (27.788 acres)
Building: 46,755 m2 (503,270 sq ft)
Internal height: 56 m (184 ft) Field: 13,000 m2 (140,000 sq ft)
Left/right field – 100 m (330 ft)
Left/right-center – 110 m (360 ft)
Center field – 122 m (400 ft)
Capacity: 1,240,000 m3 (43.8 million cubic feet)

SurfaceAstroTurf (1988–2002)
FieldTurf (2003–present)
Construction
OpenedMarch 17, 1988
ArchitectNikken Sekkei, Takenaka Corporation[1]
BuilderTakenaka Corporation[1]
Structural engineerNikken Sekkei,[2] Geiger Engineers
Tenants
Yomiuri Giants (NPB) (1988–present)
Nippon-Ham Fighters (NPB) (1988–2003)[3]

Construction

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Construction on the stadium began on May 16, 1985, and it opened on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome, adjacent to Korakuen Stadium and the Koishikawa-Kōrakuen garden. It has a maximum total capacity of 57,000 depending on configuration, with an all-seating configuration of 42,000.[7][3][8][9]

Tokyo Dome's original nickname was "The Big Egg", with some calling it the "Tokyo Big Egg".[10] Its dome-shaped roof is an air-supported structure, a cable-reinforced 0.8 mm flexible fiberglass membrane supported by slightly pressurizing the inside of the stadium[11] with 150,000 m3/hour[12] using independent blowers.[13] It was developed by Nikken Sekkei and Takenaka Corporation,[1] and modeled after the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.[10]

History

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It is the home field of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team. On March 18, 1988, the day after the Tokyo Dome opened, the Yomiuri Giants held a game which was the first event in the Tokyo Dome.[14] The Yomiuri Giants host about 70 games a year at their home stadium, Tokyo Dome, and other Nippon Professional Baseball teams sometimes host several games a year at the Tokyo Dome. If the Yomiuri Giants advance to the Climax Series or the Japan Series, additional games will be held at Tokyo Dome. Interleague play, in which the Yomiuri Giants participate, will also be held at the Tokyo Dome. In 2021, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows advanced to the Japan Series, but they held the Japan Series at Tokyo Dome instead of their home stadium, Meiji Jingu Stadium. This was because the Japan Series had to be rescheduled due to the spread of COVID-19 infectious disease, and the dates overlapped with the game days of amateur baseball tournaments at Meiji Jingu Stadium.[15][16][17] Tokyo Dome is also the location of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame which chronicles the history of baseball in Japan.[18]

It has also hosted international baseball tournaments such as the World Baseball Classic and WBSC Premier12, Major League Baseball, music concerts, basketball, American football, and association football games, as well as puroresu (pro-wrestling) matches, mixed martial arts events, kickboxing events, and monster truck races. It became the first Japanese venue with an American football attendance above 50,000.[19]

Tokyo Dome City

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Main article: Tokyo Dome City

Tokyo Dome is part of a greater entertainment complex known as Tokyo Dome City, built of the grounds of the former Tokyo Koishikawa Arsenal. Tokyo Dome City includes an amusement park and Tokyo Dome City Attractions (formerly Kōrakuen Grounds). This amusement park occupies the former Korakuen Stadium site and includes a roller coaster named Thunder Dolphin and a hubless Ferris wheel. The grounds also have an onsen called Spa LaQua, various shops, restaurants, video game centers, the largest JRA WINS horse race betting complex in Tokyo, and Oft Korakuen, which caters to rural horse races.

Notable events other than Japanese professional baseball

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Tokyo Dome interior
 
Tokyo Dome roof

International baseball tournaments and Major League Baseball

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Tokyo Dome has been chosen as one of the baseball stadiums to hold international baseball tournaments since the 2000s. The Tokyo Dome has been selected to host all six World Baseball Classics through 2026. It was also selected to host the finals of the WBSC Premier 12, which was held twice.

The Tokyo Dome has held various Major League Baseball games to open the seasons, with the first series—a two-game slate between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets in 2000—being the first time American MLB teams have played regular season games in Asia. Four years later, the New York Yankees, featuring former Yomiuri Giants slugger/outfielder Hideki Matsui in their lineup, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays played two games in the stadium to start the 2004 season. The Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics opened the 2008 MLB season in Japan, and also competed against Japanese teams.[20][21] To open the 2012 season the Seattle Mariners and the Athletics, the former of which had Ichiro Suzuki, played a two-game series on March 28–29. In game one Seattle – led by Ichiro's 4 hits – won 3–1 in 11 innings.[22] The Mariners and Athletics returned to the Tokyo Dome for a two-game series to begin the 2019 Major League Baseball season, with Ichiro retiring from professional baseball after the second game.[23][24] On July 18, 2024, Major League Baseball announced that the 2025 MLB season will open with a two game series March 18-19 at Tokyo Dome between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.[25]

Date Winning Team Result Losing Team Attendance
March 29, 2000 Chicago Cubs 5–3 New York Mets 55,000
March 30, 2000 New York Mets 5–1 Chicago Cubs 55,000
March 30, 2004 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 8–3 New York Yankees 55,000
March 31, 2004 New York Yankees 12–1 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 55,000
March 25, 2008 Boston Red Sox 6–5 Oakland Athletics 44,628
March 26, 2008 Oakland Athletics 5–1 Boston Red Sox 44,735
March 28, 2012 Seattle Mariners 3–1 Oakland Athletics 44,227
March 29, 2012 Oakland Athletics 4–1 Seattle Mariners 43,391
March 20, 2019 Seattle Mariners 9–7 Oakland Athletics 45,787
March 21, 2019 Seattle Mariners 5–4 Oakland Athletics 46,451
March 18, 2025 Chicago Cubs – Los Angeles Dodgers
March 19, 2025 Chicago Cubs – Los Angeles Dodgers

Concerts

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The Tokyo Dome Corporation publishes a list of singers and music groups that have performed since its opening in 1988. The Alfee held its first concert at Tokyo Dome on March 19, 1988, and March 20, two days after the dome opened. On March 22, 1988, and March 23, Mick Jagger became the first non-Japanese artist to perform at the Tokyo Dome.[26]

Concerts have been held at the Tokyo Dome for several dozen days each year since its opening, mainly by Japanese singers and music groups. According to official statistics from its opening in 1988 to February 2024, KinKi Kids held the most solo concerts at Tokyo Dome for 66 days, followed by Arashi for 58 days and Kanjani Eight for 41 days. All of them were male idol groups from Johnny & Associates. Among non-Japanese, TVXQ who held most performances in Tokyo Dome as foreign artist ( 30 days ) in the history in Japan, followed by The Rolling Stones for 28 days and followed by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney for 21 days.[26]

Michael Jackson performed there on his three tours. As part of the second leg of his Bad World Tour, he performed at the Tokyo Big Egg on December 9-11, 17-19, and 24-26, 1988. In Jackson’s next tour, the Dangerous World Tour, he performed on the stadium during the first leg, on December 12, 14, 17, 19, 22, 24, 30 and 31, 1992. On his final tour HIStory World Tour, he performed on multiple dates at the stadium last time, on December 13, 15, 17 and 20, 1996.

Janet Jackson played 4 shows on May 17 and 18, November 6 and 7, 1990 during her Rhythm Nation World Tour. She returned for the Janet World Tour on March 29 and 30, 1994 and her All for You Tour on January 17 and 18, 2002.

Guns N' Roses performed there on February 19, 20 and 22 1992 and January 12, 14 and 15 1993 during their Use Your Illusion Tour, then again on December 19, 2009 during their Chinese Democracy tour.

Madonna played 5 shows on 13, 14, 16, 17 and 19 December 1993 which concluded her tour The Girlie Show. She also held 2 concerts on 20 and 21 September 2006 as part of the Confessions Tour.

Mariah Carey performed there for the first time on her Daydream World Tour, on the 7, 10 and 14 of March in 1996, bringing in a total of 150,000 people with the 3 dates, she obtained the record for best-selling tickets in less than 1 hour. In 1998, the singer returned to Japan on her Butterfly World Tour, where she broke her old record, this time selling out 200,000 tickets in less than 1 hour, there were 4 shows, on January 11, 14, 17 and 20. She would return to the stadium for two shows in 2000 with her Rainbow World Tour.

Whitney Houston played two shows on May 13 and 14, 1997 during her Pacific Rim Tour.

Celine Dion has performed five shows at the Dome. She performed on January 31 and February 1, 1999 as part of her Let's Talk About Love World Tour; March 8 and 9, 2008 as part of her Taking Chances World Tour; and June 26, 2018 as part of her Live 2018 tour. Dion was scheduled to perform two shows on November 18 and 19, 2014 as part of her Asia Tour, but the shows were cancelled.

Beyoncé kicked off the first show on her third concert tour The Beyoncé Experience on 10 April 2007.[27]

Coldplay have played the venue three times; first on April 19 2017 during their A Head Full of Dreams Tour, and further two times on 6 and 7 November 2023 during their Music of the Spheres World Tour.

 
Tokyo Dome on the first night of Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour in Japan

Taylor Swift opened her 1989 World Tour at the venue with two concerts on 5 and 6 May, 2015, and she played 2 more shows on 20 and 21 November 2018 as part of the Reputation Stadium Tour. She also played 4 consecutive concerts on 7-10 February 2024 for The Eras Tour.

Bruno Mars performed three concerts in October 2022 and returned for seven more concerts in January 2024, becoming the biggest shows in Japan by an international act in the 21st century.[28]

Be:First are set to perform 2 shows on 2 and 3 March, 2024. Be:First Live in Dome 2024 "Mainstream - Masterplan" is Be:First’s first live dome tour along with 2 shows at the Kyocera Dome in April 2024.

Oasis (band) are also set to perform 2 shows on 25 and 26 October, 2025, as part of their reunion world tour.

Professional wrestling

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See also: Professional wrestling at the Tokyo Dome

New Japan Pro-Wrestling has held a professional wrestling event at Tokyo Dome, currently titled Wrestle Kingdom, on January 4 of each year, since 1992. The event expanded in 2020 to two nights, with the second night on January 5; the event went back to one night in 2024. The event is the biggest in Japanese professional wrestling, and has been compared to WWE's flagship U.S. event WrestleMania in terms of size and significance.[29] Other companies such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and WWE had previously held major events in the Tokyo Dome as well.

On June 30, 2024, it was announced that All Elite Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, and STARDOM would all be part of a cross promotional pay-per-view event called Wrestle Dynasty which is scheduled to take place on January 5, 2025, one day after Wrestle Kingdom 19.[30]

Boxing

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  • After 34 years on May 6, 2024, Tokyo Dome hosted the fight between Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery for the Undisputed Super Bantamweight Championship in which Inoue successfully defended the title by a 6th Round knockout.

Kickboxing

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The final round of the K-1 World Grand Prix kickboxing tournament was held at the Tokyo Dome from 1997 to 2006.

Mixed martial arts

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The Tokyo Dome hosted seven Pride FC mixed martial arts fights: Pride 1, Pride 4, Pride Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round, Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals, Pride 17, Pride 23, and Pride Final Conflict 2003. The last event had an attendance of 67,451.

American football

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See also: List of National Football League games played outside the United States

As part of the American Bowl, the Tokyo Dome held 13 National Football League preseason games between 1989 and 2005.[31] In the 1996 game between the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers, three Japanese linebackers – Takuro Abe, Shigemasa Ito, and Takahiro Ikenoue of the World League of American Football – became the first Japanese players to participate in an NFL game; Abe and Ito sporadically appeared on special teams for the Chargers, while Ikenoue was part of the Steelers' defense.[32]

Date Winning Team Result Losing Team Attendance
August 6, 1989 Los Angeles Rams 16–13
(OT)		 San Francisco 49ers 43,896
August 5, 1990 Denver Broncos 10–7 Seattle Seahawks 48,827
August 4, 1991 Miami Dolphins 19–17 Los Angeles Raiders -
August 2, 1992 Houston Oilers 34–23 Dallas Cowboys -
August 1, 1993 New Orleans Saints 28–16 Philadelphia Eagles -
August 7, 1994 Minnesota Vikings 17–9 Kansas City Chiefs 49,555
August 6, 1995 Denver Broncos 24–10 San Francisco 49ers -
July 28, 1996 San Diego Chargers 20–10 Pittsburgh Steelers -
August 2, 1998 Green Bay Packers 27–24
(OT)		 Kansas City Chiefs 42,018
August 6, 2000 Atlanta Falcons 27–24 Dallas Cowboys -
August 2, 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30–14 New York Jets -
August 6, 2005 Atlanta Falcons 27–21 Indianapolis Colts 45,203

College football was played 17 straight years in Tokyo, including six years at the Tokyo Dome, through the Coca-Cola Classic. In December 1993, the Wisconsin Badgers clinched the Big Ten college football championship and a berth to their first Rose Bowl in 31 years by defeating the Michigan State Spartans 41-20 in the last Coca-Cola Classic, before nearly 52,000 at the Tokyo Dome.[33] Ironically, the game was moved from Camp Randall Stadium in Madison so the Badgers' seniors would get their opportunity to enjoy a bowl game atmosphere.

The Tokyo Dome is also the regular home for championship matches for Japan's domestic American football leagues, including the professional X-League's Japan X Bowl and Rice Bowl.

Association football

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In 1993, Aston Villa played Verdy Kawasaki in a friendly match.

Monster truck rallies

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In 1989, the United States Hot Rod Association hosted one of the first monster truck rallies outside North America at the Tokyo Dome.

Figure skating

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On February 26, 2023, Japanese figure skater and two-time Olympic champion, Yuzuru Hanyu, held a solo ice show titled Gift at Tokyo Dome.[34][35] His show marked the first time that an ice rink was set up at the multipurpose venue,[36] matching the size of an Olympic ice rink with 60 m × 30 m.[35] The show was directed by Hanyu himself in collaboration with Japanese choreographer Mikiko and performed live with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra among others,[34][35] having set a new audience record for ice shows with 35,000 spectators.[37] On July 14, 2023, the event was distributed by the American subscription channel Disney+ worldwide.[38]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 株式会社東京ドーム, Kabushiki gaisha Tōkyō Dōmu, formerly Korakuen Stadium Company, Ltd. (株式会社後楽園スタヂアム, Kabushiki gaisha Kōrakuen Sutajiumu)
  1. ^ a b c "Tokyo Dome". Takenaka Corporation. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  2. ^ 我が国の近現代建築に関わる構造資料及びその電子化継承に関する調査 令和3 度報書 (PDF) (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. March 2022. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Basketball Passport - Tokyo Dome". Archived from the original on 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
  4. ^ "東京ドームシティ｜野球情報｜施設規模". Tokyo-dome.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2017-02-23. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
  5. ^ "ヤフオクドーム大規模改修で最大収容４万人超え ４球場が大台に/デイリースポーツ online". デイリースポーツ online.
  6. ^ "Tokyo Dome City Web Site – Architectural Features". Archived from the original on 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  7. ^ 東京ドームの歴史(～2005年) (in Japanese). Tokyo Dome Corporation. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Guides app - Lonely Planet's newest app". Touristeye.com. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
  9. ^ "Tokyo Dome". PURORESU.wiki. 1988-03-17. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
  10. ^ a b Haberman, Clyde - Amid Some Doubts, a Tokyo Dome. New York Times, March 23, 1988
  11. ^ "Tokyo Dome 'Bigg Egg'". www.tensinet.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023.
  12. ^ Takai, Hiroaki (2014). Planning outline and analysis of actual energy operational performance from completion to present in Japanese and foreign large domes and stadiums — Tokyo Dome, Fukuoka Dome, Odate Dome, Sapporo Dome, Kaohsiung Stadium (PDF). World Sustainable Building. ISBN 978-84-697-1815-5.
  13. ^ Hideki, Magara (1 May 1987). "Tokyo Dome "Big Egg", Tokyo (Japan)". IABSE Structures. 11 (C-41): 32. doi:10.5169/seals-20372.
  14. ^ 東京ドームが開業30周年 今や“死語”のビッグエッグ元年を振り返る (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 3 February 2018. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
  15. ^ 2022年 東京ドーム巨人戦試合日程表 (PDF) (in Japanese). Tokyo Dome Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2022.
  16. ^ 読売ジャイアンツ (in Japanese). プロ野球フリーク. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022.
  17. ^ ヤクルト日本シリーズは神宮大会と重なり東京ドームで3～5戦戦 (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 13 November 2021. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021.
  18. ^ "The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum". The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. 21 December 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022.
  19. ^ Attendance again far from sellout in Tokyo | Amarillo.com | Amarillo Globe-News
  20. ^ "Red Sox, A's Japan-bound in 2008". Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  21. ^ "Moss, Manny fuel comeback". Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  22. ^ "Seattle Mariners Oakland athletics open 2012 season Tokyo" ESPN.
  23. ^ Mike Chiari (March 21, 2019). "Legend Ichiro Suzuki Retiring After Nearly 30 Years in MLB, Japan". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  24. ^ Johns, Greg (March 21, 2019). "Ichiro announces retirement after emotional finale". MLB.com. MLB. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  25. ^ Clair, Michael (July 18, 2024). "Dodgers, Cubs to stage star-studded showdown in Tokyo to begin 2025 season". MLB.com. MLB. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  26. ^ a b 東京ドーム公演アーティスト一覧 (in Japanese). Tokyo Dome Co., Ltd. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  27. ^ "Past Concert / Conventions | Tokyo Dome (Tourists Special Site)". 東京ドームシティ. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  28. ^ Henderson, Lisa (2023-11-17). "Magnificent 7: Bruno Mars' historic Tokyo stand". IQ Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  29. ^ Bixenspan, David (2018-01-03). "Japan's Version Of WrestleMania Is Striving For A U.S. Audience Tonight". Deadspin. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  30. ^ Pritchard, Bill (2024-07-30). "Wrestle Dynasty In The Tokyo Dome Set For January 5, 2025; Five Promotions Featured". WrestleZone. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  31. ^ Nagatsuka, Kaz (February 4, 2015). "Fans want NFL return". The Japan Times. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  32. ^ Landers, Jack (July 29, 1996). "Three make Japanese history as first to play in NFL game". Deseret News. AP. Retrieved April 6, 2019.[dead link‍]
  33. ^ "Go East, Young Men". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  34. ^ a b Kano, Shintaro (February 26, 2023). "Hanyu Yuzuru "Gift"-wraps sold-out Tokyo Dome with performances for the ages". International Olympic Committee. Lausanne. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023.
  35. ^ a b c Kurasawa, Hitoshi (February 27, 2023). "Japanese skating star Yuzuru Hanyu dazzles 35,000 fans at Tokyo Dome with solo show". Mainichi Shimbun. Chiyoda, Tokyo. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023.
  36. ^ Takagi, Megumi (December 6, 2022). 羽生結弦さん「贈り物を受け取りに来てください」2・26アイスショー「GIFT」東京D開催サプライズ発表 [Yuzuru Hanyu "Come and Receive a Gift" Surprise announcement of ice show "GIFT" at Tokyo Dome on 2.26]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022.
  37. ^ "Figure skating hero Hanyu Yuzuru to start gaming-inspired 'RE_PRAY' solo ice tour in Saitama". International Olympic Committee. Lausanne. September 4, 2023. Archived from the original on September 4, 2023.
  38. ^ Grover, Ashima (July 17, 2023). "Who is Yuzuru Hanyu? How Has His Art Changed the World's Perception of Figure Skating?". Leisurebyte. India. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023.
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