Believe it or not, my first trip to Japan was partially centered around visiting Nagoya of all places given the Saitama Seibu Lions don't go there every season. As a result, I got to view Nagoya Dome for three games as part of an interleague road trip.
Here is my review of the second NPB ballpark I've seen:
History:
The Chunichi Dragons have been around since 1936 and majority of their history taking place at Nagoya Stadium, which was outdoors. It wasn't until 1997 when Nagoya Dome opened up and has been home home the Dragons ever since.
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Pros and Cons:
Pro: The scoreboard is detailed
Nagoya Dome expanded their scoreboard to make a longer stream across the outfield. If you're seated behind home plate, you can find all the statistics on a player for both the pitcher and hitter. Best yet, the Dragons Oendan lyrics are also listed on the right side for anyone to sing along to.
Con: The walkways are narrow
In the games I attended, it was well-below capacity leaving plenty of room for people traffic. A sold out game could lead to long concession lines or an inability to take a lap around.
Pro: An exhibit of memorabilia exists on the top floor
A Dragons museum is free to walk into once you have a game ticket. While explanations are in Japanese, it doesn't hurt to see things from the 1954 and 2007 Japan Series besides other great moments in team history.
Con: The players are farther from the action
The high OF walls in Nagoya Dome make the ballpark a notorious pitcher's park traditionally. For the fans, this view is elevated and somewhat of a distance from what's happening. The nets also extend from foul pole to foul pole and while it doesn't obstruct the view, it can feel non-traditional to what a stateside fan is used to.
Pro: Food is not price-gouging
Nagoya Dome has specialties from the Tokai region where majority of food available is under ¥900. A few snacks and other dessert items are as low as ¥300. Getting food at a reasonable price is fair compared to the usual markup you'd see in North America.
Con: The surroundings are mostly dull
The Nagoya Dome entrance is an elevated platform where the cars and other things are beneath it. A few restaurants are there besides vending machines, but there's nothing to see minus a mascot presentation stage. Its location is in a suburb of Nagoya and there is a mall if you leave the platform, but nothing in the vicinity is exciting compared to other parks.
Pro/Con: Drink holders are placed in a seat area that prevent spilling, but it's short
The cup holder is below the seat and behind your calves locked in, so there's a small chance you'd ended up kicking it or moving the drink on accident. However, this is not a good situation if you're a taller person trying to bend down to get your drink. It's an advantage for the vertically challenged and the chances of a mess are slimmer, but depending on your height, you might complain.
Con: Leg space from the seating is minimal
The seats in the upper deck are tight packed if you end up purchasing a ticket there. This doesn't help anyone who is 6-foot tall. The lower bowl has more room, but it could be a squeeze depending on who you are.
Pro: The foul pole goes all the way to the roof
With a tall foul pole, there's no disputing if there is a foul or fair ball when determining a home run. While the roof itself is different, the foul pole going that high is likely the most unique piece of construction I've seen among ballparks.
Con: The seats are numbered individually rather than by row
Finding your seat might be a hassle because each one is numbered for every section. You'll find the gate to go to, but you may not know exactly what row you're sitting in when a triple digit number is shown on your ticket. Guest service people nearby should help no problem, let alone you can follow the signs, but it is an inconvenience for a few moments looking for your assigned seat than a normal row/seat layout.
Pro/Con: Tourism is mostly gone
Like in MetLife Dome, Nagoya doesn't draw much tourism compared to other cities, even domestically. By going to a Dragons game, you're getting an authentic experience with locals, but the services in English may not be available. If you like convenience, it may not be good for you. However, being surrounded by locals is always a plus in my book and the Dragons experience showed it.
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Food/Drink:
Selection is very solid and has plenty of Nagoya ties from chicken wings to something miso-katsu related. There's good emphasis on regional food if you make the lap around and as said before, it's not price gouging. While the full meals might be pricey, the basic snacks show here are all reasonable. In one case, I got two dorayaki cakes for ¥300.
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Fan Atmosphere:
The Dragons fanbase in the three-games I was at felt very apathetic given how the team was doing. Crowd was half empty compared to stadium capacity, but those who stayed made the usual noise. Their Oendan songs have a traditional sound to it while also having a few updates, but it's not over the top.
Unfortunately this is a sign things in Japan can be fair weather to winning like anywhere else. Depending on some opponents, the visitors can make their presence known, especially when Chunichi isn't doing so well.
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Access:
Fans have multiple paths they can take by train to Nagoya Dome. The circular Meijo Line on the Nagoya Municipal Subway is the most direct path which takes you through a decorated Nagoya Dome-mae Yada Station. It may be a rush if you're with others, but stopping by to see a lot of posters including a picture of every player is a nice touch. It's a 8-10 minute walk with a roof over your head until you reach the elevated platform towards the dome.
There are plenty of decorations for the team as you can see here. Even Moeyo Dragons is playing as you walk outside in the vicinity of the dome. If you have a JR Rail pass, you can take the Chuo Main line to Ozone Station and walk in the streets for a short walk until you reach the stairs to go up. Another option is by bus using the Yutorito Line which can take you to both Ozone and Nagoya Dome-Mae Yada Station.
Extras:
An AEON Mall is not far from Nagoya Dome and is a stone's throw away. However, Nagoya is an area of Japan with minimal tourism as said before. This is a city with plenty of food ad culture outside of the Dome surroundings worth seeing.
It's worth going out of your way to Otobashi Station to the old Nagoya Stadium, given that's where Mr. Baseball was filmed and it serves today as a farm stadium/training facility for the team. Nagoya Castle is the main tourist attraction to see and the crowds won't be huge. Sakae would be the best area for night life after the an evening game. To those who really want to go out of the way, Ichiro Suzuki's hometown of Toyoyama and high school of Akiodai Meiden are in the area.
From Tebasaki, Tenmusu, Miso Nokomi Udon, Nagoya Chicken, Red Miso, Ogura Toast, Kishimen, Hitsumabushi and specifically Miso Katsu, it's worth exploring for the food in Nagoya and with minimal crowds, there is no intimidating atmosphere compared to Tokyo.
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Overall: B
Despite being indoors and baseball being designed for the outdoors, Nagoya Dome is a solid venue and the access to the area isn't one-sided. It's clean, simple and well-organized with a staff making it easy to get around, even if there could be a language barrier. As a venue, the Dome is impressive for events and I'm sure even better for concerts as it doesn't look like something built in the 90s.
Nagoya is not the place for normal tourism both internationally and domestically, but it can be a hidden gem if you're into doing things outside the box. The people who hosted me were in utter shock that myself, coming as a stateside foreigner to Nagoya to watch baseball and be a tourist.
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