Who: Jim and Linda Heintz of Aurora and Diana Heintz of Mesa, Ariz.
Where: Osaka, Japan; the Osaka Baseball Dome, home of the Tigers (a professional baseball team)
Out and about: Outside the Osaka Dome is a giant baseball that has been autographed by all the professional players in Japan. The Osaka Tigers are celebrating their 70th year of professional baseball. The people of Japan are passionate about their baseball and their version of the seventh-inning stretch is something we will never forget. The dome was sold out the day we attended and watching 75,000 fans blow up, but not tie, 4-foot-tall balloons and then release them while singing their team’s theme song is a bit more dramatic than our rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at Coor’s Field. However, one might prefer a Rockie’s dog to the ballpark food we sampled. Diana and Jim tried edamame, squid balls, noodle bowls and sushi. If you go, practice using your chopsticks as there are no forks allowed in the Osaka Dome.
Travel tip: if possible, buy your tickets for the game at least two days in advance at kiosks or convenience stores in Japan, also available online.
