Baseball in Japan looks about the same, but the food and the vibe are different

TOKYO (AP) — Welcome to the view from the stands in the middle of the jammed sellout at the Tokyo Dome on Tuesday as the Dodgers and Cubs opened MLB's regular season.

Baseball in Japan — the game is called "yakyu" (field ball) in Japanese — carries more of a rock-concert vibe than its American cousin. And with Shohei Ohtani teasing fans for a week in Tokyo as the two-game series approached, it’s a true spectacle.

You don't see the following routinely in North America. You did Tuesday in the Tokyo Dome.

Young women carry beer kegs on their backs, drawing a cold draft while you're seated watching the game. Fans are clearly more animated. Even elderly men come with a glove — just in case. And chopsticks are in use as fans watching the game snack on noodles or a rice dish.

The food selection at the concession stands is mostly Asian, but popcorn and beer are plentiful. You can even buy a version of Cracker Jack.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he played baseball in Puerto Rico and Mexico and suggested the Japanese game and the Latin American game were linked.

“I would say the similarity is the passion from the fans. I think in Tokyo it's a little more controlled emotion, chaos. Where in Latin America, playing winter ball — in the best possible way — it's chaotic and a lot of passion.”

“It's definitely close," Dodgers Venezuelan shortstop Miguel Rojas said. “They enjoy the game a little bit different than the United States. This is the closest thing you will find (to Latin America)."

Dodgers teammate Kike Hernandez, a Puerto Rican, drew a deft comparison.

“When it comes to just culture as it is, the Latin culture and Japanese culture can't be more far apart from each other,” he said. “But when it comes to the passion and the way that fans enjoy the game — it's the closest thing to it.”

The food selection in the Tokyo Dome is all-world. And the food prices fall in the reasonable range, though the portions are probably smaller.

The food prices are a sharp contrast to the fact that a ticket for the Dodgers-Cubs series was selling on the secondary market in the $2,000-$8,000 range. At least one ticket was being advertised for $10,000.

A large draft beer in the food concourse was about 900 yen or $6. A double-cheese hot dog will set you back 1,000 yen, about $6.50.

For eats, there's kimchi noodles, garlic-pepper chicken, Japanese-style dumplings and dozens of other choices. A pita sandwich will set you back about 1,300 yen — $8.50. Add to this many ballpark staples — pizza, fries and soft-serve ice cream.

Let's eat. In Japanese that's “tabemashou.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

People walks around the entrance of Tokyo Dome, before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

People wait in queue to enter a MLB official shop before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

People wait in queue to enter an official shop before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

A fan shows an image of Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

People walk outside Tokyo Dome, before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

People wait before a public viewing of an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

A fan shows a shirt featuring Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

People, left side, wait in queue to enter an official shop before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, center right, poses for photos with fans after the team's MLB Japan Series baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

A couple wears cap featuring the pet dog of Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

People pose for a selfie before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

People wait in queue to enter an official shop before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Former Sumo wrestler, Konishiki, throws out the ceremonial first pitch before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A fan watches warmups before an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A fan holds a sign as they wait for the start of an MLB Japan Series baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

The Los Angeles Dodgers line up on the field during the playing of the national anthem before their MLB Japan Series baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Fans watch the Los Angeles Dodgers play the Chicago Cubs in the first inning of an MLB Japan Series baseball game in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

CHICAGO (AP) — Shane Wright scored twice, Adam Larsson had a goal and two assists, and the Seattle Kraken beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 on Tuesday night.

Matty Beniers had a goal and an assist, Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann also scored, and Andre Burakovsky had two assits for the Kraken, who trailed by two late in the first period. Joey Daccord stopped 27 shots to move to 23-18-4 on the season.

Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist, and Connor Bedard also scored for Chicago, which has lost six of its last seven games (1-4-2). Spencer Knight had 24 saves.

Larsson got the Kraken on the scoreboard with 2:16 left in the first, just 31 seconds after Bertuzzi had pushed the Blackhawks' lead to 2-0.

Eberle tied it with a one-timer from the right circle off a pass from Chandler Stephenson at 5:55 of the second, and McCann beat Knight from the left circle 26 seconds later to put Seattle ahead.

Beniers and Wright scored 2:20 apart later in the second, and Wright got his second of the night at 6:55 of the third to push the lead to 6-2.

Kraken: Seattle got its NHL-leading eighth comeback from a two-goal deficit and improved to 5-5-1 in its last 11 games to pull eight points out of a wild card in the Western Conference.

Blackhawks: Chicago has lost 11 of its last 14 games (3-8-3) and sits near the bottom of the standings in the West.

Chicago's Pat Maroon and Seattle's Jon Hayden dropped gloves and exchanged punches off the opening faceoff to set the tone.

Seattle remained the only perfect team when leading after two periods at 16-0-0. Chicago fell to 4-30-4 when trailing after two, tying the Kraken (5-31-3) for the most such losses with 34.

Kraken play at Minnesota on Wednesday, and Blackhawks host Los Angeles on Thursday.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson (6) skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)