Fukuoka PayPay Dome tour. The dome is not only for watching baseball games, but also for other things. I'll show you the secrets of the dome!

There are several types of tours. Different tours are held depending on the day, for example "Team Training Observation Tour" with explanations given by the OB players of Hawks and "Adventure Tour" where you can see the dome roof up close etc.

This time, Futa and I participated in the "Enjoying Dome Tour". This was a tour in which you can see not only the stands, but also the benches which players actually sit on and their locker rooms, and even the bullpen. This is a tour on which you can see the places which people usually cannot see in person.

 

When you arrive at the dome, please go to the reception counter located between gate 7 and 8 for your registration. Then, wait at the designated gate and when the time comes, the tour will start!

This is the one who guided us through the tour this time! Not the funny mascot character Fu-san, the representative of SoftBank Hawks....but a tour guide lady in the lovely uniform.

First, she brought us to the concourse. During games, many delicious food becomes available to buy and they are so popular that there are always lines of fans watching the game on the screen while waiting to be served. This area become filled up with people during a game, but during a tour, you can enjoy walking around freely.

Fukuoka PayPay Dome has just been renovated in the spring in 2019. The concourse has a lot of screens. I heard that on the day of a baseball game, videos of home runs are played on those screens. When there is a concert, the artist's logo etc. is displayed, which will make you feel even more excited♪

 

There are outlets everywhere in the concourse, and in addition, there are USB ports for charging your smartphone. You don't have to worry about your smartphone's battery running out when watching a baseball game.

After going through the concourse, we enter to the dome!

On this day, the Hawks players were training for the night game! Wow, we get this close? With expectation, we walked down the stairs!

Futa has arrived on the ground!

 

The players were training in front of us. If you are lucky, you can see your favorite player up close, which is the best part of this tour. I was able to see the coach Mr. Kudo on that day!

 

They offer interesting goods including uniforms for you to take photos .

Futa also took a commemorative photo ❤

You can be on the huge screen "Hawks Vision" and take a commemorative photo!

 

Actually, this huge screen was introduced at the time of renovation in the spring in 2019. It is the largest indoor display device in the world. This huge screen and the sound offer dynamism during games and concerts!! But this cannot be offered on the days when players are training there. Yes, this is the good point of this dome tour that you can even enjoy on a day when there is no game (* ^-^ *)

After taking a commemorative photo, the next thing was to visit the locker room and benches that the players actually use.

A bullpen where reserved pitchers do warming ups. You may have seen it on a baseball game live broadcast. You can also visit the bullpen on this tour. The white lines you can see on the front and back represents the distance from a pitcher's mound to a home plate. When you actually see it, you will think that it is much longer than you have imagined, I'm sure. @@

In the "Player's Salon" where players have a rest or have something to eat for a quick nutrition supply, there were bananas and rice balls.

You can even sit on the bench just like a real player!!!

This time, we visited one on the third base side. However, we heard that on the ceiling of the bench on the first base side where Hawks players sit down, "blue sky" wallpaper is attached. It's fun to find out about such secret information.

 

By the way, on the bench there was a list of players which was used in the previous day's game played against Rakuten team!

At the "Hawks Garden" located near the dome, you can enjoy unique gardening works selected from ones created according to the theme by the general public .

Everything single work is a masterpiece! They are very unique.

 

In addition, there are hand monuments of a variety of celebrities and you can shake hands with them. These were actual sizes as they were molded from real persons. There are hands of popular musicians from overseas such as Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. Above all, if you are a baseball fan, you should definitely look for the hand of Mr. Sadaharu Oh, who is the former coach of Hawks and currently the chairman of the team. Futa was so excited to find it, too!

We recommend you to drop in at the official goods shop "HAWKS STORE". This shop sells must-have items for when you watch a baseball game.

Popular goods not only for men but also for women and children.

In addition, the original packaged products created in collaboration with Fukuoka's confectionery companies are on sale, so it's perfect for souvenirs.

The biggest event in July is the Hawks Festival! Uniforms, food and goods which are limited only during the festival will become available to buy. Fans and players can become one. To celebrate the Hawks Festival, Fukuoka Tower during the period also offers a special illumination. In 2019, the illumination was in the same light blue as the limited uniform. Their mascot character Harry-kun also has appeared!

You can enjoy both Fukuoka Tower and the dome tour at the same time. Or when you come to the dome to watch a baseball game, you can also drop in at Fukuoka Tower. When you have a chance to come near us, please enjoy both the tower and dome. We look forward to your visit!

14 minutes walk from Fukuoka Tower

Fukuoka PayPay Dome

2-2-2 Jigyohama, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka

*For details about the tour, please check on the official website.

▼ official website

https://dometour.softbankhawks.co.jp/