In Shinjuku, the Swallows play some of the brightest night games in Japanese baseball — and own one of the sport's great turnaround stories: last place to Japan Series champions in 2021.
The club
The Tokyo Yakult Swallows play at Meiji Jingu Stadium in Shinjuku, Tokyo — their home since 1964 and one of the closest stadiums to a major station in Japan. Founded in 1950, they are one of two Central League teams in the capital (the other is the Yomiuri Giants). Their colors are navy, red and green, and their mascot is Tsubakuro, the swallow.
Six Japan Series titles
The Swallows have won the Japan Series six times: 1978, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2021, adding nine Central League pennants along the way. The 2021 title — a 4–2 series win over the Orix Buffaloes — came one year after the club finished in last place, and catcher Yuhei Nakamura was named Japan Series MVP.
Murakami's 56
Third baseman Munetaka Murakami hit 56 home runs in 2022, breaking the Japanese-born single-season record of 55 set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964 — the kind of season that draws crowds from across the country to Meiji Jingu.
Why go
Meiji Jingu Stadium sits beside Shinjuku, so a game is an easy add-on to a Tokyo trip. Night games under the lights are the classic Swallows experience, and the stadium's compact shape puts fans close to the action.
Meiji Jingu is not Tokyo's biggest stadium. It might be its most convenient.
How to experience it
Tickets for dome and stadium games are covered in our ticket guide, and watching from abroad in our overseas viewing guide. New to NPB? Start with what NPB is.