It’s a warm spring evening at Dodger Stadium and two Japanese women are taking selfies next to a mural featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and their clear favorite — Roki Sasaki, who they say that they’ve enjoyed following on Instagram since he started with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Later they’ll head to the airport for a 1 a.m. flight. But for now, their full attention is on the game.
This type of evening out has become common among Japanese tourists. In fact, 80%-90% of Japanese nationals who visit Los Angeles want to see a game at Dodger Stadium, and many do so more than once, the city’s tourism board said. The influx of Japanese visitors has already inspired an expansion of Dodger Stadium’s food offerings: last year, the ballpark started offering takoyaki. This year, the hot new menu item was a katsu (cutlet) double-decker sandwich with Kewpie mayonnaise.
But this influx of Japanese visitors has become more than just fandom — it’s a signal of a larger shift. Players are actively reshaping the way that MLB connects with fans on both sides of the Pacific, as the league leans into marketing that’s just as much about identity, pride and belonging as it is about what happens on the field.
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