The Los Angeles Dodgers made headlines by signing Shohei Ohtani to an unprecedented $700 million contract, a move designed to spark interest and financial gains from fans, especially those across the Pacific. This strategy seems to be paying off as Ohtani becomes the centerpiece attraction for the MLB regular season games between the Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome, taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Off the field, Ohtani’s influence continues to grow, with his name being the highlight of a vast souvenir shop within the Tokyo Dome complex. This shop, described by MLB as its “largest ever special-event store,” features an extensive array of merchandise showcasing Ohtani’s name, face, and his iconic No. 17.
Visitors like Lillian Izawa, who is from Honolulu and works as a flight attendant, marvel at the scale of the store. She, and many others like her, have stood in long lines just to enter the 30,000-square-foot space filled with Ohtani memorabilia. As the Tuesday and Wednesday games approach, the flow of visitors shows no sign of waning, with both the Dodgers and MLB capitalizing on Ohtani’s notoriously lucrative 10-year agreement, worth $700 million.
The shop can be likened to a “Merch Museum” devoted to Ohtani, alongside fellow Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and the Dodgers. Even fans of the Chicago Cubs have a dedicated area featuring typical gear such as caps, jerseys, and various other MLB collectibles.
“The Japanese are known for their passion for limited-edition items,” explained Izawa, highlighting the appeal of unique merchandise to local consumers. The store encapsulates this enthusiasm by offering exclusive Ohtani goods, which mirror the rising global interest in baseball spurred by the Japanese star’s presence in the MLB.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell acknowledged the series’ significance, citing how it emphasizes baseball’s reach on a global platform. The games have attracted dedicated fans like Rosie Rosas from San Diego, who traveled to Tokyo with her son to visit her husband in Japan. Though tickets for the Dodgers-Cubs games are scarce, Rosas embraced the chance to engage in some shopping.
Meanwhile, tourists Ruby Yu and Nick Mah from Vancouver cited Ohtani as a key part of their Tokyo visit, expressing excitement over their $200 tickets to an exhibition match between the Hanshin Tigers and the Chicago Cubs. The high demand for tickets is evident, with some prices on the secondary market reaching $1,500 for the Dodgers-Cubs matchups.
Wearing a Chicago Cubs jersey, supporter Jason Umbreit found the souvenir store overwhelming but was pleased by the availability of Cubs items. Having secured a ticket for $60, he considers himself fortunate, noting the long lines and pricey resale rates.
The fluctuating value of the Japanese yen against the dollar has made travel to the United States costly, yet for those visiting Japan, the exchange rate presents an affordable opportunity for shopping. The MLB store offers prices that, while steep, might be more reasonable than those in the United States. Dodgers’ pitcher Yamamoto expressed gratitude for fan support, hoping to channel this energy into his performance.
High-end items include Dodgers jerseys priced at about 75,000 yen ($500), while other jersey styles cost around 25,000 yen ($170). Caps, t-shirts, keychains, and game programs complete the array, with many products reasonably priced to appeal to dedicated fans like Kohei Matsui, who was surprised by the scale of the event.
For many Japanese baseball aficionados, witnessing Major League Baseball games in person is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, an opportunity they eagerly seize.
