A Cubs Fan's Guide to Feasting Around the Tokyo Dome

A quick check-in from Cubs announcer Alex Cohen suggested that the Cubs have arrived in Tokyo, time-stamped just after midnight local time. At the time of this writing, it is quite late for Japan, as they are in the really early morning hours on Thursday, so one hopes that Cubs players are settled in and trying to sleep off their travel day. The goal is to rise and shine at a reasonable hour, to hard reset their clocks. Once refreshed, it's nice to know that Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki will help the team partake in a hearty meal. 

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In the meantime, Imanaga is working on organizing a team dinner while in Tokyo, so everyone can “soak in the traditional Japanese food” ahead of the games. After the pitcher and Suzuki acclimated to life with the Cubs in the United States, it will be a chance to share aspects of their culture with the group.

“I’m really excited for everybody to experience the country that Seiya and I grew up in,” Imanaga said. “When everybody comes back to the U.S., reflecting on how great of an experience it was for everyone and how much they enjoyed it, I think if everybody enjoys it, I’ll really be happy.”

There's probably plenty of time outside of the games and workouts for the players to take in some sights around Tokyo and try other restaurants on their own during this week. I guess the Chicago Mag tried to do some quick bits for fans visiting during the Tokyo Series, and there are some FAQs and broadcast info for those of us who can't actually be at the Tokyo Dome. If I were there, I would most likely visit some of the spots on this traveler guide, and also this particular capybara cafe—because capybaras. As is usually the case with my family and I, because we are now fat Americans who live to eat, I would be excited about the food options, and I'm guessing the Cubs party would be as well.

The Tokyo Dome is one of the most famous sports venues in the world, located in the Bunkyō ward of Tokyo. It's nice that every exhibition and the two MLB games will be there, and there's actually quite a bit to do in the area already, although Tokyo's transit system is so good that you can probably get anywhere else in a reasonable time if you want to. The screenshot below does show a few restaurants around the Dome that you can walk to within 10 to 20 minutes, if you don't feel like eating stadium food, but the Tokyo Dome City also offers plenty of options for dining and takeout/delivery.

As expected, there is plenty of sushi and traditional Japanese fare, and also themed restaurants for foreign guests, which include a TGI Friday's (those still exist?), a Bubba Gump Shrimp (ha!), and an Indian restaurant that's fairly well-rated. But honestly, what I would be excited about is the 7-Eleven, Japanese style! There are three of these stores within walking distance of the Tokyo Dome (the closest is 15 minutes away), and if you want some late-night munchies but don't want to splurge at a restaurant, this is a fantastic option, given all the fun food items you simply wouldn't get back in Chicago...

Between all the hot snacks and the Asian-style instant and not-so-instant food items, Japanese 7-Eleven is leaps and bounds above anything you might find at an American 7-Eleven. I would lobby for a 7-Eleven (Japan style) to be opened here in Chicagoland, where there is a pretty significant Japanese (and Asian, more broadly) population, though I guess they'd have to compete with the H-Mart or the Mitsuwa (which will have some of the items you saw in the video, but isn't as comprehensive), or pretty much all of Chinatown. Still, there's certainly a market for it! 

If you are fortunate enough to go to Japan for the Tokyo Series, don't just go to the games, take advantage of the opportunity to explore a fun and tasty new land. Whether you stay around the neighborhood or venture beyond, there's going to be something to satisfy your palate!