The JapanBall Hall of Fame was created in 2005, when Connie Van Putten, a member of our tour asked, “Could you help me see the rest of the stadiums after the main tour?”
We had never been asked that question, and we figured that anyone going on to visit all the ballparks certainly belonged in the JapanBall Hall of Fame… if we’d actually had such a thing. We immediately formed an Induction Committee to set forth criteria for admission and the HOF was born.
There are four ways to be inducted in the JapanBall Hall of Fame:
- Visit all twelve NPB teams’ home stadiums during the course of one tour or
- Participate in three of JapanBall’s tours, with at least one being in Japan.
- Demonstrate a sustained, exemplary dedication and service to the JapanBall community.
Inductees are immortalized with a plaque to commemorate the honor in the JapanBall Hall of Fame. See member list.
The Hall is located inside Cafe Noodle Roje (Google Maps), a small neighborhood restaurant located just blocks away from the Tokyo Dome. While searching for a home for our HOF, we sought a place that would be welcoming to foreign baseball fans, provide a personal feel for the country, and serve food that is delicious, traditional, and agreeable to a variety of palates.
With Cafe Noodle Roje, we found the perfect spot.
Owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Jun and Koko, the cafe is open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner until 10pm, and Saturday for lunch until 2pm. If you’re in Tokyo and don’t find your way there, you’ll have missed an essential piece of your Japan experience. Seriously. Visit the JapanBall Hall of Fame.