Ahead of the 2025 MLB Tokyo Series, to be held at Prism Hall in the Tokyo Dome, Fanatics and Major League Baseball (MLB) have opened the largest MLB Ballpark store in the country today, March 14.
The MLB Official Store at the Tokyo Dome will employ 700 staff members and is one of several MLB retail stores in the city, including official stores at Miyashita Park and the Tokyo Skytree.
Fanatics and the MLB are forecasting “around 100,000 fans to visit the stores before the Chicago Cubs and LA Dodgers face off in the series’ final game on Wednesday, March 19.
Spanning 31,000 square feet, the Tokyo Dome store carries over 300 products with popular MLB skus, many designed with the Japanese consumer in mind. Top-selling products are forecasted to be the Shohei Ohtani Dodgers Jersey with Tokyo Series Patch, while team and player towels, often used by Japanese fans to wave during games, are also expected to be popular.
The MLB reported in a media release that its retail business in Japan has seen “significant growth in recent years, with Fanatics Japan seeing a 170 percent increase in MLB sales throughout 2024.”
“We’re excited to bring a next level retail experience to MLB fans in Tokyo and to continue growing our presence in Japan,” said Masanori Kawana, managing director of Fanatics East Asia. “Japanese baseball fans are incredibly passionate about the game and supporting their favorite teams and players. We are looking forward to welcoming them to all three of our stores across the city in the coming days.”
Image courtesy Fanatics x MLB