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In Japan, Come For The Baseball Game, Stay For The Toilets

May 6, 2009 at 9:36 AM | by kjb | 1 Comment

Baseball is one of the best spectator sports in the world. The cheer of the crowd, the crack of the bat, the hot dogs, and even the public restrooms make the whole experience that much better. Well, maybe not the restroom part, unless you are lucky enough to take in a game at the Seibu Dome just outside of Tokyo.

It all started a couple of years ago when the Boston Red Sox seduced star pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka away from the Seibu Lions. Through MLB’s agreement with the professional league in Japan, US teams had a precious few days to make an offer on Matsuzaka through something known as the posting system. Basically, the Red Sox won this type of auction, and paid about $50 million through the nose for the rights to the popular pitcher. As a result, the Lions were swimming in an udon soup of hot new cash.

Instead of simply investing all the money in new talent, they smartly focused on improving the fan experience with particular attention to the cleanliness of the stadium and its bathrooms. They did of course upgrade the playing field, add fancy new scoreboards, and throw in some new concession stands too; however, the restrooms received the bulk of the upgrades.

So what's in store for your tushie at Seibu? New toilets with warming seats and floor-to-ceiling stall doors—George Constanza would be proud—are just some of the fresh features. High-tech urinals replaced the cement receptacles of years past, all now set along a tiled wall in the Lions’ team colors of blue and white. Some have even described the women’s restrooms as looking straight out of a luxury hotel. Here, each stall is graced with a combination bidet and toilet, providing a true sanctuary from the crowds and noise for one to uh, conduct business. There'll be no more lugging wet wipes with you to Japan just in case.

Related Stories:
·Seibu Lions’ Porcelain And Plastic Memorial To Matsuzaka: Plush Bathrooms [NYT]
·Forget The Yankees And Mets, The Minor Leagues Have Their Own New Fields [Jaunted]
·Sports coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Wikimedia]

1 Comment

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  1. JetSetCD

    Jaunted Member

    clean butt

    Gotta love the Japanese diligence of those butt-cleaning toilets. I'll bet this stadium doesn't serve chili dogs, however.
    May 6, 2009 at 1:03 PM

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