With 12 new Japanese sponsors, Japanese-language stadium tours and new Japanese menu items, the Dodgers are making the most of the Ohtani effect.
The Dodgers bat boy jumped into action during Wednesday's game against the White Sox to catch a sharply hit foul ball that appeared to be heading toward Shohei Ohtani!
Hizume spoke in Japanese, while the general manager of the Miyako Hotel - where she was staying in Los Angeles - stood next to her and translated. "He's just a phenomenal individual, right?" said Judy Clow, who brought her brother from Japan to a Japanese-language tour at Dodger Stadium. "Wait till he starts pitching for us! My gosh!"
Christine Gerriets, executive chef at Dodger Stadium, said that the stadium offers all the traditional ballpark eats like Dodger dogs, as well as some new items, like chicken katsu sandwiches, sushi, Kurobuta pork sausages, and takoyaki, which are Japanese round fritters filled with octopus. In early July, the Dodgers hosted "Japanese Heritage Night," featuring performers and giveaways sponsored by Japanese retailer Daiso.
Many of those tour buses are also stopping in Little Tokyo, where these visitors can see the 150-foot-tall Ohtani mural that has made headlines in Japan. "This area's been hard hit during Covid, and I really felt like as a long-time resident of downtown LA I wanted to be able to contribute to the AAPI community and support that," Vargas said. "Ohtani represents how to do things the right way on and off the field. And I wanted to celebrate that."Businesses like the Miyako Hotel, Mr. Ramen, and Far Bar, among others, say their foot traffic has doubled compared to this time last year.
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