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{{Infobox Baseball Stadium
| stadium_name      = Tokyo Dome
| nickname          = The Big Egg, Tokyo Big Egg  
| image             = [[Image:Tokyo Dome 2015-5-12.jpg|300px]]
| location          = 3, Koraku 1-chome, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan<!--
| coordinates       = {{coord|35|42|20.37|N|139|45|6.89|E|region:JP_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}-->
| opened            = March 17, 1988
| owner             = Tokyo Dome Corporation
| surface           = [[Fieldturf]] (2002~)
| tenants           = [[Yomiuri Giants]] ([[Nippon Professional Baseball|NPB]] ([[Central League]])) (1988–present)<br/>
[[Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters|Nippon Ham Fighters]] ([[Nippon Professional Baseball|NPB]] ([[Pacific League]])) (1988–2003)
| seating_capacity  =  55,000 ([[Nippon Professional Baseball|baseball]])<br/>42,000 (seated in standard configuration)
| dimensions        = Facility Capacity Area<ref name=arch>{{cite web |url=http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/dome/architectural.htm |title=TOKYO DOME CITY WEB SITE Architectural Features |accessdate=2008-03-26}}</ref>
Site: 112,456 m<sup>2</sup> (27.788 acres)<br/>
Building: 46,755 m<sup>2</sup> (503,270 sq ft)<br/>
Field: 13,000 m<sup>2</sup> (140,000 sq ft)<br/>
Right, Left: 100 m (328 ft)<br/>
Center: 122 m (400 ft)<br/>
Capacity: 1,240,000 m<sup>3</sup> (43.8 million cubic feet)
}}

'''Tokyo Dome''' (東京ドーム ''Tōkyō Dōmu'') is a 55,000-seat (actual capacity of 42,000) baseball [[stadium]] located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan. Construction on the stadium began on May 16, 1985, and opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, [[Kōrakuen Stadium]]. Like Kōrakuen, the Dome hosts the Toei Superheroes live shows of the year.

Tokyo Dome's original nickname was "The Big Egg", with some calling it the "Tokyo Big Egg".  Its dome-shaped roof is an air-supported structure, a flexible membrane held up by slightly pressurizing the inside of the stadium.

It is the home field of the [[Yomiuri Giants]] [[baseball]] team, and was also the home of the [[Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters|Nippon Ham Fighters]], until that team moved to Hokkaido in 2004. The stadium has also hosted basketball, American football and association football games, as well as ''puroresu'' (pro-wrestling) matches, mixed martial arts events, kickboxing events, monster truck races, and music concerts.  It is also the location of the [[Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame]], which chronicles the history of baseball in Japan.

Under the [[ground rules (baseball)|ground rules]] set up by the dome, any ball which hits or is trapped by the hanging items in outfield area's roof will be ruled as home runs. Hitting any other part of the roof will be considered as in-play. In addition, prize money will be given out if any home run hits the advertisement boards in the scoreboard.

==Tokyo Dome City==
Tokyo Dome is part of a greater entertainment complex known as Tokyo Dome City, built of the grounds of the former Tokyo Koishikawa arsenal. Tokyo Dome City includes an amusement park and Tokyo Dome City Attractions (formerly Kōrakuen Grounds). This amusement park occupies the former Korakuen Stadium site and includes a roller coaster named Thunder Dolphin and a hubless Ferris wheel. The grounds also have an ''onsen'' called Spa LaQua, various shops, restaurants, video game centers, the largest JRA WINS horse race betting complex in Tokyo, and Oft Korakuen, which caters to rural horse races.

==Records==

Mariah Carey's three "Tokyo Dome" shows in 1996 became the fastest sellouts in the stadium's history, when all 150,000 tickets sold out in less than 3 hours.<ref name="Mariah Carey: revisited">[http://books.google.com/books?id=1coWtdDeJSMC&pg=PA153&dq=mariah+carey+japanese&hl=en&ei=IvVbTOTmBcH48AbW69zlAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=mariah%20carey%20japanese&f=false Mariah Carey: revisited]</ref> In 1998, she also sold 200,000 tickets in under 1 hour.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=1coWtdDeJSMC&pg=PA170&dq=mariah+carey+200,000+tickets&hl=en&ei=1agaTqrIF4TL0QGYto3rDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CEwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false Mariah Carey: revisited]</ref>

==Notable performances==
[[File:Tokyo Dome side view.jpg|thumb|left|Tokyo Dome at night]]

Bon Jovi was the first international act ever to play at the Tokyo Dome on 31 December 1988. The band has performed total of 15 concerts at Tokyo Dome. American Superstar Janet Jackson Performed at the Dome in 1990, Selling out 4 shows in 7 minutes, Creating the record for the fastest sell out in the history of Tokyo Dome.<ref>http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/janet-jackson-announces-rock-witchu-tour-57277207.html</ref> Then, L'Arc~en~Ciel improved that record<ref name="Mariah Carey: revisited"/> The stadium played host to Amnesty International's Human Rights Now! Benefit Concert on September 27, 1988. The show was headlined by Sting and Peter Gabriel and also featured Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Tracy Chapman and Youssou N'Dour.

Former Beatle Paul McCartney performed for 6 nights in March 1990 during the Paul McCartney World Tour, 3 nights in November 1993 during The New World Tour, and another 3 nights in November 2002 during the Driving Japan Tour leg of his Driving World Tour.

The American megastar Michael Jackson performed on stage more than any other artist or band, a total of 21 concerts. The first nine of them, all sold out, there were days in December 9, 10 & 11; 17, 18 & 19; and 24, 25 & 26, 1988, during his ''Bad World Tour''. Four years later, Jackson returned to perform at Tokyo Dome, this time as part of his ''Dangerous World Tour'', in eight sold out concerts, in days December 12, 14, 17, 19, 22, 24 and 30 & 31, 1992. His last four concerts took place in 1996, on December 12, 15, 17 and 20 of that year, during Michael's ''HIStory World Tour''. More than 1 million people have seen these 21 concerts, more than any other artist in country's history.

American superstar Madonna performed 6 shows at the Dome during her 1993 "Girlie Show" on December 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, and 2 shows during her 2006 "Confessions Tour" on September, 20 and 21.

Heavy metal band X Japan has performed at Tokyo Dome many times, including: their last concert with former bassist Taiji on January 7, 1992 (''On the Verge of Destruction 1992.1.7 Tokyo Dome Live'') and their last concert before disbanding on December 31, 1997 (''The Last Live Video''). The arena also hosted their first concerts after reuniting in 2007; March 28–30, 2008.<ref name="japanzone_new">
{{cite web
| title      = X Japan Announce Concert Details
| work       = japan-zone.com
| url        = http://www.japan-zone.com/news/2008/01/21/x_japan_announce_concert_details.shtml
| accessdate = 2011-10-29
}}
</ref>

==Notable events==

The Dome hosted an annual college football game known as the Coca-Cola Bowl from 1988 to 1993; perhaps the most famous of these games saw Houston Cougars quarterback David Klingler pass for a record 716 yards to lead the 11th-ranked Cougars to a 62-45 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils on December 1, 1990.

Tokyo Dome has hosted the two-day X-Trail Jam snowboarding competition seven times since February 2001.

The [[Chicago Cubs]] and the [[New York Mets]] played a pair of games here to open the [[2000 Major League Baseball season|2000 season]], the first time American [[Major League Baseball]] teams have played regular season games in Asia. The [[New York Yankees]] and the [[Tampa Bay Devil Rays]] played two games there in March of [[2004 Major League Baseball season|2004]] to open that season. The [[Boston Red Sox]] and the [[Oakland Athletics]] opened the 2008 MLB season in Japan as well. These teams also competed against Japanese teams.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071114&content_id=2300048&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |title=Red Sox, A's Japan-bound in 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-26}}</ref> The [[Boston Red Sox]] beat the [[Oakland Athletics]] 6–5 in extra innings in the first game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080325&content_id=2456356&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos |title=Moss, Manny fuel comeback |accessdate=2008-03-26}}</ref> To open the 2012 MLB season the [[Seattle Mariners]] and the [[Oakland A's]] played a two-game series on March 28–29. In game one Seattle led by Ichiro's 4 hits won 3-1 in 11 innings.<ref>[http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7031415/seattle-mariners-oakland-athletics-open-2012-season-tokyo "Seattle Mariners Oakland athletics open 2012 season Tokyo"] ''ESPN''.</ref> On March 29, [[Yoenis Cespedes]] hit his first career Major League home run, becoming the first player to do so in Japan.

In October 2003, the (then) Seattle SuperSonics beat the L.A. Clippers in the first pre season exhibition game of the NBA 2003-2004 season.

In August 2005, the Atlanta Falcons beat the Indianapolis Colts 27–20 in the first NFL preseason game of the year in the stadium.

Tokyo Dome has hosted several championship prize fights, including the heavyweight boxing championship fight on February 11, 1990, where Mike Tyson suffered his first professional defeat by losing the title to 42–1 shot James "Buster" Douglas by a tenth-round knockout.

In 1997, mixed martial arts organization PRIDE Fighting Championships held its first event in the dome and attracted 47,000 fans.

Before the team moved to Hokkaido in 2004, the [[Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters|Nippon Ham Fighters]] also used Tokyo Dome as home ground, and briefly continued to use the dome for several regular season games.

New Japan Pro Wrestling holds an annual Tokyo Dome event on January 4, attracting record crowds. It is the most anticipated pro wrestling (''puroresu'') event of the year.

==In popular culture==

In their song, "The Sounder", the virtual band Gorillaz makes a reference to the Tokyo Dome, saying: "Gorillaz rock the dome just like the one in Tokyo."

A scene in the Ben Mezrich book ''Ugly Americans'' involves a football game between Ivy League and Japanese all-star teams.

In episode 17 of the anime ''Baki the Grappler'', it is revealed that the underground fighting arena for the world's strongest man is on an underground floor of the Tokyo Dome.

The dome can actually be seen in NEWS member, Keiichiro Koyama's music video for his solo song, "Love Addiction".

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/ Tokyo Dome official website]
*[http://hokie-engineer.com/Tokyo/2004_Yomiuri_Giants_Tokyo_Dome.jpg Stadium picture]
*[http://www.japanesebaseballstadiums.com/stadiums/tokyodome.htm Tokyo Dome Stadium Guide]
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{{succession box
| title = Home of the<br>[[Yomiuri Giants]]
| years = 1988 – present
| before = [[Korakuen Stadium]]
| after = current
}}
{{succession box
| title = Home of the<br>[[Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters|Nippon Ham Fighters]]
| years = 1988–2003
| before = [[Korakuen Stadium]]
| after = [[Sapporo Dome]]
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Wikipedia}}

[[Category:Ballparks]]
[[Category:Japanese ballparks]]
[[Category:Stadiums]]
[[Category:Domed stadiums]]