Sea Dogs’ Japan Day to Honor Maine’s Connection to Baseball in Japan

Portland, Maine- The Portland Sea Dogs, the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, will host Japan Day, presented by Japan Airlines and Day’s Jewelers, at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field on Sunday, August 23rd at 1:00 PM. The second annual day is a tribute to Horace Wilson, the Mainer, who introduced baseball to Japan.

The day will include traditional Japanese music, beverages, and giveaways, as well as honoring Maine’s unique connection to baseball in Japan.

Traditional Japanese Shakuhachi Flute music by Toji Kaido Perlman will entertain fans pregame on the front plaza. Maine Taiko Dojo Drumming will have a pregame performance on the field. Students from Showa Boston will provide traditional Japanese dance performances pregame.

Little Leaguers participating in the Horace Wilson Tournament will take part in a pregame parade.

Other pregame ceremonies include the viewing of three videos on the video board… Diamond Diplomacy: Short Trailer, JNTO Tourism Promotion Video and the Aomori Prefecture Tourism Promotion Video.

Japanese beverages Kirin Ichiban Beer, Farthest Star Sake and Suntory will be served at the ballpark.

Japan Airlines will award one lucky fan at the game 80,000 miles. This mileage is equivalent to a round-trip Premium Economy flight between the U.S. and Tokyo, such as Boston–Tokyo or New York–Tokyo (subject to availability, Tax and fuel fees paid by the passenger). Fans can register to win at seadogs.com, but must be present at the game to be eligible to win. Japan Airlines will also be giving away Uchiwa Japanese fans.

A Masataka Yoshida autographed baseball will also be available to win during the game through the Sea Dogs Rewards App.

A special ticket package is available that includes your ticket to the game and a specially designed Japanese Cherry Blossom Hat from New Era. Sea Dogs’ Japanese t-shirts are also available for sale at the Sea Dogs Souvenir Shop. The t-shirts have “Sea Dogs” written in Japanese across the chest.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE HAT TICKET PACKAGE

The Japanese Consulate General Seiichi Takahashi will be making an appearance at the game. While Theo Balcomb, a descendant of Wilson, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Wilson, a native of Gorham, Maine, is credited with introducing baseball to Japan in 1872. While teaching English at Kaisei Gakko, the forerunner of Tokyo Imperial University, he took his students outside for exercise and introduced them to baseball. The first formal team was established in 1878, and popularity took off, making it a national sport. Wilson was posthumously inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003. He is one of only a handful of non-Japanese members to be inducted.

The Sea Dogs have had several Japanese baseball players on their roster over the years, including Junichi Tazawa, as well as notable rehab appearances by Daisuke Matsuzaka and Masataka Yoshida. In 2006, Hideki Matsui made a rehab appearance at Hadlock Field as a member of the Trenton Thunder in the Eastern League playoffs against the Sea Dogs.

The City of Portland also has a sister city relationship with Shinagawa, established in 1984.

Tickets for Japan Day and all 2026 Sea Dogs home games are available. Tickets can be purchased online at seadogs.com or by calling the Sea Dogs ticket office at 207-879-9500.