Tokyo is going to look very different in the near future. Tokyo Dome is getting a revamp, Harajuku a shiny new shopping complex, and Shinjuku Station a huge overhaul. But that’s not all. Meiji Jingu Gaien, a leafy district that’s home to the historic Jingu Stadium, will be redeveloped to make way for a new commercial complex.
This means the famous baseball stadium, which was built in 1926 and is home to the Yakult Swallows, will be demolished. The neighbouring Chichibunomyia Rugby Stadium will also be torn down as part of the redevelopment. New covered baseball and rugby stadiums will be built on the site, as well as commercial buildings and hotels.
However, the plans haven’t been without controversy. According to The Japan Times, there are concerns that a nearby row of 100-year-old ginkgo trees will be damaged by the construction work. The Mainichi also states that activists have protested the demolition of the two stadiums due to their historic importance.
Jingu Stadium is the second oldest baseball ground in Japan after Koshien Stadium in Hyogo prefecture. It’s one of only four remaining stadiums in the world where American baseball legend Babe Ruth played (in 1934). Furthermore, the landmark facility hosted the baseball games during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Yahoo News reports that the new complex will open in 2036, although no time frame has been given for the demolition of the stadiums.
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