Dodgers to celebrate Japanese Heritage Night on Tuesday, July 2
LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers will host Japanese Heritage Night presented by Daiso at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, July 2. Fans will experience a host of pregame performances and in-game programming to celebrate the rich Japanese culture in Los Angeles. Tickets are still available for the 7:10 p.m. game against the Arizona Diamondbacks and include the ticket pack exclusive jersey at www.dodgers.com/promotions.
Stadium gates will open at 5:10 p.m., with no shortage of entertainment in the Centerfield Plaza for fans who come to the game early. Koshin Taiko, a local group out of Venice, will be performing with eight Taiko drums. DJ Crew, who is originally from Kanagawa, Japan and now resides in Tokyo, will be spinning in the plaza as well. A DJ since he was 16, he has performed for major events like Formula 1 and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. MIYAVI, a musician, actor, and philanthropist known as the “Samurai Guitarist,” will perform pregame, including a collaboration with Koshin Taiko, and throw out an Honorary First Pitch. Rounding out the entertainment in the plaza by performing three songs will be Anna Aya, a rising star in J-Pop who hit No. 46 on the U.S. radio charts with her first single “Someone Else.”
In addition, fans can discover the newest installation sponsored by Daiso, celebrating legendary Japanese-born Dodger players from both the past and present, located under the Right Field Pavilion
Fans who purchased a ticket package will receive a special jersey upon entering Dodger Stadium. The jersey features sleeves with traditional Japanese artwork, including koi fish, which symbolize strength and good luck. The jersey also features a slight pheasant feather texture. The green pheasant is the official bird of Oshu, Japan, Shohei Ohtani’s birthplace. The back features “Dodgers” in phonetic Japanese and is in the rich red color from the Japanese flag.
On the field, the Dodgers will recognize Yoshiko Miwa ahead of the game. At 110 years old, Miwa is believed to be the second oldest person living in California, the oldest Japanese American in the country and the oldest survivor of World War II internment camps. She is also a lifelong Dodger fan from Central California who worked as a nurse in the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Los Angeles and has 10 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
The Nisei Week Foundation’s President and Court will also be recognized on the field. The Nisei Week Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes Japanese and Japanese American heritage and traditions while bringing together the diverse communities of Southern California through arts and cultural education.
The National Anthem will be performed by Aisha, an R&B and pop singer-songwriter from Tokyo. She was signed by Sony Music at 16 years old, and she released her debut album at 20. Her song “SHY” has 10,000,000 streams and 8,000,000 views on TikTok.
Star Trek star, civil rights activist and Los Angeles native George Takei will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and say, “It’s Time for Dodger Baseball!” A passionate Dodger supporter, Takei was born to Japanese American parents and has dedicated his life to Japan-United States relations and human rights.
For tickets and more information, please visit www.dodgers.com/japaneseheritage