#3: Hiroshima Municipal Stadium 広島市民球場Location: Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Pref.
場所：広島市、広島県
Team: Hiroshima Toyo Carp
チーム：広島東洋カープ
Capacity/定員: 31,984
Opened: July 20, 1957
We've made it to the final 3, and you can't go wrong with any of them. the final order took some serious thought and I'm sure it will be up for debate but with this selection, it is set. 3 stadiums left, 3 days to 1st pitch, get your tickets now!
so at #3 we have Hiroshima. My experience with Hiroshima is a bit tainted because i had a horrible sunburn from waiting outside before a game last May. But, the only reason Hiroshima was destined for only 3rd is that it no longer exists (for the sake of argument). After 51 years of service, Hiroshima Municipal Stadium (Also refered to as Hiroshima Civic Stadium) has been retired in favor for Mazda Zoom Zoom! Enough about that.
One fault Hiroshima has is that it feels (and was) thrown together quickly. It was built in only 7 months! there are very few concessions available and about 2 tiny bathrooms for the entire left field section! What Hiroshima lacks in building planning, it makes up for in charm. From its retro-dirt infield to its minor-league dimensions to its reddish-orange foul poles it feels like a wonderful place to watch a game. it feels very intimate. Hiroshima also has a big advantage in that the team name does not (usually) contain a company name (along with Yokohama) and is owned mostly by the city. This leads to Hiroshima having some of the best fans in Japan, loyal to the end with one of the best chants in all the land. However, it is a bit overused. Hiroshima is also the only place where you don't actually need to leave the stands to smoke, just climb to the top of the bleaches and fire it up with a nice view of Hiroshima castle. Ah, location. Hiroshima municipal stadium had the best location of all. A perfect downtown spot, across the street from the A-bomb dome (原爆ドーム).
This is a huge loss for the new stadium, however, it will be a bit more convenient as the new stadium is placed right next to the tracks at new Hiroshima station (新広島駅). The new location will be much better for out-of-towners, but it will lose a lot of its atmosphere. I'm sure the carp fans will still show up in force. I'm excited at the prospect of visiting the new stadium because it's a unique design and from what I've heard, it'll be more like a U.S. stadium as it's gonna be the only stadium in Japan with different distances to the right and left field walls! crazy! I'm not sure what the plans are for the land on which Hiroshima M. Stadium stood, but I'm sure it will not be nearly as interesting, nor have the cultural significance of Hiroshima Municipal Stadium For all its faults and because all of its charm, Hiroshima M. Stadium will be dearly missed. 
お疲れ様, 広島市民球場!location: +5
history: +4
fanmasphere: +3
concessions: -4
smoking: +10
bathrooms: -4
sight lines: +4
field surface: +5
outside: +5
surroundings: +5
seats: +1
atmosphere: +4
security: +5
total: +43
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