by Rob Fitts
During Induction Weekend 2025, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum officially opened the Yakyu-Baseball exhibit with a private viewing for Hall of Fame players and NPB greats. After seeing the exhibit, Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch moderated a press conference with Bobby Valentine, Jack Morris, Cal Ripken Jr., and Ozzie Press to talk about the exhibit and their experiences on the 1986 MLB All-Star tour of Japan. Among the many stars with ties to Japan to visit the exhibit were Ichiro Suzuki, Hideo Nomo, Masanori Murakami, LeRon Lee, Tuffy Rhodes, Adam Jones, Peter O’Malley, and Bobby Valentine.
Valentine noted, “I think it’s a spectacular exhibit. … Not only are the aesthetics … pleasing but the knowledge that you gain by walking around that room [will lead to] a lot of understanding. I am really happy to be part of it.”
The exhibit focuses on how baseball has brought the countries and people of Japan and the United States closer together. Displays emphasize trans-Pacific interactions including player exchange, goodwill baseball tours, and the exchange of ideas and culture. Viewers will learn to appreciate Japan’s rich baseball history. To learn more about Yakyu-Baseball please see the links below for detailed discussions of the exhibit, which will be on the third floor of the Hall of Fame Museum for at least the next five years.
Koji Sato, the President of the Japanese American Association of New York, Inc, sees the exhibit as “a great honor. I have so much pride that Japanese baseball is being recognized in the United States. Growing up, I watched Japanese baseball but never thought that there would be such Japanese outstanding players such as Ichiro and Shohei Ohtani playing in the Major Leagues. Showing the 150 years of yakyu/baseball being played in the two nations and having an exhibit showcasing how it evolved is something worth seeing for all baseball fans. To have Ichiro join the ranks of Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Joe DiMaggio and Willie Mays is an incredible accomplishment. To be included in such elite company brings a sense of pride and joy to Japan and the Japanese people. I am hoping that with the induction of Ichiro into the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Yakyu-Baseball exhibit that there will be a lot of interest by Japanese tourists to visit.”
For details on the Yakyu-Baseball exhibit, please check out these articles.
https://baseballhall.org/yakyu
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1558007181823022
https://www.mlb.com/news/baseball-hall-of-fame-opens-new-exhibit-ahead-of-induction-weekend
https://www.mlb.com/news/baseball-hall-of-fame-opens-new-exhibit-ahead-of-induction-weekend
SABR Asian Baseball Research Committee Blog 
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