Seeing Baseball in Hsinchu 新竹市立棒球場

All Sides of a Culture

When exploring a country, only looking at traditions handed down through the generations paints just part of a people’s story. It is also essential to look at a culture through the lens of today. In Taiwan, there are many different angles to look at modern culture. One of the best ways to see a side of Taiwan outside of the temples and shrines is to take part in one of the island’s baseball games! While in Hsinchu, there is no better place to play ball than the Hsinchu Municipality Baseball Stadium (新竹市立棒球場).

Like most cities around the country, baseball in Hsinchu goes hand in hand with local pride. When a game is being held, the stadium becomes the focal point of the whole city. A buzz reverberates across the town, attracting baseball fans and curious spectators alike. Even for those with little knowledge of the sport, seeing baseball in Hsinchu will grant you a closer look at the soul of the city.

Want to explore more of the history of Hsinchu? Check out the Japanese Police Commissioner’s Residence here!

Watching Baseball in Hsinchu

Unlike massive stadiums found in America and other cities around the world, the Hsinchu City Baseball Stadium is located right in the heart of downtown. With its entrance on the corner of Xida Road (西大路) and Minfu Road (民富街), many locals simply walk to the stadium rather than battle with traffic and take on the monumental task of finding a parking space. Even if you’re coming from the train station, your best option will be to walk. Most buses in Hsinchu will only take you half of the way to the baseball stadium.

After you figure out how to get there, you’ll next need to secure your seats to see baseball in Hsinchu. With the Hsinchu Baseball Stadium being relatively new, you’ll find that many of the stands are packed. Currently, tickets for baseball games in Hsinchu range anywhere from 250 NT (8.33 USD) up to 550 NT (18 USD). The prices differ depending on how close you are to the home plate and if you are attending on a weekday or on the weekend.

Being in the heart of Hsinchu, don’t be surprised to see some fans posted up in their apartments. Scores of onlookers can be found lounging about on their balconies to catch the game. Their homes are in a great spot as long as the home runs don’t go through their windows.

Looking to take in some local art? Head over to the Hsinchu County Museum of Art in Zhubei!

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

What is great about seeing baseball in Hsinchu is all of the food stands and trucks posted outside of the stadium. Rows of vendors are lined up right in front of the entrance to hook fans up with anything from hotdogs to a bento box of braised pork. With a perfect mix of cultures, you are sure to find a mouth-watering snack to chow down on while watching the game.

Fans with tickets in the infield will have more food options inside the stadium. Unfortunately for those with the cheaper tickets in the outfield, you’ll only have a small table selling drinks at the top of the stands. Luckily, you can bring any of the food you purchased from the small market outside of the stadium with you. Even from the furthest seat from home plate, the hot dog and drink really help to kick off the baseball experience.

If you’re wanting to see more traditional sports, make sure to see the Dragon Boat Festival in Hsinchu County!

Play Ball

Baseball in Hsinchu, and Taiwan as a whole, is pretty much what you’d expect from a sports game anywhere else in the world. You have cheerleaders who mesmerize the crowd with their dances and lead fans in chants. Comical mascots prance through the aisles. Cameramen also find spectators to zoom in on to show off their team pride. While many things feel familiar, it is the differences when watching baseball in Hsinchu that truly make the experience special.

Traditional drums are played while fans on either side chant and gesture towards the opposing team. Flags are waved which reminds one of the strong Japanese influence in Taiwan. And even the cheerleaders welcomed fans with a dance while wearing traditional qipaos and performing with red fans. The small unique representations of Taiwan culture within the game itself make the entire game a memory to last a lifetime.

If you’re in Hsinchu on the weekend, be sure to head over to the Weekend Flower Market!

Hsinchu Baseball

Even though Hsinchu has had a rebirth of baseball, the city is no stranger to the sport. The Hsinchu County Baseball Stadium was originally built in 1976. After the city grew over the years, the name “county” was changed to “municipality”. Hsinchu’s stadium hosted many events and competitions over the years but failed to ever have its own home professional team.

Up until 2015, the Hsinchu Baseball Stadium saw no renovations. It was said that it wasn’t until the players started to complain about the conditions that changes were made. After 1.4 million NT (40 million USD)  in renovations and agreeing to share the Weiquan Dragons (味全龍) with Taipei, it looked like baseball in Hsinchu was back. The opening game was even attended by President Tsai Ing-wen. Unfortunately, the conditions of the stadium were mocked by locals. Backward-facing locks on the bathroom doors, rusted railings, and seats facing high concrete walls were just the tip of the iceberg. Players were put in danger due to the dirt being too soft, this led to several players getting hurt.

Hopefully, in the coming months, baseball in Hsinchu will be back for good.

Stroll through this traditional Chinese garden located in the heart of Zhubei! Read more here!

Batter Up

Your average, oblivious spectator would have little knowledge of all of the problems happening in the background. All of the drums, horns, and flashing lights are more than enough to distract from the issues with Hsinchu Stadium. Even though games are halted, for the time being, Hsinchu is ready to head back to the ballpark and take part in local culture.

Unlike other sports, baseball will have you outside enjoying the fresh air and taking in the city skyline. Even if you’re not a fan of baseball, you can’t help but feel a sense of community while sitting up in the stands. The people of Hsinchu deserve a stadium where they can feel pride in their city. One can only hope that the fans will keep up filling up the seats when the stadium open’s its doors again.

There is so much more to do in Hsinchu! You can find even more of the best sights in Hsinchu here!