Written by Suezo Azuma, Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure Ballpark Digest (Free)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Friends and Fans – it’s almost that time of year again.  Time to hear the crack of the bat, the roar of the Kure Arsenal crowd cheering on the home side to another terrific campaign.  Time to eat hot dogs, dried squid and wasabi peas, all brought to the Nisshin Steel Done at Kure by the benevolent Nisshin Steel Company!

The benevolent Nisshin Steel Company has a number of wonderful changes in store for Arsenal fans in 2013.  I recently had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit down and have a chat with Hideo Suzuki, president of Nisshin Steel, who revealed several here-to-now top-secret plans for the 2013 season at the Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure.  Please enjoy this most informative interview.

Digest: Hello, sir, and I want to express only the greatest gratitude in your joining me today.

Hideo Suzuki: It is my pleasure.

Digest: 2012 was an amazing season for Kure Arsenal fans, wasn’t it?

H.S.: It most certainly was.  It was a special year for those of us, well, such as yourself (laughter) that have been with the organization for many years.

Digest: Oh, thank you, sir.  So, everybody wants to know, what can fans expect at the Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure this season?

H.S.: Well, I can tell you this will be a very special year for the Kure Arsenal fans, and on behalf of Nisshin Steel, I want to take this opportunity to tell everyone that we at Nisshin Steel are committed to making 2013 at the Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure an even more memorable season than last year.

Digest: That is indeed wonderful news, sir.  We must all give our great thanks to you and the benevolent Nisshin Steel Company!

H.S.: Indeed, and so I have come to this interview today with several exciting announcements that we at Nisshin Steel have planned for the 2013 season.  We conducted numerous surveys with our fans during last season, and I must say there was a recurring theme in the data.  There is one thing that fans want above all else, and that is – value.

Digest: Ah, yes.  Of course!

H.S.: Yes.  Fans want value, and if there’s anything that we at Nisshin Steel have learned over the many years of running our company, it is that the customer seeks value above all else.

Digest: Sounds like a good match!

H.S.: Indeed.  Kure Arsenal fans want value, and for over 100 years now, we at Nisshin Steel have been committed to delivering value to our customers.  So if there is an underlying theme to the 2013 Kure Arsenal season at the Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure, it is value.

Digest: Okay, so let me make sure I clearly understand what you’re saying.  For over 100 years, the benevolent Nisshin Steel Company has been committed to delivering value to customers.

H.S.: That is correct.

Digest: And in recent customer surveys of Kure Arsenal fans conducted by the benevolent Nisshin Steel Company, the thing fans rated as being most important to them was also value.

H.S.: Yes.  So taking that valuable information into consideration, we at Nisshin Steel have come up with a number of ways to create even more value at the Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure.  The first will be the unveiling of a new food menu at home games set to debut at the very first Arsenal game this season.

Digest: Oh, that’s wonderful.  Who doesn’t love food at the ballpark?

H.S.: Indeed.  I don’t want to reveal the entire menu at present, but I have brought details of three new food items fans can find at the Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure this season.

1. The Nisshin Steel Kure Arsenal Hot Dogs, which from now will affectionately known as “Nisshin Steel Dogs” for short.
2. Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure Roasted Dried Squid, which will be served in strips of 10 per package and from now be affectionately known among fans as “Squidly Nisshin Steel Beams”.
3. Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure Wasabi Peas, which will be sold as Nisshin Steel

Dome at Kure green baseballs.  At present, there is no nickname for that product.
Digest: Oh my!  What an amazing turn of events bestowed upon all fans by the benevolent Nisshin Steel Company!

H.S.: Well, thank you, but really, I should be thanking the fans that have made the Kure Arsenal and the Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure what it is today.

Digest: Wonderful!  Anything other surprises?

H.S.: Yes.  We’ve made several changes within the Nisshin Steel Dome at Kure itself.  For one, we’ve installed new stainless Nisshin Steel toilets in all the restrooms, and as a special treat for fans, a museum called Nisshin Steel – The First 100 Years

Digest: Oh, I can’t wait to see that.

H.S.: We’ve made a number of cosmetic changes at the playing field as well.  We’ve replaced the fence down the left field foul line, moved that fence back to 345 feet, and also replaced the fence in left field, moving that back to 390 feet.

Digest: Sounds exciting!  May I ask?  Are the fences themselves made of Nisshin Steel?

H.S.: Of course.  100% Nisshin Steel.

Digest: Sir, I want thank you so much for taking the time to conduct this absolutely amazing interview.  We’ve covered so much ground I don’t really even know what to say or do except say thank you, thank you, thank you 1,000 times.

H.S.: Oh, you’re very welcome.  On behalf of the entire Nisshin Steel family, you are very welcome.