THE THIS IS IOWA TAB. IT WAS JAPAN NIGHT AT TONIGHT'S IOWA CUBS GAME. THE EVENT WAS PRESENTED BY THE JAPAN AMERICA SOCIETY OF IOWA. IOWA SISTER STATES AND THE GREATER DES MOINES SISTER CITIES COMMISSION. JAPANESE DIGNITARIES WERE ON HAND, AS WELL AS DES MOINES MAYOR CONNIE BOESEN AND STATE SENATOR SARAH GARRIOTT, MOVIE DIRECTOR YURIKO GAMO. ROMERO WAS THERE AND THREW OUT THE FIRST PITCH FOR THE DOCUMENTARY DIAMOND DIPLOMACY. DIPLOMACY, EXCUSE ME, IS ABOUT THE ROLE BASEBALL PLAYED IN US-JAPAN RELATIONS. IT WILL AIR WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE VARSITY CINEMA IN DES MOINES. DURING THE WAR, JAPANESE AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES WERE INTERNED. ALL TEN CAMPS HAD BASEBALL TEAMS, AND IN FACT, IN SOME CASES, THEY WERE ALLOWED TO TRAVEL BETWEEN CAMPS AND PLAY TOURNAMENTS. SO IT WAS IT WAS A WAY THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND SOME NORMALCY. I'M SURE IT'S A DOCUMENTARY. DEFINITELY WORTH SEEING. THE TEAM
‘Japan Night’ brings cultural celebration to Iowa Cubs game
The Iowa Cubs hosted ‘Japan Night’, featuring dignitaries, cultural events, and a special first pitch by a documentary filmmaker.
Updated: 10:52 PM CDT May 22, 2026
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‘Japan Night’ at the Iowa Cubs game showcased cultural events and special guests, including Japanese dignitaries.The event was presented by the Japan America Society of Iowa, Iowa Sister States, and the Greater Des Moines Sister Cities Commission. Movie director Yuriko Gamo-Romer threw out the first pitch. Romer's documentary, “Diamond Diplomacy,” focuses on the role baseball played in U.S.-Japan relations. The film will air Wednesday night at the Varsity Cinema in Des Moines with a special Q&A portion.”During the war, Japanese Americans in the United States were interned,” Gamo-Romer said. “All ten camps had baseball teams. And in fact, in some cases, they were allowed to travel between camps and play tournaments. So it was a way that they were able to find some normalcy.” The evening concluded with Japanese anime music accompanying the post-game fireworks show.
‘Japan Night’ at the Iowa Cubs game showcased cultural events and special guests, including Japanese dignitaries.
The event was presented by the Japan America Society of Iowa, Iowa Sister States, and the Greater Des Moines Sister Cities Commission. Movie director Yuriko Gamo-Romer threw out the first pitch.
Romer's documentary, “Diamond Diplomacy,” focuses on the role baseball played in U.S.-Japan relations. The film will air Wednesday night at the Varsity Cinema in Des Moines with a special Q&A portion.
“During the war, Japanese Americans in the United States were interned,” Gamo-Romer said. “All ten camps had baseball teams. And in fact, in some cases, they were allowed to travel between camps and play tournaments. So it was a way that they were able to find some normalcy.”
The evening concluded with Japanese anime music accompanying the post-game fireworks show.
