Sensory overload under dome

Red Sox fans line the wall on the first base side just after Boston took a 6-5 exhibition victory over the Hanshin Tigers. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff)

TOKYO - Yes, they played "Sweet Caroline" in the middle of the eighth. And there were a few fans doing the "so good, so good, so good" thing while thousands of Japanese spectators sat quietly and wondered what in the name of Sadaharu Oh was going on.

Welcome to Tokyo Dome, site of the Red Sox season opener Tuesday.

The Sox defeated the Hanshin Tigers, 6-5, yesterday in the first of four games (two preseason, two real ones) at the Dome. They play the Yomiuri Giants tonight, then meet the A's here Tuesday and Wednesday.

For those not fortunate enough to be watching the Red Sox on the other side of the world, here's a quickie guide to baseball at Tokyo Dome:

Nicknamed "The Big Egg," home of the fabled Giants, the Dome opened on St. Patrick's Day in 1988. It's an unfortunate merger of the Minneapolis Metrodome and the Trop in St. Petersburg. In 20 short years, Tokyo Dome somehow has managed to become almost as dingy and depressing as Shea Stadium. It's got the puffy, air-supported roof of the Twins' home (difficult fo locate fly balls), the color scheme of the Rays' aquarium, and sprawling acres of foul territory that should remind the A's of their home field.

The Rolling Stones and Gun 'N' Roses played here. So did the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons. Now it's the Red Sox' turn.

This is Japan's Cooperstown. The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame stands adjacent to Tokyo Dome, alongside a Ferris wheel and a roller coaster named "Thunder Dolphin." There's also a 43-story Tokyo Dome hotel, which, alas, has no field-view rooms like Toronto's SkyDome.

Tokyo fans were typically dazzled by David Ortiz's batting practice shots, but the Sox players were equally impressed at the sight of the Tigers taking batting practice, working out of two cages simultaneously.

There's been a lot of American music played wherever the Sox go this weekend, and the Dome's sound system did everything possible to make the Sox feel at home. In addition to the Neil Diamond ditty, they played "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" when Jonathan Papelbon appeared and closed with "Dirty Water," after Papelbon fanned Makoto Imaoka to end the game.

With the Sox and A's in town, all ballpark announcements are made in English and Japanese. The Dome's English-speaking PA man sounds like he might be from Cleveland, but he needed some help on a few names. He introduced your left fielder as Manny RAM-ir-ez and Boston's center fielder was Jay-coby Ellsbury.

The concession-stand sticker price on a Dice-K Red Sox jersey is 32,000 yen (about $300). A Red Sox cap goes for 5,775 yen (about $50). The much-traveled Commissioner's Trophy is on display in the concourse behind home plate.

The most dramatic sight under the stands is the smoker's jail in the middle of the food and souvenir emporiums. I think there were dozens of people smoking inside the big glass rectangle, but it was tough to tell because you needed a samurai sword to cut through the nicotine fog. The smoking car and the concession stands were virtually empty when the game started. Very un-Fenway-like.

Best I could tell, none of the smokers were wearing the medical masks that are all the rage this time of year in Tokyo. It's pollen season, and a substantial number of natives walk around looking like surgeon's assistants from "Grey's Anatomy."

The band played "Auld Lang Syne" when there was a pitching change. The PA played Springsteen's "Mary's Place" in the middle of the fifth, and there was a lame version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" before the home half of the seventh. Nobody stood for America's baseball anthem. It's not part of the culture.

Soft-tossing Javier Lopez liked the radar gun; it had him throwing 127. Too bad it's kilometers. Papelbon topped out at 151 k.p.h.

A good part of the Dome's charm will be missing when the Red Sox play the A's in the real games Tuesday and Wednesday. There won't be thousands of well-lubricated, yellow-clad Tigers fans standing, clapping, singing, and cheering (while a band plays) when the home team is at bat. These guys have gym-class whistles, flags, Thunderstix, and signage. Shades of Nuf Ced McGreevey and his Royal Rooters.

Tokyo Dome this week isn't going to sound like Camden Yards (which has morphed into Fenway-by-the-Chesapeake), but the ubiquitous Nation will make itself heard. A few "Let's Go, Red Sox"' chants broke out yesterday and Kevin Youkilis received his standard salutation (Yooooook!). A group calling itself "Red Sox Nation Japan" was scheduled to meet for a couple of hours at Hub Pub in Tokyo Dome City after the game and more than 200 Red Sox Destination Junketeers are en route to Japan.

Oh, and don't forget Wally. He's also due to arrive today. Tokyo Dome soon will feel like the Hub's Hardball House of the Rising Sun.

Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at dshaughnessy@globe.com.