Poured to order: Inside the world of NPB fans and their beer vendors

Having worked as uriko (hawker) in several NPB stadiums for three years, Mana Kato recently left the job. | COURTESY OF MANA KATO

Oct 27, 2026

At Japanese baseball games, the beer comes directly to your seat — poured fresh from kegs strapped to vendors’ backs as they weave through packed stands.

While roaming vendors at MLB ballparks typically hawk cans or bottles out of insulated tubs, Japanese stadiums are famous for this portable draft system and the vibrant subculture built around the workers who operate it, known as uriko.

Most are college-age women who shoulder rigs weighing around 15 kilograms, navigating steep concrete steps while pouring foam-topped drafts and calling out over the roar of the cheering sections.

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