Who is MiSaMo? All you need to know about the J-pop group set to throw Dodgers vs Hanshin Tigers Tokyo Series first pitch

J-pop subunit group MiSaMo is set to dazzle as they throw out the ceremonial first pitch in the exhibition contest between reigning MLB champions Los Angeles Dodgers and the NPB's Hanshin Tigers as a part of the 2025 Tokyo Series festivities. The game is scheduled to start from the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, at 12 p.m. local time.

MiSaMo is a portmanteau of the member's names (Mina Myoi, Sana Minatozaki, and Momo Hirai) and is the Japanese sub-unit of Korean super group TWICE. The group has established themselves to the worldwide audience in the past decade.

"MISAMO at the #TokyoSeries exhibition game! #MISAMO #TWICE" - @ MLB

Since the unit's inception in 2023, MiSaMo have sold more than a combined 350,000 copies for their two mini-albums named Masterpiece, certified platinum, and Haute Couture, certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.

Moreover, the trio embarked on their famed MiSaMo Japan Dome Tour "Haute Couture," which has attracted around 250,000 attendees across six shows.

A "dome tour" in Japan has always been highly regarded by the people of the nation, as it's tough to draw crowds to fill stadiums of 55,000 capacity. The trio, though, didn't find it tough to achieve the feat, owing to their Japanese roots and their popularity worldwide.

In an interesting side note, the Hanshin Tigers, who face the Dodgers, are dubbed as the representative of the Kansai region in Japanese baseball. Coincidentally the three members of MiSaMo hail from the aforementioned region with Mina Myoi being from Nishinomiya, Sana Minatozaki hailing from Osaka and Momo Hirai representing Kyotanabe.

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Dodgers' links to Japanese and Korean music remain strong

Apart from the aforementioned MiSaMo unit, the Los Angeles Dodgers have long established connections with artists that have made a name for themselves in Japan and Korea.

In 2014, the Dodgers invited Tiffany Young Hwang, member of the K-pop group Girls' Generation, threw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium. Hwang's group dominated the airwaves in both of Korea and Japan during the late 2000's and early 2010's.

Moreover, the organization have also invited boy bands like ATEEZ and ENHYPEN to Chavez Ravine and had some of their members throw out the first pitch during their respective visits.