Just a few nights ago I attended my first baseball game in Japan. It was a rainy night but the Chunchuri Dragons play in the comfortable Nagoya Dome, so weather wasn't going to be an obstacle. I've been writing about baseball for a few years now and I have read a lot about the Japanese leagues, most notably a wonderful book called Taking In a Game, but I really had no understanding of the teams, players, leagues, or even organization of the Japanese leagues so this came to me as a bit of culture shock.
On this night the contest was an inter-league affair between the Chunchuri Dragons and the Orix Buffaloes. The Dragons have been around as a professional team since 1936 and have colors and uniforms modeled in tribute of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Many if not most of the Japanese teams have colors and uniforms modeled upon those of American baseball clubs, which isn't surprising since American ballplayers were making tours of Japan to play the game for Japanese audiences for over 100 years. A good look at uniforms and colors show tributes to many of the older teams (Dodgers, Giants, Tigers, Yankees and more).
Another holdover is that all of the writing on the uniforms is in English, from team name to the name of the player and their number. After that you can kiss the English goodbye. The scoreboard, line scores, batting orders, and announcing is all in Japanese and only a good set of eyes (or binoculars) are going to tell you what's going on if you don't speak the language. Strangely enough the post hit video displays were all in English with things like "Good Hit", "Home Run", and "Nice Stolen Base".
From the moment you enter the park you see the differences - the concession stands sell a variety of noodle dishes, bento box dinners, sushi and sashimi, octopus balls, all sorts of grilled meats and seafood on skewers as well as classics like hot dogs and fries. I didn't see any peanuts or crackerjacks at all. The stadium itself has a lot of Major League memorabilia from Hall of Fame posters to a Ken Griffey, Jr. jersey on display. Clearly the shadow of the Majors lurks here.
Non-food items include the usual caps, jerseys and wristbands (just with the letter CD for Chunchuri Dragons similar to the LA of Los Angeles) in the same colors, but there are many more off the wall things - including mascot dolls (they seem to have about four different anime-like mascots). Wigs, Dragon kits and a whole array of merchandise like you've never seen in a Major League park.
Once you enter the stands themselves the game takes on a familiar tone, although apparently artificial turf is still the thing in ballparks here. The parks aren't very different in terms of size, there is still a batter's eye in centerfield to help the hitter pick up the ball, and the rules are essentially the same although the Japanese use a DH. You might even see a few familiar faces (anyone remember Alex Ochoa?), but you might be hard pressed to know who they are since the name on the back of the jersey isn't always the last name (Alex Ochoa's uniform reads simply Alex). Aside from the game on the field, Japanese baseball isn't quite like its older American cousin.
Watching a game is like watching a cross between Broadway extravaganza and a religious ceremony complete with singing, dancing, chanting, costume clad characters, chorus girls (ok they were cheerleaders) doing high leg kicks, and the rising and sitting of a congregation at prayer.
In a lot of ways it reminded me more of an international futbol (soccer) game than it did any game of baseball that I've ever seen. Fans seemed to break out in well practiced hymns or victory songs, flags were waved, cheerleaders danced on the field between innings, cartoonish mascots cavorted. I could figure out why the dragon was there but the guy that looked like a large blue mouse, and the Phil and Phyllis impersonators (you might need to be an old Phillies fan to remember them) gave the team a little minor league sort of feel.
Of course mixed into the chanting, singing (they sing specific songs for each player!) and dancing were familiar bits too. The organist playing a charge, the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" - during the fifth inning with an accompanying stretch which seemed kind of optional, and of course the vendors coming around selling beer, ice cream, sodas, and some blue and green drinks that I can't even guess at.
Some other touches that we saw included the traditional home run celebration - where the hitter is met at home plate by a cheerleader who presents him with a big stuffed version of the team mascot and a bouquet of flowers following the home run trot. And the victory celebration - which takes 10-15 minutes after the game to complete (and the fans stay for it) which is a mixture of team mascots, cheerleaders and the players of the game saying a few words.
The game tonight really wasn't all that much of a contest with the home team shutting out the Buffaloes 7-0 and six runs being driven in by an American player (each team is allowed 4 non Japanese players I was told) by the name of Tyrone Woods who hit two monstrous home runs to dead centerfield (about 400 feet). Still tonight wasn't just about the game on the field but watching the fans, the stands and appreciating the little things.
Clearly baseball is a great game in any language.
