A staunchly American game, baseball has nonetheless spread to a variety of different countries.
Baseball is also a popular sport in Japan. It arrived in the country around the 1860s thanks to a professor, Horace Wilson, who taught at Tokyo University.
As the game became more popular, Japan’s first professional team formed in 1920. It folded soon after, but by 1936 there was a professional league.
Its popularity exploded after WWII, when American soldiers lived in the country, and today the country’s league, Nippon Professional Baseball, is highly regarded, and regularly sends players to Major League Baseball in the United States. Japan is also competitive as a national team.
Going to the game is a raucous experience, and many fans are typically decked out in team colors. The biggest teams of the day are Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, Tokyo Yakult Swallows and Hanshin Tigers. However, these professional teams are, in fact, less popular than high school baseball, with a national competition that draws teams from all over the country.
Make sure to try and get to a game in Japan, a truly unique experience. The coordinated chants, the colors and the crazy mascots make for a great evening out, plus you can grab a beer whenever you want from the uriko, or “beer girls,” that walk the stands.
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