Baseball in Japan: A history
Although baseball is not a traditional Japanese sport, it is regarded as the most enjoyable sport in Japan. A number of anthropologists have explained that baseball is the national sport in the country. It is one of the most-watched and most played sport in the country. National teams of Japan are held in high regard and professional players from Japan are known to play exceptionally at international leagues.
The sport was actually an American influence when it was brought from the US to the shores of Japan during the Meiji period. It was during this time when Japan started to open their shores to the Western culture. The influence of the West to the Japanese people spread like wildfire – it was seen in their clothing, their architecture, their cars, and more. The Japanese have turned their interests to baseball as well.
Baseball in Japan During WWII
During the Second World War, the games of the professional league of Japan continued until the year 1944. This is so the citizens are kept distracted from the war, it served as a means of boosting their morale. This has become a means of providing amusement and entertainment not only to civilians but also soldiers who are sent back home, either due to injury or trauma.
At this time, the best professional teams include Kyojin and Hanshin Tigers. They played 80-game seasons in the year 1940 and 1943. Then, they played 35-game season during the latter part of the war due to the reduction of players. This is due to the fact that some famous players are part of the Imperial Army.
The Japanese soldiers are also encouraged to take time out to play baseball in their bases. There are also games played in hospitals for those sent home due to injuries. At this time, even famous professional league players are also sent to war. This is why there is a minimal number of teams that played and there are a number of popular players who have lost their lives during combat. Among these are Eiji Sawamura, Shinichi Ishimura, Yasuo Hayashi, Ichiro Hara, and more than sixty more.
Baseball in Japan Vs. America
There are actually not that many baseball gameplay types in the world. However, there are some small details which are influenced by the culture with which the game is played. For instance, there are a number of significant differences between the Japanese and the American gameplay. For instance, foul balls are automatically given to the usher and are immediately returned to the home team. Whereas in the American leagues, both teams can dispute the ownership of the foul ball.
When it comes to equipment, the Japanese ball is smaller, batters have shorter swings, and the strike zones are bigger. On top of that, the ball parks are much smaller and are consisted mainly of dirt. On top of that, professional Japanese teams are only allowed to have a maximum of two foreign players whereas the American team is more diverse.
Things to Know: Baseball in Japan Facts
The NPB
The Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest league of baseball in Japan. The formation of the Nippon League started when the Greater Japan Tokyo Baseball club was established in 1934. This was known as the original Japanese Baseball League or JBL. It was only in the 1950s when the NPB was re-formed from the JBL.
There are two leagues for the NPB – the Central League and the Pacific League. Each of this has six teams. The season winners from each league shall face each other in a national match. This is what is known as the Championship Series of the NPB. The Battle of the Bests, these are the most awaited games of the year which usually happens every October.
The Central League consists of the Chunichi Dragons, Hanshin Tigers, Hiroshima Toyo Carp, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Yokohama Dena Bay Stars and the Yomiuri Giants. The Pacific League consists of the Saitama Seibu Lions, Tohoku Rakuten Golden eagles, the Orix Buffaloes (of Osaka), Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, and the Chiba Lotte Marines.
All teams consisting the Professional Leagues have a designated home stadium. For instance, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp has a home stadium in the Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium. The Yomiuri Giants have a home ball park at the Tokyo Dome. The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks have a home at the Fukuoka Yafuoku Dome.
Most, if not all, Japanese Major League Players have played for the NPB first. This is because it is a part of their contracts, they must play first for the NPB then they are given two to three years with the Majors before going back to play for the national teams again.
Women in Japanese Baseball
What is interesting is that there is a league entirely established for women players in Japan. Known as the Japan Women’s Baseball League or JWBL, it is consisted of four teams and was established in 2009. The four teams are the Saitama Astraia, The Hyogo Dione, The Kyoto Flora and the Reia. With less than a decade in the industry, it is expected that more teams are to be opened in the coming years. This is due to the fact that there is an increasing number of women who have growing interests for the game.
Baseball in Japan Documentary
Most Historic Japanese Players
Sohei Ohtani – A Japanese League Champion and a champion at hearts, Sohei Ohtani might be the next Japanese baseball player to watch out for in the Major League Baseball (or MLBs). He currently plays as a pitcher and outfielder for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Nippon Professional Baseball league.
What makes this young guy so popular is the fact that he holds the record for the fastest pitch by a Japanese pitcher. A whopping 165 kilometers per hour (102.5 mph), international scouts are eyeing this young player for the next MLB draft.
Straight out of high school, he had expressed his desires to join the MLB. However, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters have drafted him leading to a month-long negotiation. He has spent a few years with the team believing that it is a smart move to improve his skills and potential before officially moving higher up at the MLB.
Ichiro Suzuki – This player is probably one of the most colored Japanese baseball players in Major League Baseball. He currently is the record holder for the most hits in a single season. He also holds the 2001 title for the Rookie of the Year Award in the all-star games. He holds multiple Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards as well. He is also the only Japanese player who has appeared in more than 10 All-star MLB games.
Ichiro has been in the professional leagues since 1992 but it was only in 2001 when he was allowed to play for the international team after an agreement between the Nippon league and the MLB. Despite some initial speculations about his capabilities, his popularity immediately rose because he was almost comparable to the famous 1940s player Jackie Robinson. He is so popular that he even got a sushi stand to name a product after him, the “ichirolls”.
Masanori Murakami – Although he only played in the Major League for about a year between 1964 and 1965, he is most notable for being the first Japanese to play not only for the San Francisco Giants but for the entire MLB. Since he was the first Japanese player in the Majors, stories show that he was told to fly to the US on the spot with no chance to learn English fully. Biographers had described his year in the US with a pocket dictionary at hand to be able to communicate well with his team.
He originally debuted at the age of 19 in 1963 when he played for the Nankai Hawks. On the other hand, even after a successful year with the MLB, he had to return to his home country due to contract obligations. He continued on to play professionally for the next 17 years with his last appearance being in 1982 for the Nippon Ham Fighters. He is currently retired at the age of 73.
Hideo Nomo – His most notable contribution was that he was the First Japanese to hit a home run for the Major Leagues while he played for the MLB in 1998. He originally debuted in the year 1990 for the NPB and five years later finally joined the Major Leagues.
Despite having a contract he is the first Japanese-born baseball player and officially have a full, permanent contract with the MLB. Unlike other players who can play for the MLB only for a certain amount of years before returning to play for the NPB again until retirement. It is said that he might be the first Japanese player who has opened the doors his countrymen to career permanence with the Major Leagues.
Hideki Matsui - If Nomo was the first Japanese who hits a home run in the MLB, Hideki Matsui is the first Japanese who hits a home run for the World Series. He is also the first Japanese player to hit a walk-off home run. On top of that, he achieved all these in a single year.
What is unique about him is that he batted left-handed but threw right-handed, making him a dexterous superstar. He debuted professionally in baseball in 1993 in NPB and for the MLB in 2003. Upon entering, he immediately made a name for himself as one of the most notable Japanese Yankee players of his time.
Most Historic Japanese Teams
There are two leagues in the Nippon Professional Baseball Association – the central league and the Pacific league. Among the most popular are the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, the Hanshin Tigers, and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. One of the oldest teams is the Yomiuri Giants of the Central league which was established in 1934. The largest would be the Hanshin Tigers of the central league as well, with a capacity of 47,757. The newest team is the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles which was established in 2005.
Through the years, there had been a number of teams which have ceased operations. This includes the Sochiku Robins which was established in 1936 and closed in 1952. All these clubs which have closed down actually merged with other clubs to form larger and more powerful teams.
What is the Latest: Baseball in Japan 2017
Baseball in Japan tickets and Baseball in Japan Schedule
What is interesting about the games is that since all teams have home stadiums of their own, it is without a doubt that games would be spread throughout the country. There are home and away games, depending on the team that is playing. This is why it is best to keep updated with the games and look out for location updates.
There are websites to check game schedules and locations. There are also websites that sell tickets online. Buying tickets at the stadium is also a possibility, but stay alert for sold-outs especially for popular team rivalries. Season games start as early as March and last until the month of October.
A lot of travelers in Japan go to the country to experience the wonders of Japanese baseball. This is why, for those who wish to watch games live, especially the championship season, it is best to start line up for tickets early to get good seats at the stadium. It might also be a good idea to secure an unlimited JR Pass so it would be easy to access different cities during the season. It is also important to remember (for first time Japanese travelers) the subway stations are quite far from the baseball stadiums or domes, and a short walk to the stadium might be necessary.