There are only a few countries that count baseball as a popular sport. The first is the United States while neighboring Mexico also enjoys the sport on a professional level.
Another country that finds baseball popular is Japan which may seem a little strange and needs explaining.
Baseball is their most popular sport and there are several reasons for the popularity of baseball in Japan, some include the game’s values and it is even down to the persistence of some American GI’s after World War II.
Read on to find out why baseball became popular and why it remains popular in Japan to this day.
The Pre-World War II Period
Baseball is known as ‘yakyuu’ in Japan which roughly translates to ‘field ball’ and the game first arrived in Japan towards the end of the Meiji era.
During this time, Japan was taking on more Western practices and the first indications that baseball could be enjoyed by a high level of the Japanese public came a few decades before the Second World War.
When Korea came under Japanese rule in 1910, the speed at which baseball spread there showed how popular the sport could be in an Asian country.
Baseball took a while to become popular in Japan and it took until university teams began playing the sport that it took off.
Rivalries were developed then which have endured to today and the general public took notice.
You can also count baseball to be popular in high schools too as national championships have been held since 1915 and are typically played in April and August.
The Post-World War II Period
After the Second World War, American GI’s remained in Japan and helped boost the popularity of baseball amongst the locals.
Exhibition matches which included US baseball legends of the time such as Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, and Joe DiMaggio certainly helped too.
What also boosted the game’s popularity was a raft of Japanese corporations who backed a team as sponsors with many remaining behind their team to this day.
You can expect a huge audience for the high school games too whereas only a few hundred spectators take their seats for such a game in the US.
The TV audiences for those folks at home watching these high school games is also sizable as they are broadcasted nationally.
Just as you would expect with a top-level debut, a great game can push a single player to become overnight celebrities at their high school and nationwide.
Scouts also watch these high school games to pick the next stars of the game for the professional circuit so it remains a great shop window for the players.
Values Of Baseball
An underlying reason why baseball took off in Japan in the first place was due to the intrinsic values of the sport.
Typical Japanese sports include Kendo and sumo wrestling which pits individual competitors against each other.
However, baseball became the first popular sport in Japan that focused on playing as a team, though one individual can make the difference in a single game.
The values of hard work, working together, discipline, and team effort helped as they greatly appealed to the Japanese work ethic.
Baseball is also seen as a fun game to play with friends and family which helps its popularity.
Children can play, the game remains relatively non-aggressive, which is unlike American football or soccer.
Japanese culture also favors patience and players who persevere right to the end, which aids the popularity of the sport.
How Baseball Has Remained Popular In Japan
Going to a baseball game in Japan should be a highly memorable experience and a little bit different to going to the ball game in the US.
Each individual baseball player has their own unique cheer which is delivered in unison by the crowd to the sounds of a brass band that plays live in the stadium.
Fans are also expected to wear their team’s colors which can be found on jerseys and caps, but also rally towels, mini-umbrellas, and balloons.
Whenever you feel like you fancy a beer, you can probably get one brought to you. Baseball stadiums in Japan include beer girls who are known as ‘uriko’.
Wave your hand in their direction and one should come across with a keg of beer strapped to their back which should weigh between 12 and 16 kg (25 to 35 pounds) when full.
Final Thoughts
Understanding why baseball is popular in Japan requires looking at how the sport developed.
From being encouraged by American GI’s, the game became popular by its alignment with certain Japanese values such as team work, perseverance, discipline, and hard work.
Baseball also provides a welcome alternative to individual sports such as Kendo and sumo wrestling while supporting a team at a game can also prove very fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just How Popular Is Baseball In Japan?
The game of baseball remains popular in Japan and a recent survey saw almost half of all respondents name baseball as their favorite sport.
The next two popular sports include soccer and sumo wrestling.
Are There Any Differences Between How Baseball Is Played In The US And In Japan?
Yes, there are certain differences which include the fact that fewer foreign players (gaijin) are allowed to play on a team in Japan as they are in the US.
There is a bigger strike zone when the game is played in Japan and pitchers tend to throw more breaking pitches.
The ball parks are notably smaller in Japan while some infields are completely made of dirt.
Other particular differences include the Japanese using a smaller ball and the fact that games there can end in a tie.
Hi, I’m Jason Patrick, and for as long as I have been alive, I have been obsessed with Japanese culture. From the sights and sounds of Japan’s many cities to its culinary delights that have become famous worldwide, I simply cannot get enough of this wonderful nation!
I hope that, by exploring this website, you all will develop a much deeper appreciation for Japan, and that it may even influence you to pay it a visit yourself eventually! It is definitely a trip of a lifetime, and whether you experience it firsthand, or through my own website, I’m sure you will become just as passionate as I always have been!
