Japanese Baseball Game

Last time we lived in Japan we went to a baseball game and had a lot of fun, so we were hoping to go again this year.  On Sunday the Tokyo Yakult Swallows were playing the Yokohama Baystars and, as neither of these teams are great, we had no problem getting tickets.  Even though the weather channel was calling for "near gale" winds, it was a beautiful day to be outside.

 I've been impressed at how into baseball Japanese people get.  It is more like basketball in Kentucky.  They have a band, special chants, tiny plastic bats to hit together as noise makers, and even cheerleaders.

The best part is the umbrella dance that everyone does when the Swallows score a run.  Out of nowhere, tons of tiny umbrellas emerge and are shaken up and down to a celebratory song.  I found out later that the meaning of this is to tell the opposing pitcher that it is time for him to hit the showers.

I was hoping to get the traditional ball park hot dog, or "Hoto Dogu" as the Japanese call it, but I could not find one.  We settled for some KFC and Baskin-Robbins instead, which at least felt a bit like home.