Sport in Japan.

I was lucky enough to go to a Hanshin Tigers game last night and I was immensely impressed on all fronts. The stadium itself was hugely impressive, offering an uninterrupted views of the entire field. I was also amazed at the level of support given to the Tigers. It was obvious from the outset that Osakans take their baseball team very seriously. As soon as I entered the stadium I was innundated with noise and colour, it seemed as if everyone present was wearing a Hanshin Tigers jersey and sporting a noise maker of some kind. As cliche as it may sound the atmosphere was truly electric. Every time the Tigers stepped up to bat the crowd would break into synchronised song, with each player having their own individual tune. It was an amazing spectacle, each song was punctuated by a predetermined rhythm with the crowd adding the percussion via their noise makers. The level of coordination was extraordinary, the only thing I've seen which comes close to it would be an English Premier League match. Another highlight was the traditional 7th inning release of balloons, which was a spectacle to behold. At a predetermined moment 50 000 people unleashed their 'rocket' balloons which creates a whole lot of noise and vibrant colour. It was the highlight of the night, particularly because the Tigers lost 9-2. Despite the heavy loss the Tigers fans remained upbeat and continued to Cheer to the end. Overall it was an awesome night and one of the highlights of my time in Japan.

One strange aspect of the night was the abundance of gaijin leeway afforded our crew of 25. We had so much space as it seemed no Japanese people desired to sit near us. I'm not sure if they were intimidated or just cautious but we had a multitude of spare seats next to us in an otherwise sold out stadium.