Every year the return of the cherry blossoms on the island also means the return of pro baseball. Just like the Sunshine State and Grand Canyon State are the destinations for MLB teams in the States, so are the sub-tropical islands for Japan’s pro ballplayers.
I was running late, as usual. A mini-crisis had erupted on email at home, and typing an emergency response had put me behind schedule. My tires squealed turning past the “Lot Full” sign at the parking lot entrance across from the ballpark.
Discuss the matter with a handful of coaches and players, and one might think that next week’s Far East baseball tournaments are merely a chase for second place, as dominant as American School In Japan and Yokota have been over recent years.
Okinawa doesn’t have a professional baseball team of their own, even though popularity of the sport continues to be high on the island. But once a year, two teams make a way to the island to quench the thirst for ball games.
One of the most unique aspects of Japanese baseball is how fans watch the game. While there are many families at stadiums, a ballgame is also a great social gathering place for businessmen.
Ask your friends what the national sport of Japan is, and although many of them will give you the right answer (sumo, of course), some might say “it should be baseball.”
You may have heard and even sampled Okinawa’s signature so-called soul food, taco rice – south-of-the-boarder-seasoned ground beef atop rice with shredded cheese, lettuce and tomato. But, what about its cousin, “omu-taco rice”?
