Page 353 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

SPOR T S AND OUTDOOR A C TIVITIES  351

corporations consider NHK, Fuji, TV Asahi, Nippon TV,
playing a game basic TBS, and other local and cable
to establish ing rela- channels broadcast games live
tion ships and will on TV, and the seven national
effect all the necessary sports dailies become increas-
introductions. ingly hysterical as the season
Courses are either progresses, especially when
private or public. An the Japan Series gets underway.
introduction by a The spring and summer Koshien
member is essen tial high-school baseball tourna-
to gain entry to a ments at Hanshin Koshien
private club. If invited, Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture,
expect to be treated; hold the nation’s attention.
Landscaped golf course at the Horin Country Club, if reciprocating,
Ichihara, southeast of Tokyo expect the day to be
very expensive. Public Soccer
The International Aikido courses are less expensive but Though played for as long
Federation promotes the often less chal lenging. The as baseball, soccer took longer to
sport according to the ideals attitude of staff may also be capture public interest in Japan.
of founder Morihei Ueshiba. daunting; some welcome non- It was not until 1993 that the
It welcomes visitors, and classes Japanese players, others may be profes sional J-League kicked off
are often held in the early cautious. JNTO (see p363) should with 10 teams. The opening
mornings and late afternoons. be able to recommend public match between Verdy Kawasaki
The Japan Karate-Do courses. A fun alternative might and Yokohama Marinos played
Federation is the official karate be to practice at a netted driving to a capacity crowd at Tokyo’s
organization, but there are many range in urban areas. National Stadium. There are now
offshoots. The Inter national For the ultimate treat, book two divisions: J1 with 18 teams,
Karate Organiza tion, for a golf-hotel package, such as and J2 with 22, each playing a
example, is eager to promote offered in Hakone by the series of round-robin matches.
kyokushin karate. The Japan Sengoku Golf Course in The Japan Football
Karate Association has weekday col laboration with the Fujiya Association organizes a
classes open to observers. The Hotel (see p303). national league in which
best time to watch is 7–8pm. amateur teams can also
There have been moves in Baseball participate. Honours in recent
recent years to combine various years have been shared
martial arts, often to extremely Japanese baseball is America’s between the Kashima Antlers
violent effect. World Pancrase national game transplanted. and Jubiro Iwata. In 2011,
Create, which established its It is believed to have taken root Nadeshiko Japan became the
first amateur pancrase dojo in the 1870s from Ameri can first Asian team to win the FIFA
(practice hall) in 1997, invites expatriates in Yokohama. Pro Women’s World Cup.
interest in this new form of baseball is organized into two In 2002, the FIFA World
“total fight.” leagues of six teams each: the Cup was jointly hosted by
K-1, in which contenders from Central League and the Pacific Japan and Korea, which
various martial arts square off League. The season is between helped to increase the game’s
against each other, is now a April and October. popularity nationwide.
hugely popular sport in Japan.
Gloves are worn and attacks are
limited to kicking and punching.
Often, technique and speed
overpower size and strength.
The international K-1 Grand Prix
is now an annual event.

Golf
Of the 50 million people who
play golf worldwide, 17 million
are teeing off in Japan. Visitors
staying in major hotels should
have little problem in finding
a game; most big hotels have
ties to a reputable golf club.
The same applies to visiting
executives; Japanese Team members playing baseball, one of the most popular sports in Japan

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