Beer Girls

Baseball games in Japan are a trip. It's like going to a baseball game in your dreams. You are totally aware of what is going on - the game they play is exactly the same as the MLB, but they use funny Japanized baseball terms. Common things you will hear at a baseball game:

• "Fine Play!" = Nice play!
• "Getsu" = Get two, or what it's REALLY called, a double play
• "Chansu!" = Chance. I think it means that you have baserunners in scoring position.
• A lot of organized chanting and singing from the outfield = This isn't something that a lot of people are used to, but I'm an A's fan, so this is totally normal to me. However, I have to say, Japanese baseball fans put the A's guys to shame. Their songs are super elaborate and sung right on cue and in unison. They have a pretty good sense of humor too. For the Canadian player Aaron Guiel, they sing "Oh, Canada"

Other things that are awesome at Japanese baseball games? No cutoff on beer sales, the end of inning trash collector and of course, the adorable draft beer girls. These gals (and guys) probably have a better workout during the game than the players on the field. They climb up and down the stadium non-stop with a keg strapped to their backs - all while looking cute and smiling. Now that is commitment.

Silver Week :: I Went to a Baseball Game

I love baseball. I swear I really do. My passion has waned a bit over the years due to the A's being embarrassingly horrible, living in New York being sandwiched between pompous Yankees fans and depressed Mets fans, and the overexposure of SportsCenter at my former job. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go to a Japanese baseball game and the season is winding down. During Silver Week, roomie and I headed to Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo to watch the Yakult Swallows play the Yomiuri Giants. The Swallows are the less popular team in Tokyo, but I'm kind of a fan. The stadium is small and intimate and this being Japan, had the NICEST outfield scoreboard I have ever seen.

Some Japanese Baseball 101:

• Baseball teams in Japan are owned by companies. Yakult makes a weird yogurt drink that is very popular in Japan. Yomiuri is a newspaper company. Unlike college bowl games (I'm looking at you Chik-Fil-A), you have to be a pretty legit company to own a baseball team.
• The Yomiuri Giants are the Yankees of the East. They play at the Tokyo Dome and pretty much have all the good players. The Hanshin Tigers are the Red Sox of the East. They are from Osaka (nemesis of Tokyo) and it pretty much comes down to these two teams for the Japan Series.
  
• Japanese baseball fans are super passionate but also respectful. Organized cheering and chanting from the bleachers NEVER stops. It is actually very impressive. More impressive is their following of an unspoken rule that only the batting team's fans chant during the inning.
• Beer servers run like the wind, wear beer backpacks and are mostly all cute girls or pale skinny pasty guys. We were told by our beer girl that we were "best couple!!!".
  

The trend in The States right now is gourmet food at stadiums. I can't speak for all of the stadiums, but Meiji Jingu keeps it real. Hot dogs, beer, french fries - check, check and check. You can also get some Japanese staples like Yakisoba, Udon and Octopus Meatballs. Missing were peanuts, cracker jacks and cotton candy, but I'll let it slide. The french fries were pretty much the best I've had EVER - hyperbole intended. Salty, crispy, and oily.

It was a great night at the ballpark. The Giants won, but the home team scored a few runs. Apparently the Swallows' version of the Terrible Towel are tiny pastel umbrellas that they open and lift up and down anytime the Swallows score a run. This was quite a sight for someone that is not in the know. As was this:

Go Go Curry!

My first lazy Sunday in Japan got a start at Go! Go! Curry! in Shinjuku. Curry is a really popular dish in Japan, but it isn't like Indian or Asian Curry. The sauce is pretty thick and is not very spicy. It's eaten over rice and normally has some sort of breaded meat on top. The first time I had Japanese Curry (or kare in Japanese), I fell in love.

Go! Go! Curry! is a chain with 8 locations in Tokyo and 1 in New York. The proprietor is a huge Hideki Matsui fan and that is the theme of his shops. (Here is a picture of "Godzilla" holding up sketch of his new bride. Huh?) Go Go means "55" in Japanese which is also Matsui's number. For entertainment, they play 3 things: a Go Go Curry documentary, rap songs about Hideki Matsui and 1 classical tune. I'm not sure if they still do this, but when Matsui played for the Yomiuri Giants, patrons would receive a 55 yen discount on their meal when he hit a homerun.

All kitsch aside, the curry is really delicious. I had an economy side (the sizes are airplane themed, economy, business class and first class) pork tonkatsu curry. It comes with a side of cabbage and pickled daikon which make for a nice contrast to all that spice!

For those of you in New York, you can give Go Go Curry a try. It truly is an authentic Japanese meal.

* I have to add that I myself have paid homage to a professional baseball player that shares the same number as Matsui, so Go! Go! Curry is pretty special to me. I typically add the number 55 to my email addresses because my name is so popular that it's impossible to have an email address w/out a number. Ramon Hernandez used to be the catcher of the Oakland A's (back when they mattered). I think I liked him because he was really pudgy and felt like no one else liked him so I owed it to the guy to be his fan. Other than being a chubster, he's best known for his awesome walk off bunt against the Red Sox in the 2003 ALDS with bases loaded, 2 outs and 2 strikes. In my opinion, he deserves a chain of curry shops too.