No Joy in Korakuen

We had a great time at the baseball game tonight, but the Giants lost to their crosstown rivals, the Yakult Swallows, 6-1. The pitchers for the Swallows really shut down the Giants, who only got 3 total men on base and scored their only run on a solo home run. But, the fun was taking in the atmosphere.

In Japan, the fans are very organized. You only cheer when it is your team's turn to do so. Each player has their own cheer, mostly playing with their name. So, Masmoto's cheer was (I think) moto-moto-Mas-a-mo. You can hear this type of cheering in the background of this video:


Here's a clearer view of the field from our seat.

And, the food at the ballpark is pretty different. Here's my dinner:


Of course, you can still get a hot dog. And, there's plenty of beer (and whiskey) for sale in the stands. Giants fans very enthusiastic until the end, and most stayed until the last out was made even though they had virtually no chance to come back.

I'm also happy to report that there's plenty of merchandising at these games. There's a wide variety of souvenirs available, and the fans are decked out in jerseys, hats, and various incarnations of the Giant's mascot, Giabbit.