Soukeisen (Waseda-Keio Baseball)

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Here it is, the Yanks vs. Sox, Laf vs. Lehigh, but Japanese style - the Spring meeting of the two most prestigious private universities in Japan, Waseda and Keio. After being shut out of tix for the fall matchup, I was pretty pumped to get my hands on these. I wrote before that Japanese baseball's cheering and fans were a little, ehem, different, then America. I said this from watching the Giants game safely in the infield seats while the Ouendan (cheering squad) did their madness in the bleachers. For this game, I was in the bleachers, where the students and Ouendan were ready to just about anything to support their school and their squad...except watch the game like human beings.

This Ouendan is by far the creepiest club on campus. I will never figure out what or why they do what they do. I just peg them as a cult and move on. None of my Japanese friends understand it either. The Ouendan is an incredibly rigid circle dominated by the senior/junior relationships in most social and employment circles in Japan, but just more intense in this case. Everyday, regardless of heat, they dress in the black uniforms that you see here. Whenever a senior member passes a junior member, the junior member must stand up, salute, bow, and scream something in the direction of the senior as he walks by. 3 times. And these guys scream, game or no game, and no matter where they are, the performance is not modified. Last semester I was at a party put on by Nissan for the Nissan class in one of the Waseda restaurants for the end of the year. 2 members of the Ouendan were invited to show some Waseda spirit. (Keep in mind, we are at a cocktail party, not a raucous event) However, in a row this Ouendan did a routine. It was the same senior all three times, introduced by the same screaming junior in the exact same words all three times. And nothing was turned down. The same shouting, gyrating, waving, coordinated stomping that was at the baseball game and ekiden marathon. If you can figure out what is going through these people's heads leave a comment.

So for the game. If you were hardcore and wanted to join the Ouendan, you could get to the stadium and 8am and start cheering in front of no one, for no one. I instead went at 12 for the 1pm game. By this point everyone was in full swing, band, senior, juniors, all nuts. Strangest thing (wish I had taken a video) was the procession in of the leader of our Ouendan section. I only have still pics but try to imagine.... Going down the stairs from the top of the stadium a process on 4 people. From the front of the line - junior, senior, two guys holding a big Waseda flag. Ok, normal, until you see how much of a bitch the junior is. The senior looks straight ahead, not down at the stairs. The junior, crouching on the ground, draws a box with his fingers on the next step, and the senior steps down. This happens on each step of the STADIUM.

Waseda won, 5-1. That's really it. You cannot see or follow the game from the cheering squad. And there were no hot dogs. Kind of a sucky way to see a game, but kind of have to do it if you are in Waseda for a year.

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Photos

The procession
Guy in front its a junior, a kouhai, a bitch

Guy in front is the bitch
Those black uniforms...everyday, every class

Keio section
They do the same thing as Waseda. Its kind of like how Laf/Lehigh are the same type of school but hate each other. We just drink more beer for our games.