Giants vs. Swallows. Game on

---

At 4:00 on Friday afternoon, we were given tickets to the final regular season professional baseball game between the Yoimuri Giants and the Yakult Swallows. The game started at 6:30, so we hit the trains at 6:00 to arrive at Yakult stadium in plenty of time. On the way, we picked up 2 tall boys and burgers and fries. We were told to bring what we wanted for some reason. Upon arriving, we realized that was a useless bit of advice. Plenty of dogs, noodles, sushi, and beer were at our fingertips, once inside the stadium. Not realizing there was more than one stadium in the area, we first stopped at a smaller field, and we're about to enter with people cheering us on, only we had no idea what they were screaming at us. Further inspection revealed that this was the children's soccer final game of the season. After consideration on which game might be more entertaining, and then being turned away because we didn't have the proper tickets to this game, we decided to push on to the next stadium. I doubt they sold beer in the other one anyhow.
once inside the proper stadium, we were pointed in several different directions before arriving at our actual seats, or at least the seats that we were going to settle into. the game had started. no score, bottom of the first.
There were men in uniforms with whistles that were prompting us to cheer along for the Swallows, and being homers like we are, cheer we did. There are apparently different cheers depending on the situation and depending upon which team's fans are doing the cheering. We recognized immediately that we were outnumbered by Giants fans. They after all, still had a shot at making the playoffs. The Giants are the favorite sons throughout Japan, and it was obviously by the 70+percent that were cheering for them. Much like Wrigley, the rabid fans sit in the outfield, wave towels, and flags, and rant the entire game.
The major offense comes from bunting, and the teams combined for at least 8 bunts this games.
Lee is the major threat for the Giants and he didn't disappoint, hitting a donger in the 7th to put the Giants on top 4-1.
The concession girls wear cheerleading outfits, kind of wear baseball hats (just not pulled down at all), and pony kegs on their backs. It's awesome. The 7th inning stretch consists of another set of cheerleaders dancing with mascots and the shooting of t-shirts in the air. There is always something to look at or someone yelling at you to cheer. When the Swallows finally did score, the 100 or so fans pulling for them open their umbrellas and twirl them around.
So the Giants closed out the Swallows in the end, but the score is an afterthought. The fans go to yell, drink, wave towels or umbrellas, and be seen and heard. There is so much energy in the stadium that we got a little wrapped up in it. If we could bring that back to the Braves' games, we'd never miss one.
They like it so much, they don't leave after the game. The players, after showering, come back out to the field and sign autographs.
That was our first ball game in Japan. Somehow the Giants beat the Swallows. who saw that coming?

---

Photos

Keg girl. is there anything better?
note the hat...pinned on so as not to smush hair