Spectator Sports
Sumo wrestling and baseball are the most fanatically followed sports in Japan. You can experience the fervor firsthand by watching these events live.
Sumo is more than just watching fat guys in diapers wrestle. Japan's national sport goes back 2,000 years and it combines tradition, religion and surprising athleticism. The rules are quite simple: If a wrestler is forced out of the ring (dohyo), he loses. If a part of his anatomy other than his feet touches the floor, he loses. Tournaments (basho) take place over 15 days, and wrestlers are required to fight once a day. Those who win more than they lose go up through the rankings, with the yokozuna at the the top of the heap. Wrestlers who fail to win a majority of their matches get demoted. The yokozuna, however, can't just sit on their ample posteriors as they must continue to register a majority in every tournament or else they are expected to retire.
Three basho are held every year in Tokyo during January, May and September at the Shinkokugikan Stadium at Ryogoku. For advance ticket purchase, contact Nihon Sumo Kyokai Yoyaku Centre (Tel: +81-3 5237-9310) or the Sumo Annaisho (Tel: +81-3 3622-3300). Tickets can also be bought in advance from Ticket Pier machines located at Lawson convenience stores, and range in price from 4100 yen to 5400 yen for isu-seki seats to 41,200 yen for prime viewing matsu-seki seats. Alternatively, arrive at 6 a.m. on the day and purchase a tachi mi seki (standing) ticket for 1500 yen. Each basho runs for fifteen days, with the wrestling starting in the morning and continuing until about 6 p.m.
If there are no matches during your visit, you have to settle for a trip to the Sumo Museum (1-3-28 Yokoama, Sumida-ku, Tel: +81-3 3622-0366), which displays sumo artifacts from the collection of the museum's founding curator. Or you can watch a training session at a sumo stable (beya), such as Azumazeki Beya
(4-6-4 Higashi-Komagata, Sumida-ku, Tel: +81-3 3625-0033). Wake up early though. The upstarts usually begin at 4 a.m., while the veterans start training at 8 a.m.
Baseball
Then Los Angeles Dodger Hideo "The Tornado" Nomo proved that Japanese players can succeed in North America's Major League Baseball when he was named starting pitcher in the 1995 All-Star Game. Since then, a growing number Japanese players have comes across the Pacific to play in the U.S. - including the first position player, outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. But besuboru isn't just an extension of the Japanese fascination with all things American. There may be similarities - the Japanese professional league also has two leagues, Pacific (which allows designated hitters) and Central (which doesn't) and the season also runs from April to October, culminating in a best-of-seven World Series - but differences are also evident. Aside from its shorter 135-game schedule and smaller leagues of six teams each, besoboru operates differently and can be viewed as a mirror of Japanese culture.
For one, teams are owned by big corporations. So not only are the players, in effect, salarymen, but the fans' loyalty is not really defined by geographical limits (three teams are based in Tokyo, for example). More importantly, Japan's team culture discourages any display of individualism and showing off is frowned upon. Unlike in the U.S., games can also end in a tie.
Japanese teams are allowed to have four gaijins (foreigners), usually former U.S. Major League players. Monetary considerations aside, foreign players can face some difficulties in Japan: they are expected to play well but not well enough to overshadow their Japanese teammates. When American Randy Bass was close to breaking a hitting record set by Japanese legend Sadaharu Oh -- whose 868 career home runs beat both Babe Ruth's and Hank Aaron's - it was said that Bass was thrown only balls.
Watching a besuboru game is guided by characteristically Japanese rules. Cheering is basically organized and there are defined seating positions - fans of the home team stay at the right field side, while those of the visiting team sit at the left.
The Tokyo-based Yomiuri Giants - owned by Japan's top newspaper group, Yomiuri Shimbun -- is by far the most popular team and at one point won nine consecutive Japanese championships. The Giants are the Japanese equivalent of the New York Yankees - a rich, high-profile team with so much money that it can get whatever player it wanted. The Giants' winning streak was crucial to the introduction of a draft system for players in 1965. And given Japan's strong identification with winners, the Giants command a huge following both in home and away games.
But Japan's current superstar isn't a Giant. Orix BlueWave outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is a six-time Pacific League batting champion, six-time All-Star, and two-time Most Valuable Player. Ichiro will join the Seattle Mariners in the in 2001, becoming the first Japanese position player to make it to the U.S. Major Leagues.
In Tokyo, teams from the Central League and the Pacific League battle it out at the Tokyo Dome (a.k.a. The Big Egg), home of the Yomiuri Giants and the Nippon Ham Fighters, and the Jingu Stadium, home of the Yakult Swallows. Tickets vary depending on seat location: the cheapest tickets, at around 1400 yen, afford good views of the field with a lively atmosphere. Sushi and cold beer (poured from kegs strapped to the backs of "beer girls") are the standard fare.
Tokyo Dome
1-3 Koraku
Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3811-2111
Jingu Stadium
10 Kasumigaokamachi
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3402-2111
Horseracing
Tokyo Keiba-jo Racetrack
Tel: +81-423 63-3141
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends
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Recreation
Golf
Since space for golf courses is so limited, club membership fees are very high - but they have dropped significantly from their peak in the late-1980s. Because of the economic difficulties, erstwhile snooty exclusive clubs have opened their doors to non-members, mostly foreigners. There are also many multi-level, public driving ranges around the city. Golf in Japan is so expensive that many Japanese golfers opt to take golfing holidays to other countries instead. It is estimated that a round of golf during the weekend can cost up to US$400. Even driving ranges are likely to be more expensive than in your home country. Most caddies in Japan are middle-aged women in their 40s, and in many clubs, caddy fees are already included in the playing fee. Note too that Japanese golfers tend to play very slowly. Caddies will also take a break between nines, so you might as well take one, too.
Wakasu Golf Links
Tel: +81-3 3522-4455
Flat Metropolitan Tokyo area course. Host to Pokariswet Yomiuri Open and Yellow-hat Tokyo Open.
Kazusa Monarch Country Club
Chiba Prefecture
(90 minutes south of Tokyo)
Reservations: 0439 (29) 3101
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, this 7020-yard course is open for play at all times for foreigners. Overnight acommodations available. Shuttle bus picks up golfers from the Kimitsu Station.
Sakawa Royal Club
Kanagawa Prefecture
(Two hours west of Tokyo)
Non-members allowed to play on weekdays only. Night golf available. Views of Mount Fuji from nearly every hole.
Ishioka Golf Club
Ibaraki Prefecture
Tel: 299-58-5111
Tochigi Kenmin
Tel: 286-75-7211
Shiba Golf Driving Range
4-8-2 Shiba-Koen
Minato-Ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 5470-1111
Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Fitness Centers
Clark Hatch Fitness Center
Azabu Towers
2-1-3 Azabudai
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3584-4092
Fax: +81-3 3584-4841
Accepts major credit cards and walk-in customers
Rates: 2,600 yen (daily); 6,000 yen (weekly); 16,000 yen (monthly); 143,000 yen (yearly);
10,000 yen (membership fee)
Facilities/services: Gym, aerobics; sauna; massage (Mondays and Wednesdays only);
tanning, stretching room, boxing
SkyAcross, Tosei Sports Club
Nomura Bldg, Otemachi
Chiyoda-ku, Otemachi
2-1-1 Tokyo 100-0004
Tel: +81-3 3270-1100
Fax: +81-3 3270-3827
All major credit cards accepted; no walk-in clients
Rates: 15,000 yen (monthly); 200,000 yen (membership fee)
Facilities: variety of fitness machines, and free weights; aerobics; sauna; massage; 360-degree unobstructed view of the city from 40th floor; mineral water in the pool; computer golf simulators
Jogging
The Imperial Palace and Gardens offer safe, unrestricted jogging in an unusually serene city setting. Another spot is Yoyogi Park, which also has biking trails and bike rentals.
Tennis
There are more than 100 tennis courts located within 30 minutes of Roppongi's boozy night-life circuit. Racket rental is usually available.
Meguro Tennis Club
5-12-20 Kami-Meguro
Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3711-4551
Tamagawa-en Racquet Club
1-53-7 Denenchofu
Ohta-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3722-1761
Meiji Jingu Tennis Club
2-1-15 Kita-Aoyama
Tel: +81-3 3401-0389
Skiing and Snowboarding
Winter sports are a popular pastime for the Japanese, and skiing in particular has become a big moneymaker for the Niigata, Nagano and Hokkaido prefectures in northern Japan. Most of the popular ski resorts are located in these three areas. Both Hokkaido and Nagano have hosted the Winter Olympics, but if you're in Tokyo, Niigata is more easily accessible - about 70 minutes by train to the main ski resort town of Yuzawa, or a two-hour drive.
The season for skiing starts in mid-December and runs until mid-April, with the peak happening from mid-January to end-February. There are resorts that offer early skiing (beginning late October) and spring skiing (until mid-May) but usually these use snow-making machines.
Nowadays, however, one can ski in Japan even at the height of summer with the opening of indoor facilities. Tokyo Ski Dome SSAWS (which stands for spring, summer, autumn, winter snow) is the world's first indoor ski park. Opened in 1993 and built at a cost of US$300 million, the climate-controlled Tokyo Ski Dome is the world's largest indoor ski facility. Looking like a hangar, the slope is about 100 meters high, runs for 500 meters and covered with artificial snow. With the current popularity of snowboarding, these facilities now also allow snowboarders. However, there are specific times of the day for devotees of this extreme sport. Equipment for both sports are available for rent. There is another indoor ski facility in nearby Yokohama.
Tokyo Ski Dome SSAWS
2-3-1 Hamamachi
Funabashi-shi, Chiba
Tel: +81-047 432-7000
Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Fees: 5,400 yen for a one-day pass
Snova Shin-Yokohama
1-2-43 Kajiyama
Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama
Tel: +81-45 570-4141
Hours: 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily
Fees: 2300 yen on weekdays, 2800 yen on weekends and holidays for 90 minutes
Bowling
Tokyo Port Bowl
1-13-10 Shibaura
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3451-9211
Computer scoring, blacklights, disco atmosphere. Open daily until 1a.m.; on Saturdays and the day before holidays, game hours are extended to 5 a.m. You get a discount if you show your passport.
Swimming
Yoyogi National Stadium
2-1-1 Jinan
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3468-1171
Public Olympic-size pool used during the Tokyo Olympics
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