Do you like baseball and football?

Which do you like baseball or football? I often watch both baseball and football games on TV. Both sports enjoy high popularity among the Japanese. Because, these are amused the people with the games. Also, these sports have a broad range of fans everywhere in Japan.

The first Japanese baseball team was established on December 26th, 1934. In 1936, the Japanese professional baseball league began with just only seven teams. They had three baseball seasons a year, in Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Today, Japanese professional baseball teams have produced excellent and wonderful players, and some players working in the major league. The Japanese professional football league was established as a professional sports association in 1993. Japanese Football Association carry on the Japanese Professional Soccer League, there are belong to Federation International de Football Association. J League, which is short for the Japanese Professional League, it is widespread recognition for Japanese and the media in the main. Now, 27 prefecture of Japan 36 clubs are affiliated with J League.

Japanese baseball teams are Yomiuri GIANTS, Hanshin Tigers, Chunichi Dragons, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Toyo Carp, and Yokohama BayStars. These teams are belong to Central League. Central League is popular with pro-baseball fans. And on the one hand, belong to a professional baseball teams ‘Pacific League’. For example, these are Hokkaido NIPPON-HAM FIGHTERS, Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS, Saitama Seibu LIONS, Orix Buffaloes, Chiba LOTTE MARINES and Rakuten EAGLES. In Japan, 12 professional baseball clubs have got the game. However, football teams are classified into two groups.
The first is the J League Division 1, we usually call them‘J1’. J1 teams are Kasima Antlers, Urawa Red Diamonds, Gamba Osaka, Sanfrecce Hiroshima FC, and so on. The second is Division 2 which is ‘J2’. For example, Tokyo Verdy, Consadole Sapporo, Cerezo Osaka and Avispa Fukuoka, etc. Compared with baseball, there are so many 36 clubs belong the J League Division 1 & 2.

What is baseball for high school players? Located in Nishinomiya, Hyogo prefecture, Koshien is the home of the Hanshin Tigers baseball team. They first compete in their preliminary games, with wishes winning a chance to play at the famed Koshien stadium – national high school Championship at Koshiem stadium. High school baseball players were battled in the final round of games at Kishien stadium every year. So, every August we can see 49 teams of 47 prefectures were battled at the stadium. Do you know ‘touch’ comic? That comic was draw about Koshien. The main characters are high school baseball players!
How about football? In Japan, All Japan High School Soccer Tournament is held in Kanto area every year. The tournaments vie to be the nation’s best for high school football teams. It is commonly known as ‘championship’, ‘winter of kokuritsu (national)’ or ‘winter of high school soccer’. Every prefecture of Japan has it’s own local team, 48 school teams (Tokyo has 2 teams) have a match before the tournament throughout the months of September until November.

I like watch the games both football and baseball. When I don't have the time, I usually see the game results as highlight throuout TV sports proglams and newspapers. Let's root for the home town crew, and cheer our town's athlete!!