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Japan Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Behind the scenes at the Baseball Hall of Fame's new Yakyu/Baseball exhibit
The 'Yakyu / Baseball: The Transpacific Exchange of the Game' exhibit, now open at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, tells a sweeping, richly visual story about the deep and evolving connection between Japan and America's shared national pastime. From the moment visitors enter, they are confronted with a suit of samurai armor presenting Japanese players as fiercely disciplined warriors across 1,800 square feet in the museum's third‑floor Guggenheim Gallery. The first exhibit in Cooperstown to focus on trans-Pacific baseball history, it spans more than 150 years, beginning in Japan's Meiji era and continuing to the present day. The exhibition is organized around four main narratives. Japanese teams touring America, with highlights including Waseda University's 1905 tour and later college and club teams' barnstorming trips across the United States. American teams touring Japan, with vivid emphasis on the legendary 1934 tour featuring Babe Ruth, and other All-Stars, which helped catapult the rise of Japanese professional baseball. American-born players in Japan, including stories of pioneers like Larry Doby, Warren Cromartie, Randy Bass and most notably the Lee brothers and Matt Murton, all of whom embraced Nippon Professional Baseball and left lasting legacies. Japanese-born players in Major League Baseball, starting with the pioneering Masanori Murakami — the first Japanese-born MLB player, who made his debut in 1964 for the San Francisco Giants and actually greeted fans at the exhibit during Hall of Fame weekend. The exhibition tracks the path of Japanese major leaguers from Murakami and evolves through Hideo Nomo, with artifacts from his no-hitter; Hideki Matsui, including a game-worn jersey from 'Godzilla,' and a central focus on Ichiro Suzuki and Shohei Ohtani. A single mannequin of Ichiro, featured in celebration of his 2025 induction as the first Japanese‑born player enshrined in Cooperstown, wears several pieces of memorabilia from his glittering career. | Joshua Mellin A single mannequin of Ichiro, featured in celebration of his 2025 induction as the first Japanese‑born player enshrined in Cooperstown, wears his 2006 World Baseball Classic Helmet, 2000 NPB season bat, 262nd hit batting gloves, elbow guard and wristbands, 2009 record-breaking jersey, 3,000th MLB hit pants and belt, and 500th MLB stolen base cleats, highlighting the variety of skills that made his game so imposing. For Ohtani, the exhibit focuses on the two-way icon's unique abilities, with an image-changing lenticular poster showing him batting and hitting during his tenure with both the Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers. The Shohei Ohtani display case is flanked by a cutout of his dog, Dekopin. | Joshua Mellin A display case features the cap he wore during his first pitching experience with the Angels on April 1, 2019, and the helmet he wore two dates later when he crushed his first major league home run, along with the Dodgers jersey he wore with his debut with the team during 2024's Korea Series. Ohtani is, of course, accompanied by a life-size cutout of his loyal dog, Dekopin. There are also lots of artifacts from other players who have recently made the jump from NPB to MLB, including a ball from Roki Sasaki's perfect game when he was with the Chiba Lotte Marines, former Yokohama BayStar and current Chicago Cub Shota Imanaga's 2024 MLB All-Star hat and a glove donated by former Orix Buffalo and current Los Angeles Dodger Yoshinobu Yamamoto. A ball from Roki Sasaki's perfect game when he was with the Chiba Lotte Marines. | Joshua Mellin The two-way influence between America and Japan's shared pastime is covered extensively, tracing back to when Americans introduced the sport to Japan in the 1870s — highlighting the significant impact not only through athletes and ambassadors, but the passionate fan cultures in both countries. A pop culture section includes a deep dive into trading cards and baseball manga, and even the Hanshin Tigers' 'Curse of the Colonel' and subsequent 2023 Japan Series run are covered extensively alongside an infamous Winnie the Pooh baseball video game that visitors of all ages have been having difficulty resisting. There's even a passport stamp-style circuit in the exhibit that reveals an image after three different presses. And what would baseball be without the food? From hot dogs to takoyaki, a playful concession stand display lets visitors imagine concocting their own stadium snacks as if in Mad Libs, like Japanese 'Crunchy Wizard Ramen' or American 'Flaming Bambino Nachos.' Another highlight of the exhibit is a 7th-inning stretch simulator room inviting fans to join in on traditions from around the world, including the Hanshin Tigers' 'Lucky 7' song and the Rakuten Eagles' jet balloon release to the Chicago Cubs' sing-a-long at Wrigley Field and Red Sox fans' Fenway Park rendition of Neil Diamond's 'Sweet Caroline." The exhibit even goes as far as to explain the Hanshin Tigers' "Curse of the Colonel" that recently ended with their 2023 Japan Series run. | Joshua Mellin The interactive elements offer a deeper experience new to the traditional Hall, marking a new era in its own evolution. Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch described 'Yakyu / Baseball' as 'unlike anything we've ever done in Cooperstown,' highlighting the role of design firm Solid Light in making the experience interactive and immersive. For fans wishing to visit to make the journey to Cooperstown to experience the exhibit themselves, 'Yakyu / Baseball' is set to remain on display for at least five to ten years and possibly indefinitely, especially given its enduring cultural and educational relevance. In a town built on American legends, this exhibit reminds us that some of the game's greatest stories have always been international.
Asahi Shimbun
3 days ago
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Soft tennis champion Yuta Funemizu takes on U.S. pickleball
With new courts to conquer, Japanese soft tennis champion Yuta Funemizu is taking his championship game to U.S. pickleball. Funemizu, 31, has a sterling record in soft tennis, which is a variant of the sport using a lighter, softer ball and usually lighter and less tightly strung rackets. Funemizu was a Waseda University student when he played for the Japanese national team, which captured a world championship. As a working adult, he played for the powerhouse Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corp., recently renamed NTT West Inc., and made a name for himself as a leading professional player. But the sorrows and lack of recognition that came with being a star in a minor sport never really left him. 'We were never in the spotlight, even after winning 10 successive victories in the Japan (soft tennis) league,' Funemizu said. Funemizu was soon to turn 30 when Soichiro Minami, founder of the job transfer service operator BizReach Inc., introduced him to pickleball, which was surging in popularity in the United States. He was thus initiated to this fateful 'job transfer.' Pickleball players use 'paddles,' resembling oversized table tennis paddles, to hit a perforated plastic ball toward each other on a roughly badminton-size court. Invented in the United States in the 1960s, the sport saw a sharp rise in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main draw of pickleball lies in its ease, which allows players to enjoy rallying even as beginners. Some say more than 50 million people have played pickleball in the United States, where Major League Pickleball, a professional league, was founded in 2021. 'I found the sport so appealing that I decided it was worthwhile to stake my life on going after it,' Funemizu said. He enlisted Minami's help to go to the United States in January last year. 'I will compete in more matches than anybody else and acquire skills in a year that it would normally take three or four years to master,' Funemizu said he thought at the time. A team selected him during a draft in March this year, which made him the first Japanese major leaguer in the sport. Funemizu operates a YouTube channel, where he openly shares his impatience at having to sit out matches. He has also started a crowdfunding project for covering his tour expenses. 'I hope my donors will enjoy, with me, this journey I am making to the world's top place,' Funemizu said. The sheer grandeur and plainness of his dream appear likely to endear him to many a supporter.
Tokyo Weekender
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Tokyo Weekender
Tamiya Chairman Shunsaku Tamiya Dies Aged 90
On Tuesday, Tamiya Inc. announced the passing of its chairman and former president, Shunsaku Tamiya. The man who helped turn the plastic model company into a globally recognized brand died on July 18, aged 90. A private funeral service has already been held in accordance with his wishes. The company added that it will release information about potential memorial events in the coming days. Tributes came pouring in from around the world following the announcement. Among those to pay their respects was Takashi Namba, the mayor of Shizuoka city, where Tamiya was born. 'I would like to express my deepest sadness and heartfelt condolences,' said Namba. 'He developed the company into a global brand for plastic models and was the driving force behind making Shizuoka city a 'city of models.' I truly respect him.' Remembering Shunsaku Tamiya Born in 1934, Tamiya started making model cars at a young age and was instantly hooked. 'You can't understand how excited I was to see the model I made running. I was in the fifth grade of elementary school when the war ended. I made the motor myself using dry batteries and I was so satisfied when I hooked it up and started swinging it,' said Tamiya at a Shizuoka hobby show last year. Tamiya joined the family-run business, then known as Tamiya Shoji LLC, in 1958 after graduating from Waseda University. Appointed head of the product planning division two years later, he initially focused on wooden designs, before Tamiya shifted to plastic model manufacturing. The company started to attract global attention in 1968, when it participated in the Nuremberg Toy Fair in Germany for the first time. Taking over from his father as company president in 1978, Tamiya helped turn the family business into one of the world's most well-known model kit companies. Some of Tamiya's most famous products include its first electric-powered radio control led (RC) car, the Porsche 934 Turbo model, released two years before he became president, and the and the fast Mini 4WD racers, introduced in 1982. Nobuo Tamiya, the husband of Shunsaku's granddaughter, took over as president last year. Discover Tokyo, Every Week Get the city's best stories, under-the-radar spots and exclusive invites delivered straight to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy . Related Posts Dragon Ball Creator Akira Toriyama Passes Away at Age 68 Noriko Ohara, Voice of Doraemon's Nobita Nobi, Passes Away at 88 Princess Yuriko Dies Aged 101
The National
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Arigato from Japan: Emirati guides win fans at Expo 2025 Osaka
Under tall columns that replicate palm trees, beaming Emirati guides invite millions of Japanese visitors to the popular UAE pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka. Emiratis who have mastered the Japanese language strike up long conversations with Japanese residents in Osaka that go well beyond warm greetings of konnichiwa (hello), yokoso (welcome) and arigato (thank you). The UAE pavilion at the world's fair has welcomed more than two million visitors since it opened in the Japanese port city in April. A small team of Emiratis are the driving energy behind the pavilion and represent the country as youth ambassadors through the six-month global event that ends in October. Meznah Al Ansaari, 24, said immersing herself in Japanese culture connects her with the country. She learnt the language in 2019 when she spent more than a year in Tokyo and went on to study for a bachelor's degree in international relations. 'Japanese is one of the most difficult languages in the world but very fun to learn which eases the process,' said the Emirati who graduated from Tokyo's Waseda university a few weeks before the Expo opened in Japan. 'The reason I chose Japanese is because, growing up like many Middle Eastern child, I watched a famous Japanese animation called Spacetoon. For people who want to speak on a more advanced level, I suggest a technique called immersion which is basically immersing yourself in the language through listening. One of the ways I did that was by re-watching the Spacetoon anime in Japanese.' She enjoys bringing the UAE pavilion to life by talking to visitors from all across Japan about traditional architecture, food and culture. 'This pavilion is a multisensory experience. When you enter, you see towering pillars, you also smell a pleasing scent bakhoor and smell the palm trees. You can touch sand and taste Emirati food in the restaurant. I tell people welcome, we are waiting for you.' Japanese fans The guides wear the traditional Emirati kandura or abaya and are a crowd favourite with many Japanese families asking them to be part of group photographs. Visitors are often surprised to hear Emirati guides speak fluent Japanese. They ask detailed questions about hand-carved incense burners, listen intently and ask for more information about exhibits from a black and white traditional loom to the UAE's space programme. 'I like their enthusiastic energy and confidence in speaking Japanese,' said Hayase Okuhira, an accountant from Kyoto. 'We took lots of photos with them and we do want to visit UAE now.' 'It's really cool that they are so young and speak Japanese so well,' Eri Sachi, a Tokyo mother of three. 'My children asked so many questions and they learnt a lot because the guides could explain in Japanese with so much description.' Emirati Alia Aleissaee, 29, enjoys expanding people's knowledge about the Emirates. 'When we mention the UAE, some people have an image that it's all desert, but actually we also have oases like we show in the pavilion. The theme is 'From earth to ether' and that represents how we aim for the sky while we are rooted in our culture and traditions,' said the sales engineer who works in a Japanese company in the UAE. She taught herself Japanese in the UAE and is upgrading her skills at the Expo. 'I never had the opportunity to talk with native Japanese speakers before I came to Osaka. I always wanted to live in Japan so this is a learning experience and I'm excited,' Ms Aleissaee said. 'Every day at the Expo I meet new people, learn new stories, share our culture and tradition.' Ties with Japan Many Emirati guides have deep educational ties with Japan having studied in the country. Ahmed Al Darei completed his bachelor and master's degrees at the Tokyo University of Technology. 'When I was young, I got really interested in Japanese culture, especially things connected to manga, ninja, samurai. I knew when I finished high school, I would go to Japan to study. This was my dream and I made it came true – now I'm speaking Japanese to the Japanese,' said Mr Al Darei, on a sabbatical from work at the UAE Space Agency. The question he gets asked most is about the 90 columns that replicate towering date palm trees spread across the glass-encased UAE pavilion. 'They ask, 'what is this made out of?' I tell them in Japanese how these beautiful columns are made out of date palm tree waste. I'm really lucky to be able to speak in Japanese and introduce our people, beautiful country and the amazing projects to visitors.' His advice to is for people to learn a few words of the language when visiting Japan. 'Even if you speak a little Japanese, the people are very warm and will open up to you. Start with greetings like – hello or konnechiwa and the magical thank you which is arigato. 'Learn to say your name or ask how much is this? Once the Japanese people see you are doing your best, they are happy and you will have a good time.'
The Mainichi
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Mainichi
Chairman of Japanese toy model maker Tamiya dies at 90
SHIZUOKA (Kyodo) -- Shunsaku Tamiya, chairman of Japanese plastic model kit maker Tamiya Inc., known for its radio-controlled cars and Mini 4WD models, has died, the company said Tuesday. He was 90. Tamiya, who died Friday of undisclosed causes, was credited with raising the global profile of the Shizuoka-based toy maker. While the funeral was held privately by close relatives, the company plans to hold a memorial event. The Shizuoka native long served as the company's president, helping raise his hometown's standing in the plastic model industry through trade and hobby shows, according to the maker. After graduating from Waseda University in Tokyo in 1958, he joined Tamiya Shoji & Co., which was then operated by his father, Yoshio. Tamiya became president of the company in 1984 and was named chairman in 2008.
