Moving to Japan Advice
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Re: Moving to Japan Advice
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Oct 31, 2003 1:18 PM
| YBS Fan
]
Baseball areas:
Kanto Plain
This includes Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba, and Saitama and covers the Giants, Swallows, BayStars, Marines, and Lions. This would probably be the most popular destination.
Kansai Area
Perhaps the second most popular destination, this includes the Osaka and Kobe areas in which the Buffaloes, Tigers, and BlueWave play.
That takes care of eight of the twelve teams.
Kyushu
The island of Kyushu has the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, the 2003 Japan champions. Even in losing years, they can draw a big crowd, so the city loves their team.
Hiroshima
While they don't have a very big draw, it's hard to find someone in Hiroshima who is not a Carp fan. When the Giants go pretty much anywhere, there is usually a big group in the visitor-side bleachers - but not in Hiroshima. It's pretty much all red and white. Hiroshima Municipal Stadium is located right across the street from Atomic Dome (a ruin still standing after The Blast) and Peace Park.
Nagoya
Home to the Chunichi Dragons (team featured in Mr. Baseball), Nagoya is an industrial city (Toyota is the industry there, I think). Of cities I don't like driving in, Nagoya is ranked right behind Tokyo as they've got some unusual rules of the road there. The Dragons should be an interesting team to follow next year, though, as Hiromitsu Ochiai is taking over the managerial job.
Hokkaido
Finally, the Nippon Ham Fighters are moving to Sapporo on Japan's norther-most island next year, trading in sharing Tokyo Dome with the Giants for the spacious Sapporo Dome. The team hopes that they can win a large dedicated home fan base like the Hawks have done in Fukuoka. Sapporo is great for a mild summer and skiing in the winter.
Hope this helps.
Kanto Plain
This includes Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba, and Saitama and covers the Giants, Swallows, BayStars, Marines, and Lions. This would probably be the most popular destination.
Kansai Area
Perhaps the second most popular destination, this includes the Osaka and Kobe areas in which the Buffaloes, Tigers, and BlueWave play.
That takes care of eight of the twelve teams.
Kyushu
The island of Kyushu has the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, the 2003 Japan champions. Even in losing years, they can draw a big crowd, so the city loves their team.
Hiroshima
While they don't have a very big draw, it's hard to find someone in Hiroshima who is not a Carp fan. When the Giants go pretty much anywhere, there is usually a big group in the visitor-side bleachers - but not in Hiroshima. It's pretty much all red and white. Hiroshima Municipal Stadium is located right across the street from Atomic Dome (a ruin still standing after The Blast) and Peace Park.
Nagoya
Home to the Chunichi Dragons (team featured in Mr. Baseball), Nagoya is an industrial city (Toyota is the industry there, I think). Of cities I don't like driving in, Nagoya is ranked right behind Tokyo as they've got some unusual rules of the road there. The Dragons should be an interesting team to follow next year, though, as Hiromitsu Ochiai is taking over the managerial job.
Hokkaido
Finally, the Nippon Ham Fighters are moving to Sapporo on Japan's norther-most island next year, trading in sharing Tokyo Dome with the Giants for the spacious Sapporo Dome. The team hopes that they can win a large dedicated home fan base like the Hawks have done in Fukuoka. Sapporo is great for a mild summer and skiing in the winter.
Hope this helps.
Re: Moving to Japan Advice
[ Author: Guest: RossyW | Posted: Nov 1, 2003 12:09 AM
]
Hey, thanks. You saved me some research.
Do you have any personal advice about these places? I'd like to be in Kansai if possible (Kobe probably) and am torn between Fukuoka and Hiroshima as a second choice. They seem similar in the sense that they are nice cities, both have teams, but somewhat isolated (they aren't close to Kansai or Kanto). Sapporo sounds like a nice city, but I don't want to get stuck up in Hokkaido.
Do you have any personal advice about these places? I'd like to be in Kansai if possible (Kobe probably) and am torn between Fukuoka and Hiroshima as a second choice. They seem similar in the sense that they are nice cities, both have teams, but somewhat isolated (they aren't close to Kansai or Kanto). Sapporo sounds like a nice city, but I don't want to get stuck up in Hokkaido.
Re: Moving to Japan Advice
[ Author: Guest: sraser | Posted: Nov 1, 2003 10:22 AM
]
I am actually a first-year JET living in Osaka-shi. I wouldn't stress out too much about what you put down as your choices. My 3 were; 1)Osaka 2)Kyoto 3)Yokohama. It turned out quite nice for me. However, I do know people that did not get they're top choice.
Even though Osaka is one of the most requested places, there are people here that didn't even request it. Basically, I don't think that you're requests have too much of an influence. One thing you'll realize about Japan, and more specifically JET, is that some of the things that are done just don't make a whole let of sense.
Anyways, I am not much of an expert on different regions in Japan (I've only been here for 3 months so far) but if you are interested in talking about the Osaka area, or JET in general, send me an e-mail.
Even though Osaka is one of the most requested places, there are people here that didn't even request it. Basically, I don't think that you're requests have too much of an influence. One thing you'll realize about Japan, and more specifically JET, is that some of the things that are done just don't make a whole let of sense.
Anyways, I am not much of an expert on different regions in Japan (I've only been here for 3 months so far) but if you are interested in talking about the Osaka area, or JET in general, send me an e-mail.
Re: Moving to Japan Advice
[ Author: Guest: sraser | Posted: Nov 1, 2003 9:23 PM
]
Sorry, I forgot to include my e-mail address. If you are interested: sraser88 [at] hotmail [dot] com.
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Next year I might (provided I am accepted) be moving to Japan to teach with the JET Program. And in my application I am allowed to make a handful of requests for where I want to be placed. I would absolutely love to be close (within an hour) to a Japanese baseball team.
One thing is that because everyone requests Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto, should I name those places, it is highly unlikely that I would be placed there. I could probably request Yokohama, about which I have heard great things, but even that might be risky. And that covers a ton of teams, unfortunately. So one logical place would be, for example, Fukuoka, a nice city with a team that won't be named on too many applications.
Any advice would be appreciated! (And it need not be specifically about a baseball team, I'd appreciate anything about Japan in general.)
- Ross