I’m not a sports person. I’ve never been to a baseball game in America, and I’ve never even played a sport in school. But man, do I love baseball in Japan.

Whenever I work for the Global English Camp program, I attend at least one baseball game. In my opinion, baseball in Japan is nothing like baseball in America.

Keep in mind that this is my own perception. Everyone’s experience may be different. But after enjoying many, many, baseball games in Japan without having any interest in sports—to be honest, I hardly even know the rules of baseball—you may want to consider buying a ticket.

Why?

Players have theme songs.

Not only that, but everyone in the bleachers usually knows every word to these songs. There are even accompanying gestures and claps that you’re expected to remember. Live brass instrumentation play from everywhere at once. It’s like you’re living in a flash mob.

There’s props.

Sometimes. At least, for the Swallows —the best team ever—people lift special miniature umbrellas whenever a home run is scored. Of course, a special song plays here, too. Fans sing the words as they raise the umbrellas to the beat. If you don’t own an umbrella, those sitting by you often let you borrow one. They may even shove it in your hands! You have to celebrate! Which brings me into my last point.

The communal atmosphere.

Regardless of language barriers, chances are you’ll still end up high-fiving the people sitting by you. You’ll cheer, you’ll laugh, and you’ll cry.

Now, I’ve never been to a baseball game in America, but I’ve heard rumors. There are aggressive people, dirty bleaches, and lots of drinks. Yes, people still drink and get excited in Japan—but whereas that atmosphere is sometimes described as rowdy and gross in America, it’s more fun in Japan, and, in my opinion, more like a big hangout session with others rooting for the same team. 

Any negatives?

I’ve only attended baseball games with my friends, so going alone may be a different experience. Tickets can also be challenging to buy if you don’t speak Japanese, as those are purchased at convenience stores or the stadium itself. But if you want to herd a group of your friends and root for the Swallows in Tokyo this summer, I highly recommend it.

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Written by Paige Goetz, Director of Communications

Hiroshima, though only a bullet train or two away from the sprawling metropoles and bustling streets of Tokyo and Osaka, in other respects seems a world apart.

Of course, you still find the same chaotic side-streets stuffed with ramen counters. Japanese businessmen and schoolchildren head off in their droves, and popular shops like Don Quijote and Daiso make their appearances. Hiroshima is even home to Japan’s first pizza vending machine, complete with two flavours and offering dough crafted in Venice… supposedly.

Yet where these scenes create a vibrant buzz in most Japanese cities, the atmosphere in Hiroshima remains one of tranquillity and peace.

Perhaps this owes to the atomic bomb, dropped at 8:15 on 6 August 1945, as Hiroshima rebuilt itself looking for a future of peace. You can take a stroll along “Peace Boulevard”, follow the “Peace Promenade” where trees and flowers are in abundance, lining the riverbanks with paths of green. Or you can witness the Atomic Bomb dome and Peace flame, a testament to Hiroshima’s role as a leading city in the global movement for denuclearisation.

The leisurely pace of life on Hiroshima’s surrounding islands certainly doesn’t hurt either, where seeing fishermen while away the hours.

Yet by no means does this tranquility mean that Hiroshima is dull. Rich in history and culture, there is no shortage of things to do. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, treks around Miyajima Island and cycling the Shimanami-Kaido cycle route were some personal highlights of this beautiful region. If you get the chance to visit Hiroshima, you won’t be disappointed!

Written by Eddie, Global English Camp 2019 Leader, University of Oxford

Edited by Paige Goetz, Director of Communications

photo by Markus Winkler

For those of us who are vegetarian, eating out can be a chore. Not every place serves vegetarian food, and looking for something we can even order is a hassle, especially when trying to go out with friends.

This problem can be more intense in Japan. We don’t know the language well, our normal food apps don’t work, and the definition of “vegetarian” seems vastly different. Outside of foreigners and certain religious denominations, vegetarianism is uncommon in Japan. Because of that, there are misconceptions about what vegetarianism entails. This guide will highlight such difficulties and explain tips and tricks for navigating vegetarianism in Japan.

Why is being vegetarian in Japan difficult?

(Number 2 will SHOCK you.)

1.     Most food apps aren’t in English.
Not being fluent in Japanese makes every aspect of having dietary restrictions more difficult. The displayed menus are in Japanese, the tabs are in Japanese, and even the app names are sometimes in Japanese. It can be difficult to find restaurants and navigate menus.

2.     Fish isn’t always considered “meat” in Japan.
Often, food labeled as “vegetarian” in Japan will still have fish or fish product in them! Ingredients such as dashi or bonito are derived from fish and are often used in the creation of dishes in restaurants, particularly broths and soups. It’s even more difficult when you find a restaurant online labeled vegetarian, only to arrive and see that there isn’t any truly vegetarian food on the menu!

3.     Egg is everywhere.
While I personally eat egg, I know many vegetarians who don’t. While some dishes obviously have egg in them, such as omurice or omu karē, others are less able to be discerned. For example, many pastries at bakeries are made with egg or egg wash, and vegetable fried rice may egg beaten into it. Like fish, egg is often used to fortify foods in restaurants, making it difficult to eat out.

How do I survive as a vegetarian?

Fret not, fellow vegetarians! There are ways to survive in Japan as a vegetarian without defaulting to eating only plain rice-based foods. I did that for my first week in Japan – you know you’ve hit a low point when you’re an Indian who starts to hate rice.

1.     Learn survival Japanese

Obviously, you will pick up some Japanese to be functional, but here’s more vocabulary to learn for when you’re at restaurants:

Niku/sakana/tamago nashi onegaishimasu = No meat/fish/egg please.

Bejitarian tabemono ga arimasu ka? = Do you have vegetarian food?

Eego no menyuu ga arimasu ka? = Do you have an English menu?

Niku/sakana/tamago o taberaremasen. = I can’t eat meat/fish/egg.

Kono menyuu de, dono tabemono ga bejitarian desu ka? = In this menu, which food are vegetarian?

For the above phrases, replace the “/” with “to” (pronounced “toe”) to change to meaning to “and.” E.g. niku/sakana = meat/fish; niku to sakana = meat and fish.

Learning katakana is also useful. Katakana is the Japanese alphabet for borrowed, foreign words. It’s also phonetic, so with a little bit of thinking, you can easily understand some food names. However, this is time-consuming, so Google Translate may still be your best bet.

2.     Plan beforehand

While spontaneity is fun, it’s not easy when vegetarian. Look up places and menus on apps and websites such as GuruNavi or Tabelog. You can search and sort by location, cuisine, and tags ~including vegetarian~! I always feel bad when I don’t have a place in mind, yet I’m simultaneously shutting down my friends’ suggestions because they don’t have vegetarian food.

Pro tip: Search Buddhist cuisine on Tabelog; it has many more vegetarian options than other Japanese cuisine.

3.     Cook

Most vegetables are cheap to buy at supermarkets, and many living quarters contain some semblance of a kitchen. At the very least, you can make tasty udon on your own with just a stove, pan, water, and ingredients. And cooking will be significantly cheaper than going to a restaurant!

4.     Take suggestions

Here are mine:

Indian food – As an Indian man, this is my number one. Indian food is tasty and likely to have vegetarian options, especially if the place is run by Indian people. A small chain in Shinjuku called Curry and Naan is GOD-level amazing.

Italian food – Italian is a cuisine that tends to lend itself to vegetarianism. While seafood is huge in Italian cuisine, most Italian places offer pizza or pasta made from tomato sauce that is both flavorful and vegetarian. My recommendations are a chain family restaurant called Saizeriya and a place with a great lunch deal called Bistro Flambé.

Konbini food and supermarket bentos – While supermarket food might not be the best food you’ll eat in your life, they’re quick to eat and readily available. I would recommend ume onigiri (pickled plum rice balls) from any konbini, and vegetable tempura or fermented vegetable sets from any supermarket as a good way to get nutrients.

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Written by Adip Vora. Adip is a student at Harvard University. He was a Global English Camp 2018 mentor and is returning to the 2019 program as a leader. He looks forward to returning to Japan and eating at Curry and Naan every day again.

Edited by Paige Goetz, Director of Communications