A note from the Kumamoto international pro baseball desk (if you’re anti-baseball, please stop reading here): Some watch baseball because they love the game; others, because they enjoy the atmosphere; and still others, because they want to hook up. We at the desk do not judge.
An all-avian featherbuster is set for Saturday, May 13, when the Softbank Hawks talon off against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles - the ultimate clash of iPhones vs online shopping - at Kumamoto’s beautiful Fujisakidai Stadium. The venue was once home to Kato shrine until the shrine was moved closer to the castle in the Meiji Era, but the 600-year old camphor trees ringing the stadium still provide a gorgeous foreground to a stunning view of Mt. Kimpo, particularly at sunset. Recent renovations to the stadium have pretty much (but not entirely) eliminated previous avenues for sneaking in without a ticket, according to one of our desk members; if you plan to attend, be aware that admission starts from 4,000 yen, with tickets going on sale this Saturday. More info is at the link. - William