Sports

When you think of Japanese sports, there is a good chance that a martial art comes to mind. However, Japan as a nation is sports crazy, and though sumo is probably recognized as the national sport, a wide range of others are followed by local fanatics. Here in Aichi Prefecture, there are so many sports teams that you can get out and follow. So, which one will be your team? Baseball: Chunichi Dragons Okay, let’s start with the big one. If you ask a local what their favorite sport is, you might be in for a surprise.  The largest professional sports competition, in terms of television ratings and spectators, baseball is considered by many to be the Japan’s number one sport and national pastime. Here in Nagoya we have one of the biggest teams in the Nippon Professional Baseball, the Chunichi Dragons. The Dragons have won nine Central League Pennants, though the most recent was 2011, and since then they have been perennial playoff contenders, cheered on by their mascot Doala. They do, however, have international renown, as it was to the Dragons that Tom Selleck came for his movie Mr Baseball. Soccer: Nagoya Grampus Nagoya’s soccer team is perhaps…