Samurai Spirit: How Japan is Influencing Baseball

When I went for a walk in Japan this summer, I was shocked to see 30 baseball fields lined up alongside a river in Tokyo. Each field was filled with little kids playing baseball, coaches yelling, and baseballs flying into the air. But despite its inception as America’s pastime, baseball’s culture in Japan is driven by an overwhelming passion. During the offseason, Japan won the WBC against a star-studded U.S. team. The final game was watched by almost half of the entire Japanese population. The influence of Japanese baseball players in MLB is undoubtedly growing, attributed to the fundamental importance Japanese culture places on the sport. 

The dedication of Japanese youth to baseball shows the unique cultural importance Japan places on the sport. Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and designated hitter, had his father as his Little League coach growing up. When asked about his experience playing youth baseball, Ohtani said, “There was no special treatment. In practice and games, I didn’t think of him as my dad. He was first and foremost my coach.” Japanese baseball is strongly tied to discipline and team spirit. Like everyone else, Ohtani was expected to earn his spot on the team; he was taught first and foremost to work for what he wanted. For Japanese parents, sending their children to learn baseball isn’t just about the game; it’s about instilling discipline and patience, which are qualities that are deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. 

This work ethic and dedication is shown most clearly in Koshien, the annual high school baseball tournament broadcasted nationwide. More than six million people watch the games on television in Japan, and playing in Koshien is the dream of Japan’s baseball youth. The passion and intensity rival that of a playoff game in MLB, with bands and cheering sections dedicated to specific schools. In these games, young Japanese players get to play in electrifying environments that serve as valuable experience for their professional careers later on. 

 Many players, including former Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, have made their mark at these games. When he led his team to Koshien, Suzuki was simultaneously the best pitcher and hitter. Although his team did not win, he ended his high school career with a .515 batting average and struck out only 536 times. When Suzuki came to MLB in 2001, no one ever expected him to become a ten-time All Star or win AL MVP and Rookie of the Year in his debut season. He had an uncanny ability to rack up hits, with ten consecutive 200+ hit seasons. Despite coming to MLB when he was already 27, he is among the top in career hits all-time, and if his NPB hits were combined with his MLB hits, he would lead all baseball players in history. His great success is largely attributed to his inspiring work ethic and one-minded dedication to baseball. “Former teammates all have favorite Ichiro stories … how in the minors he'd swing the bat for 10 minutes every night before going to sleep, or wake up some mornings to swing alone in the dark from 1 to 4 a.m,” reports ESPN. 

Other players, such as Ohtani and Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga, have shown that Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) players can consistently and successfully translate their talent to MLB. In particular, the two-time MVP and two-way stud for the Dodgers, Ohtani, shows just how much influence Japanese players are now having in the league. He continues to make history, being one of the best pitchers in baseball while also hitting over 40 home runs each season, making him one of the best hitters as well. Imanaga has also been phenomenal this year, being among those leading the league in ERA (the number of earned runs a pitcher allows per nine innings) and boasting a 5-0 win record under his belt. His transition to MLB has been seamless, keeping up his NPB All-Star numbers with an impressive splitter-fastball combo.  

As Japan continues to influence baseball, more eyes are on talent in NPB as potential players in MLB. Players like Chiba Lotte Marines pitcher Roki Sasaki and Tokyo Yakult Swallows infielder Munetaka Murakami stand out among this pool of talent. 22-year-old Sasaki is best known for pitching a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes in 2022, ending a 26-year-long drought since the last perfect game in NPB. 24-year-old Murakami is already a two-time MVP winner and broke the NPB record for homeruns with 56 in his 2022 season. The two showcase the talent Japan will continue to bring the MLB and baseball on the world stage.