Japanese Cricket at Suginami Festa
Cricket in Japan? Are you serious? Yes, I’m very serious! Do the Japanese play the game? Yes, they do. It’s a real thing. And I was ecstatic to photograph it. To see it played in Tokyo was most pleasing. And it happened near my house!
A Brief History of Cricket in Japan
The game was played in the country over one hundred years ago. But it was only in the 1980s that universities formed clubs and started playing it regularly. Since then, it has slowly and surely been making progress. Now it is an ICC associate member! Things are looking up.
My photo gear for this event?
Camera body: Fujifilm X-T2
Lenses:
- Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
- Fujifilm XF 55-200 mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS
The Suginami Festa cricket experience
If you went to Momoiharappa Park near Ogikubo Station in 2020, you would have seen Suginami Festa. It was a family-style community event. There were many food and drink stalls, plus on-stage entertainment. Cricket made its appearance there. As an avid cricket fan, I went there to get some pictures.
The Japan Cricket Association was there too. They had the “Cricket Have a Go Dome.” It aimed to promote the game in Tokyo. Players were on hand to coach both kids and parents. It was free for everyone, and the purpose was to promote the game in Japan.
The participants were full of enthusiasm, and quite a few belted the balls with relish. And hopefully, after the event, a few went home wanting to learn more about the game. I doubt anyone who attended the event today had ever heard of my cricket heroes, Don Bradman or Bill O’Reilly.
The kids, boys, and girls loved it. They got tips from the coaches and players. It was a new experience for them, and many didn’t want to give up the balls and bats! Some wanted to continue. Maybe one might even become Japan’s Mahendra Dhoni and star in tests or twenty20!
Unfortunately, I don’t know how many attended the dome. At the festival itself, there were thousands. The line of people wanting to try their hand at the game was very long! There wasn’t any downtime for the staff. One more thing interested me.
Cricket is played with the bat vertically. Well, the modern T20 might have something to say about that. Anyway, in Japan, people only know baseball. So they held it horizontally. As the game becomes more popular, knowledge and skill levels will increase. It is something I’m looking forward to seeing.
The sport has a long way to go, though. Baseball is the dominant sport here, so it has a fight on its hands. But the association is working on it. It is active and holds many events to raise awareness of the game.
The association puts on displays and holds clinics at many schools. It’s a good idea to get involved at a grassroots level. Japan has a big population, so the game is prime to take off.
Conclusion
Japan and cricket might sound like an odd pairing, but it’s real. There is interest in the sport, particularly in Tokyo. Enthusiasts are witnessing its slow but steady growth. But it has a long road ahead to establish itself as a mainstream sport in Japan.
However, events like Suginami Festa show its potential. As interest grows, enthusiasts anticipate Japan becoming a notable presence in the global cricketing community. Leave questions and comments below.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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External related websites
- Japan Cricket Association (official website)