Nihon Friday Blog Part 2 and 3 Due to technical difficulty, Im gonna cram both Being Tora-Kichi and Rokkō Oroshi together. In fact, they do go hand in hand with Hanshin, the history and being a Tigers fan in the Kansai region. Being Tora-Kichi (虎キチ) Living in the Kansai region is synonymous with being a Tigers fan, even if you absolutely hate baseball. Although there are two other teams in Kansai (Orix in Kobe and Kintetsu Blue in Ōsaka), they do not command as much support or attention as Hanshin. Even though they do have a lot of backing, this isnt to say that theyre particularly good. In fact, since their formation in 1935, theyve only won once in the Nihon Series in 1985 (theres a good story that follows their win as well ^_^). Most years, youd find them behind in the standings of the Central League, but this fact furthers their lovability as an underdog. If you plan on living or working anywhere near or in Kansai and are invited to a formal company banquet, its surprisingly common practice for the corporate Vice President to lead in singing the Tigers Fight Song (Rokkō Oroshi). Memorizing the words are a sure way to become popular in Kansai (and hated in Tokyo). Most clubs in Kansai have this song in their karaoke books and youll surely be joined in singing it, especially in the late summer season. Inspiration Behind Rokkō Oroshi Mt. Rokkō is situated behind the Tigers Stadium in Nishinomiya in the Ōsaka-Kobe region. It sits near the base. I posted the song below as well as the lyrics (and sung a part of it to the best of my ability. Sorry if it causes your ears discomfort LOL). So, with that being said, I will leave the English translation: Rokkō Oroshi (Rokkō Wind) In the Rokkō wind, a gallant orb gallops across a blue sky A young, beautiful spirit We are the sparkling Hanshin Tigers! O-o-o-o! Hanshin Tigers! Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! A fighting spirit is awakened And has already beat back the enemy With the pride of the king of animals We are the invincible Hanshin Tigers! Steel arms and powerful hits for a thousand times We train here at Kōshien Burning for the crown of victory, We are the sparkling Hanshin Tigers! Tigers-Related Terminology Dametora (駄目虎) When the Tigers fall behind in the standings and start to play poorly, they are called dametora). NOTE: this is for NON-KANSAI RESIDENTS ONLY! True-blue Hanshin fans, no matter how badly the Tigers do, never lose faith in them. Dentō-no-Issen (伝統の一戦) This is the name for the game between the Tigers and the Kyōjin (Giants) of Yomiuri. The games are almost as intense as the rivalry between these two cities, being that Yomiuri is Tokyos main team. When the game is held at Kōshien, they call this the Hanshin-Kyōjin game and vice-versa when the game is held in Tokyo Dome (AKA the Big Egg). It should also be noted that Japans baseball teams are named after the companies that own them. In the Tigers case, they are named after the Hanshin Dentetsu (Hanshin Railway). Hanshin also owns a horse racing track in Takarazuka. Hanshin is the abbreviation for Osaka-Kobe (the last character in Osaka, 阪, and the first character in Kobe, 神). Like most railway companies in Japan, theyre also a transportation ad retail conglomerate. If Hanshin wins the pennant, look for big deals in their department store, Hanshin Hyakkaten (阪神百貨店). Jetto Fūsen (ジェット風船） More of a name for a custom during the game. In the bottom of the seventh, long balloons are released into the air, creating a whistling noise as they fly. It creates a terrible racket on top of the cheering and can be compared to the 12th man in Seattle in terms of volume. Also referred to as roketto fūsen (ロケット風船). Kōshien (甲子園) is not only the name of the stadium in Nishinomiya, but its also the name and place where the twice annual high school baseball tournament takes place. Kōshien is also a stop along the railway. Mōko (猛虎） When theyre playing exceptionally well, meaning Fierce Tigers. Rakkii Sebun (ラッキー7） It is said that the 7th inning is where the Tigers are strongest at-bat and where they often score to gain a come-from-behind victory. At home games, an announcement is made over the PA, encouraging the home crowd to cheer even louder. Shi no Rōdo (死のロード） During the two weeks where the high school tourney takes up Kōshien Stadium, this is where Hanshin plays their Deadly Road games. These 2 weeks are a critical juncture in their season and where they typically fall into a slump. Torakki (トラッキ） When playing home games, youll see this little guy out on the field. Hanshins mascot Torakki! Wakatora (若虎） When an especially young player looks like hes going to make a promising career in Hanshin. Planning a Trip to Kōshien It is well worth the effort if tickets are available. Theyre just as hard to come by as sumo wrestling tickets if their season looks especially good, so plan ahead. The bleachers may not be such a good idea if youre not packing anything stronger than aspirin. Although the entire stadium is loud, the bleachers are the epicenter of the noise with non-stop orchestrated cheering. Its especially important to remember that the Tigers colors are mandatory, which would be yellow, black and white. Its also a good idea to watch a few games at home, pick a few favorite players and keep track of the teams standings for an easy topic of conversation and an ice breaker at social functions. Hanshin and Colonel Sanders When Hanshin won their first pennant in 1985, fans went beserk. A small number of them met in Nanpa Bashi over the Dōtonbori River and as people called out the names of their favorite players, they would also simultaneously jump into the river. There was, however, a small hiccup. When there was no one there to represent American player Randy Bass, the closest thing they could find that resembled a foreigner was a Colonel Sanders statue standing outside of a KFC, which they took and dumped into the river. Soon afterwards, the team fell into a deep slump. People claimed that this was due to a jinx wrought by Colonel Sanders himself. The statue was then replaced in 1992, the same year where Hanshin looked as though they would take the pennant. However, they chained the statue down this time and Hanshin blew their last few critical games and failed to win the 92 pennant. some people say that if the statue wasnt chained down that year, Hanshin wouldve won.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 09:19:26 +0000
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