The Misconception Of Japanese Sports Fans
Japanese sports fans have a reputation that has been recognized at some of the various world stages of international events. Possibly most notably were during the 2014 and 2018 World Cups in Brazil. There have been loads of videos and stories covering Japanese football fans cleaning up trash after the matches were finished as a show of respect to the hosts. However that is but a singular example of what makes Japanese sports fans unique. Some people have labeled them as boring or tame, but in their own ways, Japanese fans are just as passionate about their sports as any other country.
Tame = Lame?
Japanese people don’t have a reputation as being the most outgoing or free spirited people in the eyes of many foreigners. And while this image of modestly and introversion is true to some degree, it doesn’t mean that fans are somehow less passionate. Rather it materializes in a different ways that are sometimes interpreted as boring or rigid.
One phenomenon that has caught the eye of foreign sports spectators, athletes and writers, is the orderly way in which they cheer at sports games. Rather than fans trying to outcheer and yell over the rival team’s fans, each side will take turns allowing the opposing side to support their team. This is most commonly done at baseball games, where one team’s fans often get 10–15 seconds to give an impassioned chant and then the other side gets the same opportunity. This may seem somewhat odd to sports fans who are used to homefield fans using their numbers to drown out the opposition to their advantage.
This etiquette to let each side express their energy in a non combative way has led to Japanese crowds being tame, especially when it comes to violent outbursts. We see violence erupt across rival football fans in Europe, or the occasional fist fight of drunkards in NFL games, but this outcome is far less apparent among Japanese fans. The less tension created from competing for control of the stadiums atmosphere, results in less disagreements amongst fans.
Personal Chants/Pictures
A tradition for many Japanese teams fans is to make unique chants and songs for their favourite team’s individual players. This comes in the form of rhymes or songs that play on the Japanese player’s names. While yes this may happen in other country’s sports with star players, Luke Kuechly comes to mind, the Japanese fans often do this for almost every player. The creativity in some of these cheers far surpasses the usual LUUUUKE chants in the NFL.
Personalized fandom doesn’t simply stop there however. With a country that produces some of the most cartoons in the world, with the booming industry of manga and anime, fans of seemingly all ages go out of their way to create pictures in likeness to their favourite athlete. They often get shared on Instagram or Twitter, and while this is not exclusively a Japanese trend, the Japanese are some of the most active on such platforms and in such mediums.
Winning Isn’t Everything
For Japanese fans, there is not only a difference in actions, but some have speculated a difference in expectations of sports. Often in many countries sporting culture winning is the end all be all. The result is more important than the event itself, and that somewhat distorts the experience. Sports psychologists in the country have noted that for the Japanese fans, winning is simply not as big of a deal as playing hard and trying your best. Some have contributed this to results of past wars, while others think it is from the history of individual sports like karate or kendo that somewhat downplay the importance of simply winning in team sports
Bye Bye Boo Birds
This deemphasis on winning often results in fans not getting as upset or frustrated at a teams lack of success. Booing your own team just isn’t a common occurrence like it is in more western sports; looking at Knicks fans and Eagle Fans here. And while some may see this as a lack of passion, I'm sure the athletes themselves appreciate not getting insulted by their very own supporters. Booing opponents is also not nearly as common, as fans are to show respect.
For some this may paint the Japanese sports fans in a dull or boring light. But if you are lucky enough to ever experience a Japanese sporting event yourself, you will find it just as energetic and lively as any other nations.
If you would like to reach me, you can message me at shotarohmoore@hotmail.com
