(CNN)The World Series is one of sport’s hot tickets, but match day at a baseball game in Japan outdoes anything the MLB has to offer.
We’re in a sea of chanting fans, all calling the name of 27-year-old Tetsuo Yamada as he steps up to the plate. Every player has their own chant that’s shouted during every single inning. The fans know them by heart, sing in unison and generate a cacophony of noise.
On one wet summer evening in Tokyo, we saw Yakult Swallows play local rivals, Yomiuri Giants, at their home ground. They’re based at the Meiji Jingu Stadium, which was built in 1926, making it the oldest stadium in the city. It’s open air, and despite the rain, the stadium was packed close to its full capacity of about 31,000.
