I hear that there’s going to be a big sports event happening here in the US this Sunday but for baseball fans like me, spring seems so far away. In the case of NPB (Nippon Pro Baseball) though, spring season gets underway this month! Woot! Where do the majority (9 out of 12) of these teams go to keep warm from mainland Japan’s winter weather? Okinawa, of course. Here’s the lowdown of the teams and the area that they have their training camps in Okinawa. Something to look out for if you find yourself in Okinawa this month. (This is how I got to see Ichiro playing with the Orix Blue Wave about a season or two before he left for the bigs.)
- Chunichi Dragons – Chatan
- Hokkaido Nippon Ham – Nago
- Hanshin Tigers – Ginoza
- Yokohama Bay Stars – Ginowan
- Hiroshima Touyou Carps – Okinawa
- Tokyo Yakult Swallows – Urasoe
- Chiba Lotte Marines – Ishigaki-jima
- Touhoku Rakuten Eagles – Kume-jima
- Orix Buffaloes – Miyako-jima
(Via Ryukyu Shimpo.)
