Learn about the Top 5 sports rivalries in Japan
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| Talking Japanese Culture, Season 1, Lesson 24 – Top 5 Sports Rivalries in Japan |
| Hello, and welcome to JapanesePod101.com. I’m Eric. |
| In this lesson we will talk about the "Top 5 Sports Rivalries in Japan”. |
| === |
| The first topic (on the list) is about the most famous and fierce baseball team rivalries between (J: Yomiuri Jaiantsu), the Yomiuri Giants and (J: Hanshin Taigāsu) the Hanshin Tigers. |
| The Giants of Tokyo and the Tigers of Osaka have been arch rivals for nearly 80 years and the games between the two always create a nationwide frenzy. |
| Since the Tigers have been struggling for quite some time, the Giants have a better winning record as of 2015. But the game between the two popular teams has always been special for baseball fans, and people eagerly look forward to it. |
| === |
| The next topic (on the list) is about a college rivalry between (J: Keiōgijuku daigaku,) and (J: Waseda daigaku). |
| Both Keio and Waseda are top-ranked private universities, and they have been friendly but eternal rivals both in academic rankings as well as in sports games which is called (J: Sōkeisen) or (J: Keisōsen). |
| Their baseball teams, in particular, have a long history of rivalry which dates back to 1903 when Waseda first challenged Keio to a game. |
| Other than baseball, there are many other sports rivalries between the two universities, such as regatta, rugby, and basketball. |
| === |
| The next topic (on the list) is a rivalry between the professional football clubs (J: Kashima Antorāzu) and (J: Urawa Rezzu). |
| When you think about “red” in Japanese pro-soccer J-league, you can’t go past these two teams. |
| The Antlers and Reds have been big rivals ever since both teams chose red as their team color. The two teams are also known to have frenzied supporters who come to the stadium dressed in all red, and holding big signs saying “Let’s see which is the real red.” |
| === |
| The next topic (on the list) is another college rivalry between (J: Dōshisha daigaku) and (J: Ritsumeikan Daigaku). |
| Doshisha and Ritsumeikan are prestigious private schools in Kyoto, and they have maintained a healthy rivalry in sports games as well. |
| The most exciting match between the two universities is a baseball game, dubbed as (J: Ritsudōsen) or (J: Dōritsusen). It is mostly played as a night game, and the schools even put posters on public transport in Kyoto during the baseball season. |
| === |
| The last topic (on the list) is about figure skaters (J: Asada Mao), Mao Asada and (J: Kimu Yona), Yuna Kim from South Korea. |
| They are said to be great rivals because they share many similarities. They were both born in 1990, and their height and weight are the same as well. |
| They have also been competing for the top spot since they were in junior competitions, and even after becoming “senior”, they are still facing off against each other at big tournaments. |
| Although the two skaters have a lot in common, their skating style and program components are said to be quite different. |
| === |
| That’s all we have for this lesson. Rivalries are one of the reasons why we watch sports, and this is what makes games even more exciting. Do you have any sports teams or players you want to support over their rivals? Why? Feel free to leave us a comment and let us hear your story. Thanks for listening and we’ll see you next time. Until then, bye! |
Comments
Hide