Okinawa-rama

Today Joe and I joined a couple of friends to go see some baseball. The Japanese professional teams come down to Okinawa this time of year to do their spring training. We caught a game between the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and the Yokohama Bay Stars. Joe was pretty pumped up about seeing a team with the name of "Ham Fighters", and was more than ready to plunk down 1000s of yen in baseball caps and t-shirts with big 'ole pigs, or at least hamhocks, emblazened across. Unfortunately, there was not a ham to be seen. (Somehow the mascot was a kind of squirrel or chipmunk...with a mohawk). Nevertheless, it was a wonderful afternoon with weather that was just perfect for sprawling out on a blanket on the grass, snoozing under the sun, and watching some ball. Snacks included yakitori sticks, chicken 'n fries, and snowcones. Yum! In the end, guess who won? Our team, the Ham Fighters.

Here's a picture of their mascot, B.B. in some baseball park in mainland Japan.