EXPLORE THE THEME
Sports & Places
When support becomes a reason to go out
Get to know a player, then go to a game. Visit a town because of a story. From sports and anime pilgrimages, we look at how fans and local communities build lasting ties.
5 articles 11 podcast episodes
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How to explore this theme
For sports, start with the B.League and J.League articles; for travel, start with the guide to anime pilgrimages. The podcast digs into first games, ties with local communities, and the view of fans who visit from abroad.
READ & DISCOVER
Articles and glossary terms
From the key words to real cases.
- 01Sports
Japan's B.League Made the Basketball Arena a Live Venue: Record Crowds Three Years Running
The B.League set attendance records three years in a row, and B.LEAGUE PREMIER launched in the 2026-27 season. Why the arena has become a genba for oshi-katsu fans.
- 02Sports
Sports Fandom Is One of Japan's Oldest Oshi-Katsu: What the J.League's 1 Million Pokémon Giveaway Teaches
Pokémon x all 60 J.League clubs, the 100-Year Vision that built an oshi for life, and stadium destinations like Nagasaki Stadium City and FC Imabari.
- 03Sports
27 Million Fans and Player-by-Player Chants: How Japanese Pro Baseball Runs on Oshi-Katsu
Pro baseball drew about 27 million fans in 2025, a record. From cheer songs and fan groups to the Fighters' oshi-player strategy, here's the culture behind it.
- 04Glossary
What Is Seichi Junrei? Anime Pilgrimage in Japan: Economic Impact and Etiquette
Seichi junrei is visiting the real places behind anime and your oshi. See the economic impact (Oarai, Your Name), how to enjoy it and how to be a welcome pilgrim.
- 05Events
The Ensei Packing Checklist: Everything to Bring When You Travel for a Live Show
What to pack when traveling for a live show, sorted into must-haves, venue gear, lodging items and seasonal extras. A checklist for the day before through getting home.
PODCAST STORIES
Go deeper with the podcast
English summaries, and every episode has English subtitles.
- #59
Why Pokémon and 60 J.League Clubs Are Giving Away 1 Million Bags to Help Fans Find an Oshi
How a Pokémon and J.League tie-up used "evolution," a different Pokémon for each of 60 clubs and free bags to turn World Cup heat into local fandom.
- #54
Why Fans Back the Whole Team: Hako-Oshi and Japan's National Soccer Side
How to fall for Japan's national soccer team as a whole, from star players to unseen workers, using the fan habit Japanese fans call hako-oshi.
- #45
Can Netflix Grow Membership with the WBC? Exclusive Streaming Today
After Japan's WBC exit, streaming's real test begins: how sports and other shows connect, and why a free way in still matters.
- #43
Inside the J.League's 100-Year Vision, Part 2: A Special Tournament, Penalty Shootouts and the Stadium Day
How the J.League filled its 2026 gap with a special tournament with no draws, and why stadium design beyond the 90 minutes is what brings fans back.
- #42
Inside the J.League's 100-Year Vision: Turning a Local Team into a Lifelong Favorite
The J.League's Hundred Year Vision was built to root clubs in their towns. Record attendance, the 2026 season shift and snow-region investment through a fan's eyes.
- #41
How Overseas Fans Do Oshi-Katsu: The New Market Tourism Is Creating
Travel built around an oshi: fixed dates, pilgrimage etiquette, how fans abroad celebrate, and what makes a region a place fans want to revisit.
- #32
How COEDO and Yona Yona Ale Built Global Fanbases for Local Beer
After Japan's 1994 craft beer boom faded, COEDO and Yona Yona Ale won fans by pairing consistent quality with place, story and spaces where drinkers gather.
- #26
Can J.League Players Become Idols? A Business Model Beyond Wins and Losses
How J.League clubs can turn a single player's charm, anime collaborations and local ties into a habit of cheering, from a first match to fandom for the whole club.
- #18
What Makes a Shrine a Fan Favorite? Snow Man Fans and the Culture of Praying for Your Oshi
Why Japanese fans pray for their oshi at shrines, how accidental sacred places emerge, and how shrines and towns can welcome fans without losing daily life.
- #8
How Anime Pilgrimages Change a Town: The Connections and Economy Fans Create
How seichi junrei, fan visits to anime locations, can help or strain a town, from Washinomiya Shrine and Numazu to the Kamakura crossing made famous by SLAM DUNK.
- #4
How Sports Fans Become Devoted Supporters: J.League, B.League and Pro Baseball
Turning a spectator into a supporter: how Japanese basketball, baseball and soccer clubs use favorite players, voting and fan events as doors into the stadium.
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