Saturday marked the opening weekend of the J-League, and even though I’ve been to quite a few matches in Japan, the fans behaviour is a constant source of amusement/interest.
The first noticeable thing is the large number of females and families in the crowd. Which I have to say isn’t a bad thing. On the contrary, it’s good that anybody can go to watch a game without the fear of trouble, or violence. The down side is that whilst enthusiastic, the crowd lacks a certain amount of passion. It’s just all very civil. A little too much for my liking.
A few examples.
After one set of fans sing a song, the opposing fans politely applaud their efforts. I’m not joking.
When there is some cheering or singing that’s considered inappropriate, or an incident on the pitch that isn’t to the fans liking, they boo. All good up to now. But whilst booing, everybody (and I mean everybody) adopts the thumbs-down gesture. This is all well and good when you are 5 years old, but not at a football match when the referee has made a diabolical decision against your team. There are numerous expressive hand gestures, and a quick thumbs-down isn’t the one I’d pick.
And finally, there are a distinct lack of lunatics in the crowd. Every sporting event needs a deranged fan spouting nonsense for the duration of the game, but up to now I’ve never seen one at a Japanese football game. Maybe I should get the ball rolling!
But it’s not all bad. There are some decent sized crowds, and the stadiums are excellent.
And whilst the songs and chants are somewhat regimented, everyone seems to know them. You can’t beat a few thousand people singing at a football match. For reasons unknown, FC Tokyo supporters always sing you’ll never walk alone before the game, which is particularly impressive. Scarves are held aloft too, just like at Anfield.
Although this young woman didn’t know the words, so she attempted to nonchalantly read the words from her strategically placed lyric sheet.
And last but by no means least, beer is readily available whichever way you turn. Buy it from the numerous beer stalls if you want, or if you can’t be bothered getting up, call over one of the young beer ladies. For obvious reasons, the latter option is the most popular. You don’t miss any of the game, and you get the chance to ogle strike up a conversation with the attracti football savvy vendor.
Kev says
This is all in contrast to the Ipswich Town vs. Millwall match I attended on Saturday. Only the small portion of Millwall fans that attended, along with ITFC’s North Stand, sang songs. Every gesture was made at Mike Riley’s godawful decisions, and a bloke two seats behind said the word c*** a good couple of hundred times, while spouting utter nonsense, demonstrating that he has no idea whatsoever on how to actually play football.
And on the way back to the train, I played that quality game of “spot the hooligan”, checking for all the usual labels being proudly worn 🙂
billy says
…time to teach the crowd “annie’s song” as sung by the mighty bladesmen (from the lane)…
…so, if you were to get all shouty/sweary would you be ejected or treated as a “wild and crazy foreigner”?…
Lee says
Kev: Sounds like the J-League isn’t so bad after all! And regardless of how organized, they do sing a lot. So there’s not much atmosphere at Portman Road then?
Billy: I could probably get away with the swearing, as they wouldn’t understand most of it, but the shouting could be a problem. They’d probably put up with it for a bit, then kindly ask me to leave!
Kev says
Only the North Stand sings. Which is why Town prefer to attack the North Stand end in the second half, as it’s a bit more inspirational than running towards silence and screaming away fans (when the North Stand is quiet, away fans are all you can hear!). Town attacked the North Stand in the first half, again – an ungentlemanly coin toss decision by Millwall, to remove that extra layer of home advantage. Town lost 3-1, and so swearing was emanating from the North Stand throughout 🙂
Kinuk says
You mean there aren’t police cordons lined up along the route? The opposing fans are not separated by at least one row of brightly-clad policemen? You mean, the answer to the opposing team’s song isn’t “Well, come over here you w***** and say that to my face you t***!” Wow.
em says
i’ve got one of those rainbow afro wigs that i’m happy to send you if you like! oh wait, that’s the American football fanatic.
Sounds very different from out here. I’m not far from Philadelphia, PA, USA, and the football stadium here has it’s own judge and courtroom, including holding cells. ahh football. good fun in any part of the world…
grooveraccoon says
Well, it seems to me that you can either incite them into a frenzy with empassioned rhetoric, or convince/pay some of these lovely beergirls to take on another old English custom. Streaking. That should get a reaction.
Lee says
Kinuk: Belive it or not I never saw a single policeman, and the attendance was over 35,000. Incredible. The stadium has it’s own people there, but all they have to do is check tickets and tell people where their seats are.
It’s a very different experince.
Em: Thanks for the offer, but I’ll have to decline your kind offer of the rainbow coloured afro!
Grooveraccoon: I’d never thought of streaking. Obviously me doing it would be of no pleasure to anybody. The thought of me appearing naked on the big stadium screen doesn’t even bear thinking about. But one of those lovely beer ladies, now that’s another matter altogether!
Mike Garcia says
Interesting article. I would love to attend a J League game one day. I live in Chicago and support the Chicago Fire of MLS. I belong to the Banrburners and Section 8 (the hard core supporters group).
Is there anywhere I can get a scarf from one of the J League teams?
Mike Garcia says
Interesting article. I would love to attend a J League game on day. I live in Chicago and support the Chicago Fire of MLS. I belong to the Banrburners and Section 8 (the hard core supporters group).
Is there anywhere I can get a scarf from one of the J League teams?
melly says
loved the artical, I always try to catch J-league games or at least recaps of them on television. I want to know where to get J-league scarves, too! I’ve only seen Nippon ones …