Proper thing to do

[BlueThunderKuno]

I have a two part question. What are the customs to wearing hats (ball caps) in Japan? I know in America its not proper to wear a hat indoors, or when at a dinner table, I didnt know if the same was true in Japan.

Also are there certain sports teams you shouldnt wear while visiting areas? I know when I go to Boston I take my Yankees hat off, since I dont feel like getting into it with Red Sox fans while I am on vacation.


Thanks :-)

[Zaff]

I wore my hat all the time in the day and had no problems, also saw a lot of other younger fashion junkies like me wearing them in bars etc... I do though always wear a suit or at least make an effort in an evening thus hair is done and cap/beanie placed away.

No matter where you are I find it VERY rude to wear a hat in a restaurant so Id leave it back in your hotel room if your going for a meal.

On the dont wear your teams "colours" heh dont matter too much. I wore my Gamba Osaka shirt in Tokyo and nothing came of it. The Japanese dont seem to be into sports violance the same as the US and UK are.

Hell I could be wearing nothing but a normal T-shirt and on a football(soccer) match day head down near my local teams stadium and get beaten to a pulp just for being there.....

[Mike Cash]

No chapeau etiquette that you need to worry about regarding ball caps.

As a hat (not cap) wearer myself, I just wish the people caught up in the current fedora trend in Japan would STOP WEARING THEM BACKWARDS, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!!

[Zaff]

Haha backwards was all the rage back in the 90's as it was all gangster and that. I remember some half-dressed boyband wearing them backwards in a music video and within days the whole school was doing it.

[BlueThunderKuno]

Well thanks for the comments.

Zaff I cannot imagine being a football fan in the rest of the world, its violent, I did support Italy for the world cup, but I am sure if I would have worn an Italia shirt in France I would have been hauled out of the county.

I agree Mike, I dont understand why people wear their ball caps backwards.

[pipokun]

Curse of the Colonel
Curse of the Colonel refers to an urban legend regarding a reputed curse placed on the Japanese Kansai-based Hanshin Tigers baseball team by deceased KFC founder and mascot Col. Harland Sanders. The curse was said to be placed on the team because of the Colonel's anger over treatment of one of his store-front statues
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_the_Colonel

You are safe as long as you don't go to pubs of Tiger's fans with a Yomiuri Giants cap on.
I bet they sincerely apologise to you for Igawa when you wear your Yankees hat in Osaka.

[frostyg02uk]

Lol football violence in the UK is over rated. During the world cup i seen loads of italy and brazil shirts and as a shirt collector ive wore Japanese, italian, german, spanish and of course english shirts (club) without anything even being said other then at times a little banter.

In japan ive wore my NY Yanky's shirt with no problems and while im not a big hat wearer i think personal morals should be your guide on when to wear a hat and when not to.

[BlueThunderKuno]

Pipokun I still believe Igawa has the stuff... I just hope he can get over his "issues". We will see what happens.

Sounds like I shouldnt have any problems in Japan with wearing my team.

[pipokun]

Sounds like I shouldnt have any problems in Japan with wearing my team.
No. When you find cute cheerleaders like the ones in youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e-5iNn8dXo&mode=related&search=), dance with them.

[BlueThunderKuno]

I plan on attending a baseball game when I am in Japan too. I think its going to be the Dragons, my travel agent is getting me tickets. I am very tempted to bring a Jack Elliot sign... but I dunno how that would go over.

[maushan3]

Lol football violence in the UK is over rated. During the world cup i seen loads of italy and brazil shirts and as a shirt collector ive wore Japanese, italian, german, spanish and of course english shirts (club) without anything even being said other then at times a little banter.

I haven't been to the U.K., but I know it might be overrated as you say, however, I don't think wearing other countries jerseys is a problem, because from what I know and experience, the problem is when wearing a rival club shirt, not national. Like, you are in Madrid in a pub or something and then come in with a Barcelona jersey, that's when issues begin to arise.

In japan ive wore my NY Yanky's shirt with no problems and while im not a big hat wearer i think personal morals should be your guide on when to wear a hat and when not to.

It's just like any country, I guess. People would not be offended because you forgot to take off your hat at a bar or a restaurant. Besides, the Japanese wouldn't expect you to follow every rule, since you are a foreigner. Just try your best to assimilita but don't sweat it.

Mauricio

[Mike Cash]

I agree Mike, I dont understand why people wear their ball caps backwards.

I didn't say a word about people wearing ball caps backwards. But if I had to, I would say I prefer backwards to sideways or askew.

My comment was about Japanese youths wearing fedoras backwards. Fedoras are currently somewhat trendy among the hipper youths, and I suspect the ones that are wearing them backwards are simply dumbasses who can't tell the back from the front.

I assume you already know what a ball cap is. Here's a fedora:

http://delmonicohatter.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/Borsalino%20Classic%20Fedora%20Aug%2002%20225X.gif

[BlueThunderKuno]

Ah ok, sorry about the misread. I am sure it would look even more odd wearing a fedora backwords, than a ball cap. I myself do not understand the facination with the Elvis hair that some Japanese have.

[pipokun]

The team song of Dragons is Moeyo Dragons (http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac-dLTnN7t4&mode=related&search=)
I don't know which seat you got (at outfield ones you can meet the energetic fans) , but ask the people when you sing the song.
The guys will be glad to tell you how and when to sing it.

[BlueThunderKuno]

Thats really cool pipokun. I am very excited to watch an exciting baseball game. I found this website too that offerers English Media Guides for the Japanese League and I plan on buying one before I head over there. I havent had my ticket ordered yet because its for the 2008 season. When do they release the new schedules?

[pipokun]

I don't know if they were excited at an exciting ball game or not.
But I am sure that you'll be excited to see the guys.

The tickets are usually available 1 or 2 month before the game, and except some popular teams, Giants or Tigres, it is easy to get a ticket, esp., outfield ones.

Hiroshima Carp fans @youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXNIyWZbvWo&mode=related&search=) and guess who. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8wvxtAWmQI)

[BlueThunderKuno]

thanks for the youtube posts :) I am on there a lot downloading Shinjo, Ishii, H. Matsui, K. Matsui, Igawa clips all the time. I am a subscriber to TVJapan here in America, its basically an NHK channel, and occasionally they show a Japanese Baseball game, and I am glued to the TV for those.