Mariner Moment: Aren Osawa Connects Culture From Funabashi to Oracle Park

From the anticipation of a batter’s box in Funabashi, Japan, to the excitement of an American ballpark from the stands, Aren Osawa finds a cultural comparison through a familiar sport.

Baseball, an internationally recognized sport, can vary from country to country– whether it’s personal experience of playing or watching from the stands. For Osawa, a Japanese exchange student visiting Moreau Catholic, baseball has become a way to explore a new culture through a familiar passion.

“I like baseball; I play it in Funabashi,” said Osawa, describing his connection to the sport in Japan. Like many baseball players, his most memorable part of the game is stepping up to the plate. “My favorite part of baseball is batting, or hitting the ball.”

Baseball is a widely popular, well-loved sport in Japan, where professional teams and players have developed devoted followings, rigorous training, and a countrywide passion for the beloved game. One of Osawa’s favorite athletes is professional baseball player Kazuma Okamoto of the Toronto Blue Jays. According to a 2014 interview published by Sponichi Annex, a major Japanese sports news outlet, Okamoto prides himself on his power hitting, a defining feature of his playing style.

Osawa’s exchange experience has also allowed him to watch baseball in the United States. At Oracle Park, he attended a game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers, where thousands of people roared and fed Bay Area athletes ecstatic energy, a game covered by The Athletic. Although baseball rules remain largely consistent across nations, he noticed unexpected cultural differences in how players act on the field.

“In Japan, you aren’t supposed to show your emotions openly, but in the US, players show great excitement – like when they hit a home run,” he said. “Also, everyone is friendlier in America, both on the field and in my experience.”

The contrast stood out to Osawa as he got a glimpse into how cultural expectations can affect how athletes act in a game setting. In the United States, enthusiastic celebrations after a home run are a fan favorite moment in baseball– while expectations around emotional expression can vary across teams and players in Japan.

Ultimately, for Osawa, whether he’s batting at his school’s field in Funabashi or watching the Giants play, baseball gives him a way to experience a new environment, anchoring him to familiarity while discovering what makes each culture unique.