Take me out to the Ball Game, in JAPAN!!!!!!!!!

Ted decides the whole family should go to the Hanshin Tigers
vs the Tokyo Giants game in Osaka. 
Dad wants to wear his SF Giants hat; that gets vetoed big time.

The tickets Wako and Ted got required a purchase to a meal at an Osaka hotel, so we are forced to eat at a Chinese full course dining room.  Each meal probably cost $85.  That, times all six of us?-  $510 holy crap.  It was hard to believe we were stuffed- each plate was so small- but there were 6 courses.  Unbelievable meal!  And so much fun!  Thank God for Wako who could tell us what we were eating! (oh. The tickets weren't nearly that expensive.  Puhleeze.)

In the train station.
I love the random graphics everywhere...

CRAZY fans!  95% of the whole crowd wore Tigers jerseys,
hats, towels, hand bands and had the plastic clackers. 
OMG so over the top, but such a blast.
 Each section had a cheerleader, trumpets, and every one in the crowd
 knew all the songs and chants. 
We were SUCH gaijins!

Right fielder from the U.S.
Matt Murton, who looks almost exactly like Ted,
or Ted looks like him, hits a home run. 
Could have been Ted with the response
he got from our portion of the stands.

Seventh inning stretch.  No one sang no dumb "Take me out to the ballgame." 

Every single person in the stands blew up balloons. 

Again, SO over the top, and ridiculously fun!

Some fans dressed up for the occasion. 

Those with these wide "Japanese worker" pants

were the MOST  avid fans of all.

In spite of the fact that the Tigers lost,
Murton had a good game, so Ted and Hobie (aka Matt Murton)
were the stars of the exiting crowd. 
We knew none of these people, but they all wanted photos with our two "Murtons." 
Hilarious. 
Our jaws were hurting from way too much laughing.