Parades to celebrate sporting successes were held in both Tokyo and Yokohama.
On the one hand, the DeNA BayStars celebrated their first Japan Series title in 26 years with a championship parade through Yokohama on Saturday, and on the other hand, around 100 Japanese athletes who took part in the Olympic Games and Paralympics in Paris ran on a famous street on Saturday in the Tokyo district of Nihombashi about 700 meters away to thank the fans for their support.
BayStars celebrate Japan Series win with parade in Yokohama
Manager Daisuke Miura and the players were cheered by fans as they completed the approximately 1.5 kilometer parade route from the Minato Mirai waterfront area to near Yokohama Stadium.
“Some people shed tears and said thank you, and I felt like I should thank them too,” Miura said. “I could feel the love from so many people.”
The BayStars finished third in the Central League and entered the Japan Series as underdogs by winning two rounds of the Climax Series.
In the Japan Series, DeNA overcame a 2-0 deficit against the Pacific League’s SoftBank Hawks to win four straight games and secure its first national championship since 1998, when the team was known as the Yokohama BayStars.
Star infielder Shugo Maki said he wants to fill the streets of Yokohama with BayStars fans for another victory celebration a year from now.
“This is the best scenery I’ve ever seen,” he said. “Next year I want to win the Central League title and be No. 1 in Japan, and then have a big parade again.
Japan’s Paris medalists thank their fans with a parade in Tokyo
About 10,000 spectators gathered on Chuo Street to catch a glimpse of the athletes, including men’s 66kg Olympic judo champion Hifumi Abe and women’s 53kg wrestling gold medalist Akari Fujinami , and Paralympics women’s badminton gold medalist Sarina Satomi.
In Paris, Japan won the most gold medals and podium finishes at an overseas Summer Olympics, 20 and 45 respectively, and took home 14 Paralympic gold medals, one more than at the Tokyo Paralympics.
“I have never had such a big opportunity where I can express my gratitude (in front of so many people),” Satomi said. “I’m so impressed.”
Also taking part in the parade were Olympic fencer Misaki Emura, who won bronze in the women’s saber team competition, and Paralympic swimmer Keiichi Kimura, who won two gold medals.
After the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, Japan hosted a joint parade of Olympic and Paralympic medalists for the first time.
There was no parade after the Tokyo 2021 Games due to the coronavirus pandemic.
