Though I've never been a huge soccer fan, it's quite fun to follow an event that has caught the world's attention while living in a foreign country.
Tomorrow morning is the last game in Japan's three-game series that will determine whether or not it will advance to the next stage of the World Cup. They lost their first game and tied with Greece last Friday, so this could literally be a game changer. My first English lessons were based around sports, and each class had a debate between the World Cup and the Olympics. My students are very invested in both tournaments since the World Cup is currently underway and since the next, next Olympic Games (2020) will be held in Tokyo. Also, I always thought that only the US used the term soccer, but it turns out Japan does, too!
Shibuya, a shopping district in Tokyo close to my homestay, was completely insane during the first weekend I was here because Japan's first game fell on the morning of Sunday, June 15th. Most notably, fans fled to Shibuya Crossing, the famous intersection outside the many Shibuya subway stations, to watch and (hopefully) win the first game. Alas, they did not win, but they still showed phenomenal sportsmanship and impressed the world by cleaning up after themselves: http://www.npr.org/2014/06/19/323696056/even-if-their-team-loses-japanese-fans-still-sweep-the-competition
Blue Samurai fans take after the nobility of their team's namesake!
And, of course, Pikachu wanted in on the action.
Here's to a triumphant game for Japan and a spotless stadium tomorrow!
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