Waseda WeeklyWaseda Weekly

The Tokyo Big Six Baseball Spring League is going strong in 2025. Waseda University won both the spring and fall tournaments in 2024, but after losing to Keio University in the fall Waseda-Keio match, they are practicing hard every day with the goal of beating Keio. We spoke to captain Shuhei Ozawa, Tatsuki Ito, and Yudai Ose from the Waseda University baseball team about their thoughts on the Waseda-Keio match and the type of play they are aiming for.

In order to allow more Waseda students to enjoy the game, we also interviewed the Waseda-Keio Game Support Association (official student club) and the cheerleading club. For those who know about the game and those who don't, we will introduce recommended ways to enjoy the game from two groups that passionately support the game. Be sure to come to Jingu Stadium and cheer on your team!

*The interview was conducted on May 1, 2025.

Defeat Keio! Baseball Team Interview

​Shuhei Ozawa, 4th year student School of Sport Sciences captain and infielder, graduated from Takasaki University of Health and Welfare High School
​Tatsuki Ito, 4th year student School of Sport Sciences pitcher, from Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School
​Yudai Ose, 4th year student School of Sport Sciences outfielder, graduated from Teikyo High School

The importance of being aware of our connections and having courage

-First of all, please tell us what kind of players you each are and what kind of people you are to each other.

Ozawa: I think Ose is the best batter in college baseball right now, and he's the one who swings the bat the most. I have confidence that if I give it to Ose, he'll do something.

Similarly, our ace pitcher, Tatsuki Ito, is the best pitcher in the Tokyo Big Six University League and one of the best in all of Japan. When Tatsuki pitches, I feel like I don't want to lose.

Ito: As captain, I think Ozawa is doing a great job with the important responsibility of managing a large team. When it comes to baseball, he's extremely good at batting and defense. In private, he's a fun guy (laughs).

Ose practices a lot, and it's become like "hitting is a given," so I'm more worried if he doesn't. If Ose hits, we'll win, but if he doesn't, it's tough.

Ose: Not only is Ozawa a reliable captain, but he is also a player who can change the flow of the game with his play, and he often hits a home run or a timely hit to turn the game around when the flow is not good. Right now, I am batting first and Ozawa is batting third, but I am a player who can be counted on to do something if I go out and pass the ball to Ozawa.

As for Tatsuki Ito, I always tell him that there is no better pitcher than him. I play center field so I can see his pitching well, but his control is so good it's impressive, and when he's in a pinch he steps it up and gets strikeouts. He's a pitcher I really trust.

--What kind of team will you be this season with these three as your core?

Ozawa: The first thing I said after becoming captain was, "Let's make this a team with momentum." The 2024 team, which won both the spring and autumn championships, created momentum from their dashes during practice. While inheriting the good parts of that, this year I am calling on the team to "speak up and create momentum."

Ito: Many of the pitchers who pitched last year are still there. Everyone is improving, and I think the relief pitchers (second-string pitchers who pitch after the starting pitcher) are doing well.

Ose: As for the batters, we don't have many long-distance hitters, but we all have a strong awareness of connecting the dots. Not only do we hit the ball, but we also try to get fouls and walk the ball. And when we get on base, we aim for the next base. Thanks to Ozawa leading the way in terms of base running techniques, our awareness of base running has really improved.

Ozawa: This year, we are aiming to play a mobile style of baseball, and I think we are doing a good job in that regard. In addition to technique, stealing bases and advancing to the next base also require courage, so we are telling everyone the importance of having that courage.

I want you to come and see Waseda win at a packed Jingu Stadium!

-As an individual player, what have you been conscious of while practicing from winter to spring?

Ozawa: My position has changed from third base to second base. Since I'm in the center line and I'm in charge of managing the infielders, I'm trying to be more proactive and call out to the other players.

Ose: My role is to hit the ball and get on base, so I just think about hitting the ball and practice swinging the bat harder than anyone else. Also, since I'm the leadoff hitter, if I hit the ball, I can set a good momentum for the team. I try to be conscious of being able to swing my bat from the first pitch of my first at-bat.

Ito: My theme is to "surpass last year's results" including my ERA and number of wins (*2024 spring and fall ERA is in the 1s, and 9 wins and 1 loss for the year). If I don't surpass last year's, I won't be able to see the next stage. Increasing my pitching speed is one of those things. My fastest pitch speed hasn't changed, but my average pitch speed has increased.

--Please tell us what you would like people to notice about you.

Ozawa: That's right... more than anything, I want people to see Waseda win as a united team.

Ose: Well, I feel the same way (laughs). I'd rather people watch Waseda's victory than watch my own play.

Ito: The most important thing is that we want to show that we are winning, but as pitchers we want to pitch many games where we can keep the score at zero and shut out the opponent, so I hope you will see that kind of pitching.

--Please give a message to the Waseda students who are coming to support you.

Ozawa: We won the 2024 autumn tournament, but we lost the Waseda-Keio match, so it didn't feel like we had won completely. That's why we absolutely want to win this time. I'm sure there are many Waseda students who don't want to lose to Keio, not just in baseball. Your support is a great help, so let's come together on the field and in the cheering section to beat Keio!

Ose: I always wanted to go to Waseda because I was fascinated by the packed-out Waseda-Keio game. After I entered the university, I'm playing with the goal of performing well in front of a full stadium. The Waseda-Keio game is as exciting as professional baseball, so I hope you'll come to Jingu Stadium and have a great time.

Ito: I have had a total of three losses in the Tokyo Big 6 University League so far. Two of those losses were against Keio. I'm aiming to win this spring and fall's Waseda-Keio games. I think it's only with your support that we can get excited and play better, so please give us lots of support!

Let's all enjoy the Waseda-Keio game! Interview with the Waseda-Keio Game Supporters Association and Cheerleading Club

​Fuuta Nakajima, 3rd year student School of Commerce, Secretary General of the Waseda-Keio Game Support Association
Yuna Sasao, 3rd year student School of Law, Deputy Secretary General and Student Guidance Officer of the Waseda-Keio Game Support Association
Rui Kozaki, 4th year, School of Social Sciences, Vice-Captain and Cheerleading Planning Manager of the Cheerleading Club
Risa Asahi, 4th year student, Faculty of Education, Cheerleading Club Cheering Planning Manager

What should you know before the Waseda-Keio game?

--First of all, please tell us about the preparations and things to be aware of before watching the Waseda-Keio game.

Nakajima: In recent years, tickets for the Waseda-Keio Spring League cheering seats have always sold out early, so this year it is expected that same-day tickets will not be available for sale or entry. First of all, it is important to buy tickets in advance.

Sasao: On the day of the game, we, the Waseda-Keio Game Supporters Association, are in charge of supporting the fans until they enter Jingu Stadium. There are many Waseda students who are coming to Jingu Stadium for the Waseda-Keio Game for the first time, or to watch college baseball for the first time, so we are conscious of going back to basics to understand what first-timers don't know. If you get lost or have trouble around Jingu Stadium, please reach out to those of us wearing the "Waseda-Keio Game Supporters Association" armband.

Nakajima: Meeting places around and inside Jingu Stadium are very crowded. So, it's a good idea to discuss where to meet in advance.

Sasao: Also, because it is expected that the Waseda-Keio game will be packed every year, unlike other games, re-entry is not permitted. For example, if someone arrives later, you will not be able to go outside the stadium to pick them up, so please be careful.

Asahi: We, the cheerleading club, are there to welcome everyone who enters the stadium. At the Waseda-Keio game, most of the seats in the infield and outfield cheering sections are unreserved (with some reserved seats), but we ask that you fill the seats from the front in the order in which you enter. Even if latecomers want to watch the game with friends who entered earlier, it will be difficult for them to join the front row, and we cannot accommodate requests, so please take care.

Kozaki: It's expected to be hot on the day, so please bring plenty of water with you in plastic bottles or water bottles. However, you cannot bring in glass bottles or cans. Also, while some people may want to enjoy alcohol in the same way they would at a professional baseball game, drinking alcohol or bringing alcohol into the cheering section at a college baseball game is prohibited.

On the other hand, if it rains, it is well known that people cheer with umbrellas at professional baseball games at Jingu Stadium, but it is dangerous to do so during the Waseda-Keio game, so please wear a raincoat instead of an umbrella. It is also a good idea to bring a large plastic bag to protect your belongings from getting wet.

How can we create excitement at the Waseda-Keio game "inside the stadium"?

--Are there any points that even Waseda students who don't know much about baseball or have never cheered for a team at a sports eventcan enjoy?

Kozaki: Unlike cheering during a normal game, which is mostly done by regulars, for the Waseda-Keio game we take a visual approach, such as making extensive use of panels with the lyrics of the cheer songs and chants written on them, to make the event more enjoyable for more people.

Asahi: The match will start at 13:00 on both Saturday and Sunday, but starting at 10:00, three hours before, we will have several student clubs make guest appearances in the cheering section to liven up the Waseda-Keio match. This year, eight groups are scheduled to perform, including the men's cheerleading team SHOCKERS (official student club) and the calligraphy performance student club Sazanami (official student club).

In addition, we, the cheerleaders, will be performing together with the infield and outfield seats before the bottom of the 5th inning. This year, we will be performing to the song "Wataridori" by [Alexandros], so please come and enjoy that too!

--Can I study the cheers in advance? Also, are there any cheering goods that you recommend?

Asahi: On the cheering club's website, we introduce the audio of each cheer song along with the lyrics. You can especially enjoy it if you memorize "Konpeki no Sora," which is always sung when the team scores.

Kozaki: In contrast to Keio's megaphones, Waseda's cheering section distributes folding paper fans for free. They can be used like percussion instruments or spread out to fill the cheering section with crimson. Speaking of the crimson color, crimson T-shirts for cheering are sold inside the stadium during Waseda games. They sell out quickly on the day of the Waseda-Keio game, so we recommend purchasing them early.

Nakajima: Although they are not cheering goods, every year many people come to the event wearing Waseda goods such as crimson caps that can be used on a daily basis.

Sasao: Waseda goods like this are sold at the Uni.Shop125 on campus and at the co-op, so you can buy them in advance. Of course, I recommend crimson as the color. It would be great if more cheering sections were dyed crimson!

Left: Crimson T-shirts for cheering on the team sold at baseball league games. The photo is from 2022, and the design changes every year.
Right: Nakajima's crimson hoodie. On his way home from the Waseda-Keio game while wearing this, a passerby asked him, "Are you from Waseda?"

--Finally, please tell us again what the appeal of the Waseda-Keio game is.

Kozaki: It's a rare opportunity to cheer in a unique space with everyone around you being Waseda students and Waseda-related people at a packed Jingu Stadium. It's so exciting that you'll definitely become a repeat visitor if you come once. We're making thorough preparations to make it the best experience possible.

Asahi: Many people who don't usually come to watch the Waseda-Keio game come to watch. I hope everyone will take this opportunity to experience the fun of singing "Konpeki no Sora" together. We will do our best to create a cheering style that will make people want to cheer on other Waseda sports teams and visit the stadium.

Sasao: For new students, after being jostled at the Entrance Ceremony and welcome party, classes begin before you know it, and with busy days, it may be hard to realize that you have become a Waseda student. The Waseda-Keio game is what makes such students realize that they have really entered Waseda. You may feel confused at times but try to get swept up in the strange excitement of the Waseda-Keio game. There is surely no other place where you can experience such a sense of unity.

Nakajima: Some new students may have chosen Waseda after considering other universities, and some may not have yet gotten used to student life. But even for those people, if we all join hands, get excited, and sing "Konpeki no Sora" together, I'm sure they'll start to like Waseda. And if they start to like Waseda, I think their student life will be more enjoyable. Let's all sing "Konpeki no Sora" together!

The cheering section at the 2024 Spring League. (Left) Cheering with crimson paper fans, (right) Cheerleaders performing (Photo provided by the Cheerleading Club)

Interview and text: Naoto Oguma (2002 graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences II)
X: @oguman1977
Photo: Seiji Ishigaki

[Waseda University Baseball Club]
Website: http://www.wasedabbc.org/
・X: @wasedabbc1901
・Instagram: @waseda_baseball

[Tokyo Big Six Baseball League]
・Website: http://www.big6.gr.jp/index.php
・Waseda University Baseball Club Blog: http://tokyo6s.com/blog/waseda/

[Waseda-Keio Game Support Association]
・X: @shienkai
・Instagram: @waseda_shiankai

[Waseda University Cheerleading Club]
・Website: https://www.w-ouen.com/
・X: @WU_ouen
・Instagram: @waseda_ouen

[Official student club "Waseda Sports Newspaper Club"]
Founded in 1959. A pioneering student sports newspaper that reports on the activities of all 44 Waseda University athletic clubs. All reporting, photography, writing, and editing is done by students only.
The newspaper is published free of charge 11 times a year (plus special editions), and match articles are updated daily on the following website.
Website: https://wasedasports-sousupo.com/
X: @waseda_sports
Instagram: @wasedasports

[Book introduction]
A book by Naoto Oguma, the writer who researched and wrote this article, has been published!

"Waseda and Sports, 150 Years of Champions: 125 Hot Stories on Baseball, Rugby, Ekiden, Cheering and More" (Published by Nikkei National Geographic)

 

【次回フォーカス予告】6月2日（月）公開「キャリア特集」