Cap Baseball - a unique type of baseball that's proving hugely popular with Japanese university students.

And like regular baseball, it's all about pitching and hitting.

But why does the sport resonate so much with the students?

Today, we take a closer look at this hot, new game.

The popularity of many sports in Japan originates from university campuses.

And recently, a new sport is catching on:

Cap Baseball.

I've heard some students are practicing here, so let's go and take a look.

Hello.

Thank you for joining our show.

Thank you.

I've never seen Cap Baseball.

Really?

Yeah.

So, this is your first time?

Yep.

Thank you so much for coming.

So, tell me all about it.

Of course.

In regular baseball, the pitcher throws the ball to the batter,

who scores runs by hitting the ball and running from base to base, to return to the home plate.

But Cap Baseball is a little different.

Instead of a ball, the pitcher throws a plastic bottle cap.

And the batter uses a thin plastic bat, rather than a wooden one.

Also, with just 13 meters between the home plate and the ends of both designated fences, the field is much smaller.

The pitcher stands 9.22 meters from the home plate,

which is around half the distance used in regular baseball.

The proximity between pitcher and batter makes for extremely fast pitches.

In Cap Baseball, there are five players on each side.

The pitcher throws the cap, and the catcher is in charge of receiving it.

There are two fielders, one either side of the pitcher.

The fifth member of the team is a designated batter, who does not field.

The game requires two umpires:

one stands behind the batter to call strikes and balls;

while another looks on from the side, to judge the height of the pitch, and ensure the accuracy of strike calls.

And the differences don't end there.

Unlike regular baseball, batters don't need to run the bases.

There are two zones, and if the cap reaches the blue zone, it's a hit.

If the cap bounces on the ground and hits the fence, it's marked down as a double.

When the cap strikes the fence directly, it's a triple.

If the cap clears the fence, it's a home run.

But if the cap falls in the red area, the batter is out.

Furthermore, the batter is called out if the ball is caught.

An inning ends after three outs.

And each side plays six innings to determine their total score.

There is no scoreboard on the field.

So, another feature of Cap Baseball is its customized scoreboard app.

Although the batters do not actually run, their estimated position is tracked using this app.

Cap Baseball evolved from a simpler game, popular among young people,

which simply involved flicking bottle caps.

The first Cap Baseball games were played by university students in Kyoto,

combined the throwing of bottle caps with the rules of regular baseball.

In 2022, the Japan Cap Baseball Association was founded to promote this new sport.

The association supports the growing number of active teams in Japan,

organizing leagues, and a variety of different competitions.

The association's founder is Sato Hiroki, a recent university graduate.

So, how did you first come across Cap Baseball?

Well... when I was in high school, I was watching YouTube and saw this YouTube on...

I saw this video on YouTube.

This YouTuber called "Wakkyai" had... his name is "Wakkyai."

He's our Honorary Chairman right now.

And he's like uploaded lots of... lots of Cap Baseball videos,

and also like him throwing breaking balls with the caps.

So, was he... is he Japanese?

Yes, he is Japanese.

But he used to live in LA for like 19 years.

When he was in the classroom, like, he got pretty bored and, like, started throwing the bottle caps at the bin.

And then he realized, "Wait, this can become... it's a sport, let's make it into baseball."

And then that's the start of Cap Baseball.

He invented it in LA, brought it back to Japan, put it on YouTube, and then it went viral.

So, how many people currently play the game?

About ten thousand people.

Ten thousand... in Japan?

In Japan.

And there are players in Taiwan, too.

And also, since our videos went viral in the States,

there's now kids playing Cap Baseball in the United States.

If there wasn't like YouTube or TikTok, I think that Cap Baseball wouldn't have been like a sport now.

And since... thanks to the fast trend, Cap Baseball fits the fast trend

since it's an ultimate match of pitcher and batter,

and... and the game switches like in rapid speed.

So, like... it's good, it's easy to watch, and thanks to that lots of people start to play Cap Baseball.

So, why did you decide to set up an association?

Since the video of "Wakkyai", Cap Baseball videos went viral, lots of people started to play Cap Baseball.

And then, like, it's okay to have lots of players, but in order to make it into a sport,

you need to have, like, the same regulation, same rules.

Then, like we need an association to hold the leagues and competitions.

All you need to play Cap Baseball is a bottle cap, a plastic bat, and a little bit of space.

The simplicity of the game is one of the reasons for its soaring popularity.

Now I understand the rules, I'll give it a try.

So, let's see if Ayako can hit the cap.

I can barely see the cap.

It's so fast.

It doesn't hurt, so it's nothing.

It's not like a ball, so it doesn't go under.

The cap keeps on floating.

So, you better try to capture the cap at the top.

- At the top?
- So, you need to imagine that it's floating.

It's going to float.

The cap doesn't drop like a ball, so Ayako needs to aim higher.

OK.

OK.

That's like a home run for me.

Can you throw me like a low-speed ball?

Ayako is getting the hang of the game!

Thank you, coach!

Nice batting!

Sato, the Association's founder, set up a Cap Baseball team while he was still at university.

His passion is strong, and he has become a leading authority in the sport.

I used to play baseball from ten to high school.

And after that, I changed sports to Cap Baseball because,

well... I was kind of tired with the baseball.

I got lots of dead balls during my season.

And like, that kind of made me scared going on, going at bats.

So, and then I met Cap Baseball and this isn't... it just doesn't hurt.

It's safe, so...

And it's really fun.

Is it really...? I mean, is it totally different or...

Yeah, it's totally different.

Like... as in ping pong and... as in table tennis and tennis.

Like those are two different sports, but they come from the same origin.

So, it's like... kind of close, have some similar points, but are completely different sports.

You don't need a big ground, you don't need lots of people.

And since we use only a bottle cap and a plastic bat,

Umm... anyone can play... anyone, anywhere, at any time.

That's our concept of Cap Baseball.

And no injuries, right?

No injuries.

No injuries.

Right.

Ayako's next challenge is to pitch.

So, can you teach me how to throw a cap?

Of course.

So, this is the cap we're going to use.

OK.

And here's one.

So basically, you put it in between your thumb and your middle finger.

Thumb and middle finger.

Like this.

Your middle finger bent?

Exactly, OK.

OK.

And this is the top part of the cap, and the bottom part of the cap.

In order to throw a fastball, the cap should be held upside down,

with the top at the bottom.

OK.

You flick it out horizontally with the floor.

Horizontal.. oh, you throw like this?

Not like overthrow?

Well, this is for starters.

- OK.
- For starters.

For starters.

And then eventually, we'll be able to throw like this.

OK.

Let's try it first.

Here I go.

Good one, good one.

Was it?

You need to flick it more strongly.

Oh, I flip it? Oh.

I think you're not flicking it enough.

And in order to flick it, I think you should grab it a little more thicker.

- Inside.
- Inside?

Like...

Not your nails?

Between your nails and your skin.

And maybe you should hold it... a little bit more further inside.

Inside, like that?

So, you can get pressure on it.

You're getting it.

- You're getting it.
- But it's difficult, though.

Although Ayako is doing well, she must now learn how to flick from the outside.

Outside? What do you mean?

So, like you're trying to flick it with your...

I'm going like this?

Yeah.

It should come from outside.

Outside? Okay.

Oh.

Nice catch!

Oh, there we go.

There you go.

You're getting it.

Good cap.

I'm done.

I think that was my best throw of the day.

Now, that we've learned the basics, let us take a look at how to throw a breaking ball.

First, there's the slider which swerves horizontally.

"Hold the cap the right way up
and tip it 45° toward the thumb."

Then, there's the curveball.

It's held in the same way as the slider, but it has an arc-like trajectory.

The difference between the curveball and the slider is that the cap should be held upside down.

Next, this is how to throw the two-seam fastball, which swerves to the right.

"Hold the cap upright like this,
so that the top catches the air."

A rising ball dips before rising on its way towards the batter.

"Hold the cap top upwards."

"But push it down as if trying
to catch the air inside it."

The wide range of exciting breaking pitches is one reason for Cap Baseball's popularity.

You can even throw miracle pitches straight out of a baseball manga.

Since we're using a bottle cap, it's almost possible to throw like a rising ball,

and also a curveball, and like a really straight fastball,

and that's... that you can do pretty easily.

Cap Baseball only really got started in Japan in 2017.

To help popularize it and get more people involved, students are organizing competitions.

The Shuffle competition was launched in 2019.

It involves shuffling the members of different teams to foster friendship between the players.

A shuffle team is comprised of six members.

Team captains select players in an online draft meeting.

Sato is picked for Team C, in the second round of the draft.

"The players picked in the first round
have a specific talent."

"They can be formidable pitchers
or really consistent batters."

"Each team has their own strategy."

"Some teams will pick a player
who can both pitch and bat."

"Team C's first round pick was
an excellent pitcher who can bat too."

"He's a great two-way player."

"Combining our different abilities
helps us to get to know each other."

"That's why Cap Baseball's so great."

The competition is held as a round robin between all six teams.

The team with the highest winning percentage is declared the victor.

With six players on each team, the tournament rules allow two designated batters,

so, everyone gets a chance to play.

Sato's Team C, in the yellow bibs, win their first match.

They go on to face Team A.

It's the bottom of the first inning, and Team C are on the offense.

There's one out, and the runners are at 3rd and 2nd base.

The cap bounces and hits the fence for a double, bringing Team C to three runs.

Later in the game, they have two outs, with a runner on second.

The batter is Team C's pick from the first draft.

He gets hold of a curveball to score a two-run home run,

giving his team a total of five runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Team C's pitcher deploys his signature rising ball to great effect

to prevent the opposition from scoring.

He achieves an incredible eleven strikeouts.

Team C win 5 to 0, preventing the opposition from scoring any runs.

In their third game, Team C are wearing gold.

One of their players shows off some amazing fielding skills.

A diving catch to reel in a flyball.

The team go on to take their third win in a row.

Game 4.

Now, as pitcher, Sato throws down a wide array of breaking balls,

leading to a fourth straight victory.

The team reach their fifth and final game.

This time around, Sato is the catcher.

The team's lead-off pitcher, usually plays for a Nagoya University team.

By varying the speed of his pitches, he strikes out six batters, who all go down swinging.

This time, Sato has proven his worth as an accomplished catcher as well.

They reach the final inning.

This pitcher plays for a Keio University team.

In the face of his energetic pitching form and his fast pitches,

all three batters strike out, and the game comes to a close.

Team C's two pitchers have together prevented Team F from scoring any hits, for a record-breaking victory.

Sato and his teammates triumph with a perfect record of five wins and no runs conceded.

So, why do so many university students love this game?

So, as I said, like... Cap Baseball is a sport that you can play anywhere, anytime, with anyone.

That's the concept of Cap Baseball.

And also, it's easier to start.

It's like once you grab a cap from there, 30 minutes later you'll be able to throw a fastball and a curveball.

But from there it takes time.

It's all up to you to invent a new breaking ball, or to invent a new tactic.

As the sport is still in its infancy, it encourages its players to innovate to help the sport grow,

and this matches the sensibilities and ambition of Japan's university culture.

So, what do you want for Cap Baseball going forward?

So, so far... it would be wonderful to have like a professional league, and like... join the Olympics as a new sport,

and like make the fans go crazy watching our games.

Sato's wishes go even further, and he hopes that Cap Baseball will become a global sport,

that goes beyond gender, age or nationality, bringing joy to the playgrounds of the world.

Because since our concept of this game is anywhere... you can play it anywhere, at any time, with anyone.

So, this shouldn't change, even if we develop.

And this is our future, what we want to see.

Wow!

Wow! Great!

I wish you all the luck.

Thank you!

The future of Cap Baseball looks bright.

Cap Baseball is a safe, fun sport that anyone can play.

All you need is a cap and a bat.

And with a little bit of practice, you can even pull off breaking balls.

Why not give it a try?

New sumo recruits must attend a school to learn the basics.

This is sumo training school.

Hi, there.

It's almost 7 a.m., here at the Kokugikan, the home of sumo in Tokyo.

Today, I'm going to check out the sumo "kyoshujo,"

which is a sumo school attended by all the new recruits.

The sumo training school is situated at the very back of the Ryogoku Kokugikan arena.

The school has "dohyo" rings for physical training, and a classroom for lectures.

After being admitted to their respective stables, new recruits must attend the school for six months,

to learn the basics of sumo, as well as general knowledge.

Lessons start at 7:00 a.m. with physical training.

The young wrestlers are instructed thoroughly on the basic movements of sumo,

as many of them have no previous experience of the sport.

They are carefully guided through each movement,

as they learn how to become a professional "rikishi."

"Shiko" is a traditional way of strengthening the lower body in sumo.

Wrestlers raise their legs alternately to apply pressure.

This sumo-style squat enables them to develop a strong and stable lower body.

Repeating these basic movements day after day builds the foundation to become a strong "rikishi."

The instructors are "oyakata," or coaches, who used to compete at the highest levels.

This is Kabutoyama Oyakata, a former top division "rikishi."

"Sumo is a part of Japanese culture that's been passed down since the Edo period."

"It's also a Shinto ritual."

"We teach recruits that 'shiko' isn't just a lower body exercise."

"It's also performed to stamp evil spirits into the ground."

This movement is always performed before each bout.

It also has a significant meaning.

"When you go to a Shinto shrine, you cleanse your body by washing your hands and rinsing your mouth, before you pray."

"A 'rikishi' mimics these movements: he washes his hands and then claps before the deities."

"Extending both arms is to show he has no weapons."

"It demonstrates his intention to fight fair and square,

and show that he's only wearing his belt."

Trainees attend the school for six months to learn the basics,

a process that is crucial for those who hope to make steady progress in becoming a full-fledged professional "rikishi."