Ever since holding the last Olympics, Japan has become a hotbed of hoops.
We already know about Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe, and all they’ve done for the sport in the land of the rising sun. Meanwhile, the city of Utsunomiya hosted a stage of FIBA’s 3×3 qualifying for Paris 2024 earlier this month.
Walk the streets of Shibuya, Tokyo with air in your heels, and you can feel the beat of the hardwood heart all over the concrete.
Whether it be the Jordan Brand ‘World Of Flight’ flagship store, or basketball bars where you can catch a game over a drink, Tokyo takes the sport as seriously as they do safety and security. The Jordan brand has also made its mark, like the Jumpman impression left in the soil from the sole.
This weekend, the iconic logo paved the parks of Yoyogi.
Like New York’s Central Park, or London’s Hyde, Yoyogi Park is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. The catwalk competing fashion of Harajuku and the peaceful feeling of the Meji Jingu shrine is just around the corner. Yet, Yoyogi has even more in-store.
Over the weekend, you could see Tokyo FC training and a Caribbean food festival bringing revellers in next door. Not to mention all the couples, joggers and Pilates classes going on in a perfect Spring day before the next season gets too hot and humid.
Even with all that, crowds still congregated on the classic courts in yellow and sky blue, with Mike reaching for the Chicago skyline in the centre of it all.
The AllDay 5on5 Basketball Tournament, hosted by the effervescent energy of MC Mamushi concluded this weekend after its May 11th-12th debut. Featuring brackets of men and women’s teams, this really was basketball all day, from sunrise to sunset.
All for a weekend hoop dreamers won’t forget. The competitive fire burnt continued to glow long after the players left the floor for selfies and daps of respect, as fans filled the court to take pictures and shots. Showing how much basketball means to a nation who, aside from their traditional sports, treats and plays baseball like it’s their national game.
Somecity, Osaka Special Tournament champions 44Street continued their reign in the men’s tournament behind some perfect play and energy from their guards, especially MVP KK. In the women’s tournament, the Düsseldorf/Tokyo 3×3 hybrid ZOOS came away with the championship game and epic emotion between friends as the banners and MVP honours (number 11, のりか) were presented. Team co-founder Aoi Katsura, who showed so much hustle and heart throughout, broke down in tears of joy for her teammate.
Everybody brought it, though, like everyone who watches women’s sports. You only had to see the heart of the Lady Yokosuka team sat outside the arena as the men’s final raged on. Forlorn, but focussed, knowing they’ve got next, next year.
Just like us, we’ll be back, because this is basketball at its best. Bringing the people, even when this writer’s new home of Yokohama was holding the B-League finals on the same day, just a city over.
The global game in all its forms is for all. No matter who you are, or where you come from. Anyone can put the ball on the floor, but it’s all about how you hold it down.
Heaven really is a playground.
This is the birth of basketball and court culture in its most raw and pure form. Beautiful. It never stops.
All day, every day.
