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Oshu City, Japan — Located in the rural northern part of Japan, Oshu City is renowned for its premium Maesawa beef, a legacy of traditional ironware craftsmanship, and the lush green hills and mountains that envelop it.

Commonly referred to as “inaka,” meaning “countryside” in Japanese, this quiet town is marked by its serene streets and icy winters, sitting about 300 miles (500 kilometers) from Tokyo, though it feels much farther away.

Today, however, Oshu City is primarily recognized as the birthplace of Shohei Ohtani, a remarkable talent in baseball who has garnered immense pride from the local residents. Ohtani’s journey began in the local Little League with the Mizusawa Pirates, followed by his education at Hanamaki Higashi High School, paving his way to the World Series. Currently, he plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are leading the New York Yankees 3-0, and fans in Oshu are eagerly awaiting an opportunity for the Dodgers to clinch the championship title.

Within Oshu, various local sites celebrate Ohtani, starting with a hair salon named “Seems,” owned by Hironobu Kanno.

The salon serves as a shrine to Ohtani, featuring a waiting area filled with approximately 300 Ohtani-related artifacts, crammed into every available space, with many more items stored out of sight. The collection includes signed jerseys from both the Dodgers and Angels, numerous autographed baseballs, bats, shoes, caps, gloves, bobbleheads, photographs of Ohtani alongside his wife Mamiko Tanaka, apparel depicting his dog Decopin, stuffed toys, pillows, and life-sized cutouts of the baseball sensation.

Kanno has shared that many fans visit the town on a kind of “pilgrimage,” with his salon frequently being a stop on their route. He remarked, “My customers and those who visit Ohtani’s hometown enjoy seeing the collection, and I believe it allows them to connect with Ohtani more closely.”

The story of Kanno’s collection began when he attended a baseball game on May 23, 2013, where he witnessed Ohtani play for the first time as both a pitcher and a batter while playing for Japan’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. After obtaining a signed ball from that game, Kanno decided to display it in his salon, much to the delight of his customers. Gradually, he began gathering memorabilia, leading to a vast collection over the years.

Among his prized possessions is a cap that bears the autographs of the Japanese team that triumphed over the United States in the previous year’s World Baseball Classic final at the Tokyo Dome. Kanno revealed that he has invested roughly 10 million yen—around $100,000—into Ohtani merchandise over the past decade, with the current value possibly increasing to five or six times that amount.

Although Kanno has never met Ohtani or his family, he dreams of seeing his collection housed in a proper museum, emphasizing that his motive is not financial gain.

For additional collections, visitors can head to the city hall, which has a dedicated corner displaying Ohtani memorabilia. The area features many photographs, newspaper clippings, and pennants that commemorate his achievements, including victories as the American League MVP in both 2021 and 2023, and he’s again a strong contender for the National League MVP this year.

Among the highlights at city hall is a specially crafted replica of Ohtani’s right hand. Visitors can grasp the golden hand while viewing a video showcasing how the replica was constructed. Keigo Kishino and his wife Chiaki made the journey from Osaka just to experience this unique exhibit, with Chiaki expressing that Ohtani serves as a source of energy for her.

Jeffrey Kingston, a history educator at Temple University in Japan, noted that Ohtani embodies a blend of exceptional talent, national pride, and an appeal that reaches not only baseball fans but also those who have little interest in the sport. His sentiments resonate with his wife, Machiko Osawa, a professor who, despite her lack of enthusiasm for baseball, finds Ohtani’s story engaging.

Osawa elaborated on how Ohtani is reshaping perceptions of Japanese athletes, highlighting how his stature and success have altered the previous narratives surrounding Japanese baseball players, who were often seen as less competitive compared to their American counterparts.

While Ohtani is the sole MLB player hailing from Oshu City, others with ties to the area include pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who also graduated from Hanamaki Higashi High School. Rintaro Sasaki, son of Ohtani’s high school coach, is another emerging talent who is making waves at Stanford after bypassing professional baseball in Japan.

Ohtani, however, is unmatched in the excitement he generates among the locals. Earlier this year, a local rice paddy was transformed into an artistic canvas featuring Ohtani’s likeness in Dodger’s blue, depicting him wearing his signature No. 17, alongside his dog Decoy.

Mayor Jun Kuranari spoke about Ohtani as a source of inspiration for the community. He mentioned that the rice paddy artwork exemplifies Ohtani’s impact, praising his purity and humility, which resonate deeply with the people of Oshu. “He plays with such a pure heart, and his performance is astounding,” Kuranari reflected. “Moreover, he remains humble despite his extraordinary success, serving as a role model for everyone and instilling pride in the local residents.”
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