By NORIO KAMIJIMA/ Staff Writer
January 29, 2025 at 07:00 JST
SANO, Tochigi Prefecture—The Montagues versus the Capulets. The Hatfields against the McCoys.
And coming in March, a “top-level showdown” between the Satos and the Suzukis.
The Sano city government will host the contest, a sandlot baseball game, featuring a team of 11 Satos against a rival team of 11 Suzukis from around the country.
Sano city claims to be the birthplace of the name Sato, the most common surname in Japan.
Suzuki is the second most common name.
The city government is calling for Satos and Suzukis from around Japan to play in the “top-level showdown, where the pride of the surname on each side will be at stake.”
Sano authorities have held annual events on or around March 10, which they have designated “Sato Day” on the basis of wordplay. (“Three” can be pronounced “san” and “10” can be read as “to.”)
The seven-inning baseball game will use a hard rubber ball, instead of a regulation baseball, and be held at Agekke (pronounced ay-jeck) Sano Yakyujo ballpark from 12:45 p.m. on March 9.
The manager for the Sato team will be G.G. Sato (real name: Takahiko Sato), a former professional ballplayer mainly with the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Leading the Suzuki team as manager will be Nicchiro, a comedian known as an impersonator of Ichiro Suzuki, the former major league star.
Sano city advertises itself as the “holy place” for the Sato family name based on a theory about the offspring of Fujiwara no Hidesato, a Heian Period (794-1185) warlord who had a castle in this area.
According to the theory, the offspring began using “Sa-To” to mean “Sano’s Fujiwara clan,” because the kanji for “Fuji” can also be pronounced “to.”
Available records say that Fujiwara no Hidesato, whose date of birth and death are unknown, helped suppress the 939-940 rebellion led by warlord Taira no Masakado.
Sano authorities have been calling on the estimated 2 million Satos across Japan to visit the city. They have also set up an association called “Sato no Kai” (Sato community), which offers discounts and other benefits to those who have signed up.
Sano has been interacting with the city of Kainan, Wakayama Prefecture, which represents itself as the cradle of the Suzuki family name.
The two sides came up with a new form of interaction, namely baseball, between Satos and Suzukis, officials said.
Anyone with the family name Sato or Suzuki who “can play, or has played, baseball” and is 18 or older can apply for a slot in the game, irrespective of gender.
Eleven will be selected for each team, and positions will be determined based on statements in the application forms.
The participation fee will be 7,000 yen ($44), which includes the price of a uniform. The players must bring their own baseball gear and cover their own transportation, accommodation and other costs.
Applications must be made on an entry form no later than Jan. 19.
Entry to the stands for the game is free of charge.
“We hope people will come here to cheer at the game, even if they are not Satos or Suzukis,” an official said.
Visit the Japanese-language Sato no Kai website (https://satonokai.jp/) for details, or call the Sato no Kai secretariat, c/o Tochigi Television, at 028-678-5676 for inquiries.
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