◆WBC warm-up match: Hanshin Tigers 4-5 Japan (3rd, Kyocera Dome Osaka)

Samurai Japan pitcher Koki Kitayama (Nippon-Ham) is relieved that his revised "tea making pose" that he invented himself is showing signs of taking root. The night before, at a dinner party with pitcher Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) and others, he was advised that "it's better to keep it short," and he expanded the idea from "to score" to "to score." Kitayama, who is Ohtani's "favorite," seemed relieved, saying, "I think I've fulfilled my role," and "I haven't been able to sleep for the past two or three days. I'll be able to sleep well tonight."

Otani instructed Kitayama to think about the performance. Taking into account traditional Japanese culture and the fact that Otani has appeared in a commercial for the beverage manufacturer Ito En's "Oi Ocha," they came up with a "tea performance" in which they hold a tea bowl in their left hand, place their right hand on the bowl, and sip by turning it twice. However, it didn't go over well in the game against Orix Buffaloes on the 2nd. Otani outfielder Seiya Suzuki also criticized the idea, saying, "It's a bit unpopular (laughs)," and Chunichi Dragons pitcher Hiroto Takahashi revealed in his hero interview that he "didn't sleep thinking about it."

Kitayama's Q&A is below.

- The process from yesterday to today

Yesterday, we passed the tea around while drinking, as if it were proper etiquette. We decided to pass the tea bowl around while drinking, but we had a bit of a time constraint, and we didn't have much time on the bases. We had a discussion about whether it would be better to do it a little more quickly at dinner yesterday, when I had the opportunity to sit down with Ohtani-san, Suzuki-san, and Murakami (Munetaka, White Sox), and we talked about it there. We decided to think about it again. If we use the gesture of making tea, the kanji for "ten" (point) for one point and two points is the same. It's like scoring a point. We decided that it would be good. Also, the gesture of making tea is similar to the gesture of stirring a diamond, so we decided to incorporate that and stir the diamond while making tea and scoring points.

-Seiya-san, you did it right away!

I was first swung by Suzuki and Otani. Suzuki hit the ball and did it first. I think everyone else did their best from there today, so I think I was able to fulfill my role.

-There's been quite a response.

Yes, when I turned on the TV in the morning, he was right there. I should have been pitching to stand out, so it's hard to say. I'm happy to have been nominated in this way, and I think it would be great if this gives the team momentum.

- As you are from Kyoto, what are your preferences when it comes to tea?

Since I'll be competing on a global scale, I thought Japanese culture would be good. I thought a lot about ninjas, samurai, and sumo, but it's Kyoto, and they have matcha, right? Otani has been in a tea commercial, so it clicked and I decided to go with tea.

- Creating a celebration also strengthened the team's unity.

Since I was able to stand in front and celebrate, I know that I have to pitch well enough to be at the forefront as well. I want to show in the game that I'm not just a player.

-What is your assessment of today's pose after Otani told you yesterday that this pose was no good?

He asked me if I was making up the reason after the fact, but I told him that I had thought about it carefully and that it had occurred to me yesterday, so I decided on this, and he understood.

- How much consultation is done at the dining venue?

We talked for quite a long time until I finished eating.

-Did you have any knowledge of the concept of "tateru" (doing something)?

めちゃくちゃ調べまくりました。もともとお茶を飲むの時点で候補の一つだったんですけど、手短にと言われたのでして。あとはベンチでやればいいかなって。僕の大役は果たしたので、ここからはピッチングに専念できるかなと。

- Do you look it up on your smartphone?

I did a ton of research online on my smartphone. I researched everything about traditional Japanese culture from the ground up. I looked up poses from manga and anime, but they were mostly mundane and were done by other athletes. I realized that no one was doing tea ceremony, including those, so I decided to do it.

-What about that waving pose?

I didn't touch that. I was so focused on my own tea. Suzuki-san sometimes makes unreasonable requests. I couldn't stay away from tea, and I knew the kanji for "ten" (point), so I connected that to "to take." The gesture of stirring the diamond came later, and I thought that was good. When I went to the dining hall, they were like, "Come on over," and when I said that, they said, "Are you still not ready for tea?" But they thought it was interesting, so that's how I got to where I am today. I haven't slept in the last two or three days. I think I'll be able to sleep well tonight. I was more nervous than I am during the game. I've never been pitcher in a huddle before, so it was a great opportunity. I want to apply this to my own play.