Instrument Cheering - A Uniquely Japanese Culture
NPB's cheering style is globally unique. Organized cheering squads use trumpets, drums, and megaphones, performing player-specific fight songs while singing in unison. This organized cheering is central to NPB stadium culture and a highlight of game attendance for fans. However, the noise this cheering style produces is considerable. In-stadium volume can exceed 100 decibels, comparable to construction site noise. Sound leaks outside the stadium, affecting areas hundreds of meters away.
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Residents' Suffering - Sleepless Nights
For residents living near stadiums, the NPB season is a season of battling noise. Night games start at 6 PM, with extra innings extending past 10 PM. Post-game fan cheering and departure commotion continue, with quiet sometimes not returning until past 11 PM. Near teams with 70+ annual home games, residents are exposed to this noise 3-4 days per week from March through October. For households with elderly members or infants, and residents wanting to sleep after night shifts, this represents serious living environment deterioration.
Legal Regulations and Team Responses
Noise regulations vary by municipality, with many setting nighttime (after 10 PM) noise standards. However, baseball stadiums are often treated as 'exceptions,' with strict regulations not applied. Teams have implemented noise countermeasures including sound barriers, cheering volume limits, and game end time management, but fundamental solutions remain elusive. Responses to resident complaints sometimes include 'the stadium was here first' or 'move if you don't like it,' attitudes that disregard resident rights.
Seeking Coexistence - Technology and Dialogue
Solving stadium noise problems requires both technological and dialogue approaches. Technologically, directional speakers for sound dispersion control, improved stadium soundproofing, and dome stadium transitions are options. For dialogue, establishing regular consultation between teams and residents to share schedule adjustments and noise countermeasure progress is important. Cheering style revision itself could also be discussed. Instrument-free cheering is standard in MLB, and voice-only cheering can produce sufficient intensity. Wisdom balancing cheering culture evolution with residential environment protection is needed.