koshien

We’ve seen impeccable displays of manners from Japanese high school baseball teams on many occasions before, from the respectful bowing of Yamagata Chuo High School to the classy stadium-cleaning deed of Kyukoku just the other day. It seems like the annual Koshien high school baseball tournament in Hyogo Prefecture really does bring out the best in the promising young players, as another team from Akita Prefecture has proven after being eliminated from this year’s tournament with their grand display of thanks in a regional hotel. 

Akita Shogyo Koko (or ‘Akisho’ for short) ultimately lost 3-6 to Sendai Ikuei High School during the quarterfinals of this year’s Koshien tournament. However, they have a lot to be proud of, especially considering that this was the first time in 80 years that they were able to advance into the final eight of the competition.

But supporters of the team have even more to be proud of, since the team’s members have demonstrated not only undeniable talent but also impeccable manners as well.

Before returning home to northern Akita Prefecture after their elimination from the tournament, the Akisho players took the time to scrawl individual messages of thanks on a whiteboard at the Shin-Osaka Washington Hotel Plaza where they were staying during tournament. The board was subsequently discovered by a hotel employee, who took a picture and uploaded it for the world to see:

▼ “This was here when I came to work!”

https://twitter.com/taise131/status/633547793404039168

The players’ heartfelt messages are dedicated to the staff of the hotel, and “Theme: Thanks” is written in the upper right-hand corner. Their personal messages include “We’ll definitely be back next year!”, “Thanks for the food and housekeeping!”, and “You guys were the best!”

Japanese net users responded to the picture with a variety of compliments:

“This makes me proud to say that I’m from Akita.”

“Everyone’s handwriting is great. No wonder they’re from Akita Prefecture, where Japan’s elementary school students score the highest.”

“I respect them as someone from the same generation. I’d also like to go on living with these feelings of gratitude.”

It’s surely only a matter of time before we see another act of class from a different high school baseball team. We certainly sleep better for knowing that not all teenagers of the world are inconsiderate little twits!

Source: Grape
Image: Twitter/@taise131