日本語 ｜ 繁體中文 ｜ English ｜ 한국어 ｜ Tiếng Việt
Have you ever watched a pool match?
Many of you reading this blog may already have watched a pool match in person.
But what if you asked your coworkers, your friends, your family?
“A pool match? Never seen one.”
Surely far more of them would answer like that.
To be honest, that is a real shame.
Pool is, of course, a joy to play, and it is also a truly gripping sport to watch.
The mind of shogi, the hands of a craftsman
Watching pool matches, I often feel something close to shogi.
Reading ahead, thinking about the layout, choosing the best move.
But there is one big difference from shogi.
In shogi, you place the piece there and it is done.
In pool, even when you know “the best place for the cue ball is right there,” it takes delicate technique to actually put it there.
Touch, spin, speed, angle.
The slightest deviation can change everything about the next shot.
That feeling of “knowing, and still not being able to do it easily” may be exactly what grips the hearts of those watching.
👉 Watch, think, and want to watch again. — Pool as a spectator’s art of thought.
A sport that suits the Japanese
Since long ago, the people of Japan have cherished
- honing a skill, without end
- movement with nothing wasted
- quiet tension
and found beauty and value in such things.
The tea ceremony, kendo, the work of craftsmen.
I feel that pool, too, sits on the same line.
Which is why I believe pool has far too much to offer to be brushed aside with the words “minor sport.”
A sport shines when it is watched
Let me tell you a little about myself.
In high school I played a different sport, and even for amateur matches
“There’s a match coming up, come and watch if you can.”
I was always saying that to people.
Not just friends, but my parents’ acquaintances, even the older folks in the neighborhood.
It’s strange: just having someone watching sets you on fire.
In my years as a pro, too, I sold tickets by hand, and while it never quite reached hundreds, a great many people came out to the venue.
People who first came “to be polite” were, before long, cheering for players other than me and enjoying the sport itself.
Every time I saw that,
“Being watched has the power to show what a sport is worth.”
That is what I have come to feel, strongly.
Not ideals, but action
“I want to make pool bigger.”
Words like that are easy to say.
But talking alone changes nothing.
It just ends up as grumbling over drinks.
To people looking on, it might seem that
“there’s no point in doing that,”
or so they may say.
Even so: people who know how wonderful the sport is, passing it on, one person, then another.
I truly feel that it is these small things, piling up, that matter.
Whether it is a JPBA official event or a house tournament, wherever there are people who feel this way, I want to be there to cheer as often as I can.
So first of all, “please come and watch”
I have hardly ever actually played soccer, or baseball, or basketball.
Even so, I love watching them.
Pool can be the same.
You don’t have to be good. You don’t have to have played.
Just once, watch a match in person, and feel that air.
And if someone came with you, I would love for you, as someone who loves the game, to tell them what makes it so good.
From underground, to overground
What makes a sport spread is not some flashy move.
It is small actions, one person at a time.
Change your thinking, and your actions change.
Change your actions, and the results change.
That is the spirit in which we are holding this tournament.
👉 A night no one yet knew about.
BLUEROSE presents Yokohama Open 2026
Monday, February 23, 2026 (public holiday)
On that day, we will hold “BLUEROSE presents Yokohama Open 2026.”
Players are welcome, of course, and those who just want to watch are more than welcome too.
Watching pool with a good beer in hand.
We would be glad if you could spend that kind of slightly luxurious, easy time with us.
“I’m glad I played.” “I’m glad I came to watch.”
We are preparing with care, so that it will be a tournament where you feel that way.
We look forward with all our hearts to your participation.
