The Rakuten Girls, who are exclusive cheerleaders for the Taiwanese professional baseball team Rakuten Monkeys and whom we've featured many times on syncSPORTS, visited Japan and performed at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi, the home field of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. They made their appearance at three first-division official games held from September 19th through 21st. Having a major fan base in Japan, they thrilled fans serving as a bridge between the baseball cultures of Japan and Taiwan.

The Rakuten Girls members who came to Japan this time were Lin Shang, Yi Dahe, Fei Fei, and Li Yun, all popular on TV programs and social media. Before the games, a special event was held exclusively for ticket holders, where the girls performed dances and held photo sessions, deepening connections with fans. Some fans had even made the trip from Taiwan specifically for the occasion, reminding everyone just how massive their popularity has become!

Lin Shang in particular has fans not just in Japan and Taiwan, but all over the world ― she is undisputedly the most popular Rakuten Girl. “When I go abroad, fans of each county come to greet me, which makes me so happy. At the airport, people wave and hold up support signs, and it always moves me,” she said. On September 20th, she also took part in the ceremonial first pitch. “I bounced it, but it went straight, so I’d give myself 80 points!” she said, clearly enjoying herself. She added, “All the Rakuten Eagles players, please keep giving it your best! We’ll do our best to support you with our cheering.” When the game started, she performed in the stands and on the field alongside the Eagles’ official cheerleading squad, the Tohoku Golden Angels, bringing the stadium to life. Highlights included a special routine using the “MyHERO Towels” (player support merchandise) unique to the Eagles, and the crowd singing the club anthem “Habatake Rakuten Eagles” after the top of the seventh inning to inspire the players ― the presence of the Rakuten Girls made everything feel even more electric. Over the three days, the stadium was united, and the Rakuten Eagles went 2–1 in some thrilling battles, proving the cheering made a difference.

Off the field, the Rakuten Girls and the Tohoku Golden Angels bonded by filming TikTok and other social media videos together, and the Angels even brought them some of the stadium’s recommended food. Fei Fei reflected, “We got to connect with the Angels, cheer alongside the Japanese Eagles fans, and we even had Monkeys fans who came all the way from Taiwan ― it was so much fun!”

The Tohoku Golden Angels members brought over a recommended stadium food item: a “Drinkable Milk Mochi Drink.”

The Rakuten Girls also appeared in the Bazooka Time segment. Lucky fans who caught a prize will have an unforgettable memory.

There’s no shortage of voices hoping they’ll come back to Japan again, and the Rakuten Girls continue to fuel growing excitement. Their presence has made a significant contribution to expanding the fanbase for Taiwanese baseball, and this Japan visit has undoubtedly won them new fans here as well.

Yi Dahe also commented, “Through this event, I hope Japan, Taiwan, and even Korea ― since I’m Korean ― all get more fired up about sports, and I want to do everything I can to help that happen.” Their activities are expected to serve as a bridge between Japan and Taiwan, encouraging Japanese fans to visit stadiums in Taiwan and Taiwanese fans to attend games in Japan. At the Rakuten Monkeys’ home ground, Rakuten Taoyuan Baseball Stadium, you can experience Taiwan-style cheering ― a culture quite different from Japan’s. Why not head out to the ballpark and experience it for yourself?

Scenes from the special event held before the game, exclusively for ticket holders.

Linshan has a whopping 1.8 million Instagram followers! She’s also incredibly popular in Miyagi.

Lee Da-hae originally worked as a cheerleader in the Korean Professional Baseball League.

“It’s a really beautiful stadium. It’s truly amazing—it even has a Ferris wheel,” said Feifei, vice-captain of the Rakuten Girls.

Li Yun is known for being a good dancer.

Lin Xiang made an appearance at the ceremonial pitch on September 20th.

During the joint rehearsal with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Angels, we also took a group photo.

Text: Chiharu Abe
Photo: Teppei Hori
Edit: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)