Kanako, a maiko from Miyagawacho, Kyoto, does the ceremonial first pitch in Koshien Baseball Stadium on May 22, 2019.

The weather in Japan is getting progressively hotter, with temperatures hitting the 30 degree mark even in the third week of May. But with warmer weather, there is something many are looking forward to: baseball.

Witnessed by avid fans of every age and from every corner of Japan, the ceremonial first pitch in Hyogo this year was a bit different from your usual match.

Kanako, a maiko (young geisha) had a special role as ceremonial first pitcher at the Hanshin Tigers vs. Yakult Swallows game at the Hanshin Koshien stadium in Hyogo on May 22. It was the first time a kimono-clad maiko had stood on the holy mound. She pitched the ball from her right hand with full force, and the catcher caught it in his glove.

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