If you’ve been trekking along with us for some time, you know that H-TEN has had annual slogans just like the team does. We have loved every look and slogan so far (see examples below), but we like to freshen things up at the start of every season. Thanks to our resident graphic designer Zorny, we are able to present to you…
Let’s explain this a little. First, the kanji: 虎穴虎子
It is a four-kanji phrase, also called yojijukugo (四字熟語) in Japanese. These kanji phrases often express some concept or proverb… and this one is not a common one, but it fits our team and its fanbase quite nicely, if you ask me.
The first two kanji together are pronounced koketsu, which literally means “tiger hole.” The next two kanji together are read koshi, which means “tiger child.”
The idea behind the four kanji as a set phrase is that in order to capture the tiger’s cub, you have to go into the lair. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t just casually stroll into such an environment of my own volition. But the only way to get what I want, in this case, the coveted tiger cub, is to take a huge risk and show my bravery. You could see this metaphorically, too. The Tigers’ lair is Koshien, and the Tiger cub is YOU. If you want to become a true “little Tiger”, you need to enter the ballpark! (Note: The team is not giving me a cut of the profits from your ticket purchases!)
The connection between the 4 Japanese kanji and the 4 English words is pretty obvious. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. This expression is a reminder to us all that we can only get a return on the investment we make. If we put in very little effort, very little fruit will be borne of it. The same is true for the Hanshin Tigers, and the same is true of our fandom. If we want to be fully satisfied with the fan experience and enjoy the success that is coming at season’s end, we need to invest as much as humanly possible. Give the Tigers your love and devotion, and you will be rewarded greatly.
H-TEN aims to be on both ends of the conditional phrase. We will invest our time into providing you with a quality product, and we will reap the satisfaction of knowing that the labor is not in vain. Here’s to a great season with a great finish for our Hanshin Tigers and all of their fans worldwide!