Pepper mills become a hot-shot product in Tokyo

Lars Nootbaar waves at a sold-out crowd at Tokyo Dome during a hero interview after Japan beat South Korea in the World Baseball Classic tournament on March 10. Lars Nootbaar has lived up to expectations of providing a spark for Samurai Japan at the World Baseball Classic. He may not have expected his positive effect on sales of a kitchenware product here.

The Japanese players have made a gesture of grinding pepper after their base hits as they romp through Group B to advance to the final round of the WBC.

That gesture was used by the St. Louis Cardinals, Nootbaar's team in the major leagues. It symbolizes the attitude of hustle, contributing to the team, and grinding out success, like moving up a base.

It was introduced to the team by Nootbar. Pepper mills have become a hot-selling item in Tokyo since the pre-WBC training games.

In the Kappabashi dougugai kitchenware street district in the capital s Taito Ward, baseball fans have been buying pepper mills to do the grinding gesture together with the players.

Kitchen World TDI, a kitchen appliance store in the district, hurriedly set up a corner to display nothing but pepper mills of all sizes, along with a promotional statement, WBC, Go Nippon! Yoshihito Fujisaki, the store manager, said young sales clerks came up with the idea.

Sales of pepper mills have risen by 15 percent since then, he said.

On March 9, when Samurai Japan played its opening game against China, the store sold a 75 centimeter-tall pepper mill with a price tag of 10,000 yen $75 Some fans said they would bring pepper mills to Tokyo Dome and use them to cheer for the team, Fujisaki said.

He said staff at sports bars are buying the mills for cheering purposes at their outlets.

Born and raised in Southern California to a American father and Japanese mother, Nootbaar quickly won over Japanese fans, not just for his timely hits and outstanding defensive play.

He never cuts corners and always sprints to the first base even when he is certain to be thrown out.

After Japan's crushing win over South Korea, Nootbaar was called up to do a hero interview. To sold-out stands he hollered in Japanese: Nippon daisuki! The fans responded with even louder cheers.

Nootbaar has always maintained a close relationship with Japan.

As a child, he used to visit the home of his mother, Kumiko, in Saitama Prefecture.

He has so many fond memories of these trips, such as visiting the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park at the foot of Mount Fuji, and riding the Dodonpa, which was once considered the world's fastest roller coaster.

Kumiko recalled with a smile that the ride made a young Nootbaar at a loss for words. When he went to his grandparents home, he acted like a baby and said, I don't want to go home, Kumiko said.

A few years ago, Nootbaar's grandmother, Kazuko, found necklace charms in a temple she frequents and gifted them to Nootbaar and other family members.

Nootbaar keeps wearing it while playing for the Japan team.

He said that it makes him feel the close presence of his family and lifts up his spirit.

Kazuko was in the Tokyo Dome for the March 9 game.

She said that my sweet grandson plays his heart out for Japan and helps the team win.