Shohei Ohtani has the biggest global reach in all of baseball. He is a brand ambassador for many companies in the United States and Japan. He recently shot a commercial for FamilyMart’s onigiri.
FamilyMart is one of Japan’s largest convenience store chains, and onigiri is a Japanese rice dish often shaped into a triangle or cylinder. According to Japanese news outlet Hochi, Ohtani skipped lunch in preparation to eat 19 onigiri at the shoot. Not only did he eat 19 on set, but he also took some home with him afterward.
According to Hochi, Ohtani has loved the dish since he was a kid and still loves it today. He even noted how surprised he was by its great quality.
Ohtani’s impact in Japan is unrivaled, as he reaches people in every facet of their daily lives. From appearing in everyday commercials to leading the nation to a World Baseball Classic title, Ohtani has become Japan’s biggest ambassador. He will return to Japan with the Los Angeles Dodgers when they kick off the MLB season against the Chicago Cubs in the Tokyo Series.
The matchup should draw a huge crowd as Ohtani will also be joined by other Japanese baseball stars. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Rōki Sasaki, Seiya Suzuki and Shōta Imanaga will all also take the field in their home country.
