Hyogo: Kobe’s Santa an Ohtani fan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

December 11, 2021

KOBE — A figure of Santa Claus pointing to the sky while wearing a T-shirt adorned with the face of Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani appeared on the roof of Uroko House in Kobe.

Uroko House is one of the houses in Kobe Kitano Ijinkan-gai, a historic district where foreigners lived in Western-style homes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The motif of this year’s Santa is Ohtani, with Santa’s pose meant to congratulate Ohtani on his historic achievement as a “two-way” player, an official of the house said.

Uroko House means “House of scales,” as it is covered in stone slates resembling the scales of a fish. The house is now a museum and displays a unique Santa every year. The Santa will be on display through Dec. 25.