Before getting married, Shohei Ohtani devoted most of his life to baseball and sleep.

Even during his years with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, he was known for spending Christmas practicing baseball rather than celebrating holidays. Dining out, seasonal events, and leisurely activities rarely seemed to occupy much of his attention.

Baseball was always his overwhelming priority.

But after marrying Mamiko Tanaka in 2024, Ohtani began experiencing a different kind of happiness.

As Christmas approached that year, he revealed that he and Mamiko bought a Christmas tree together and decorated it side by side.

For many people, decorating a Christmas tree might seem ordinary. For Ohtani, however, it symbolized something new — sharing everyday life with someone important.

Reflecting on those moments, he said:

“I would never do that by myself. Things like that have definitely increased.”

Rather than seeing unfamiliar activities as troublesome or unnecessary, Ohtani explained that marriage had simply brought more enjoyment into his life.

He also shared that the couple had originally hoped to take a honeymoon-like trip during the offseason. However, because he underwent surgery on his left shoulder, rehabilitation became part of his daily routine, making long-distance travel difficult.

Still, even thinking about taking a short getaway together brought him happiness.

He described it this way:

“Not some big trip or anything — just going somewhere for a little while. Thinking about things like that makes me happy now.”

For Ohtani, baseball remains a tremendous source of joy and purpose.

But life with his wife and beloved dog Decoy — and soon, their child as well — had given him a completely different kind of fulfillment.

It was a quieter happiness.

A personal happiness.

And perhaps, for the first time in his life, Ohtani was learning to enjoy not only greatness on the field, but also the small moments away from it.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese source published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Number 1111 p.23