Titled “How to watch cricket”, the handout is aimed squarely at newcomers. A message beneath the title reassures spectators that it is fine to be watching cricket for the first time and encourages them to use the guide to enjoy the match.
The explainer starts with the fundamentals, including the fact that two teams of 11 compete against each other, before outlining how a match is won and the roles of batters, bowlers and fielders.
For spectators unfamiliar with cricket terminology, the illustrations also explain how one, four and six runs can be scored.
Another section tackles some of the more complicated parts of the game: dismissals.
Run out, bowled, stumped, caught and leg before wicket (LBW) are all explained through cartoons showing exactly what has happened to the batter.
The officials have not been forgotten either. Drawings demonstrate the umpire signals for a four, six, no-ball, wide, bye and a dismissal.
There is also a guide to understanding the numbers on a cricket scoreboard, including runs, wickets and overs.
In an interesting segment, the illustration also puts the size of a cricket field into perspective. The handout compares the dimensions of an international cricket ground with those of football and baseball fields.
Images of the explainer have since attracted attention among cricket fans online.
One Reddit user described the initiative as “pretty cool” and praised the attempt to spread knowledge of the sport among local spectators.
Another had a particularly Japanese solution for taking that introduction a step further: “Japan just give us a Cricket Manga or Anime.”
Others were similarly impressed by the presentation, with one commenter highlighting the “cute doodles” used to explain the rules.
Cricket is featuring at the Asian Games for only the fourth time at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, following appearances at Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014 and Hangzhou 2023.
For some of the spectators watching in Japan, however, this edition may be their first introduction to the sport.
And if a batter suddenly disappears after a shout of LBW, they now know where to look.
