ADAWAK: 2014-06

2014/06/30

Running in Between the Rain

It is difficult to find a good timing to go for a run this rainy season. I was lucky to be able to go yesterday and the day before.

Beautiful flowers in Nanto City - Thursday morning.

Below are photos from yesterday in Musashino City.

Cho Koen Park had people that were taking advantage of the sunshine.

Unusual type of hydrangea flowers.

Families with little children were enjoying the sunshine in a park by the city hall.

A sporting goods store close from Kichijoji station.

2014/06/26

Yesterday morning of Japan time, Japan National Football Team lost against Columbia with score of 1-4 in in the World Cup Brazil 2014. This was the end of the road for the Japan Team. Withe 1-2 score loss to Cote d'Ivoire, 0-0 tie with Greece, and yesterday's loss to Columbia placed Japan at the bottom of the 4-team Group C.

The team was considered the best in Japan's Soccer history. No time in the past has ever had Japanese footballers playing in competitive European Leagues - to name a few:

UK - Premire League
Shinji Kagawa - Manchester United.
Maya Yoshida - Southampton

Italy - Serie A
Keisuke Honda - AC Milan.
Yuto Nagatomo - Inter Milan.

Germany - Bundesliga
Shinji Okazaki - FSV Mainz
Makoto Hasebe and Hiroshi Kiyotake - FC Nuernberg
Atsuto Uchida - FC Shalke

Despite the result, our team played very hard. With the direction of the coach - Alberto Zaccheroni, Japan Soccer was never been so aggressive attacking the opponents' goals. Honda had a beautiful goal against Cote d'Ivoire and Okazaki made a header goal at the very end of the first half of the game against Columbia. I am proud of them.

Brazil is approximately 12 hours time zone difference, so the games were played at ungodly times in Japan. We can now get enough sleep...

Zaccheroni announced his resignation from Japan Coach today.

A huddle of Japan Team right before the kick-off of the Cote d'Ivore game.

The team after the end of the game.

The kick-off of the 2nd half of the Columbia game.

2014/06/22

A Run in the Rain

We are in a middle of the rainy season in Japan. It is raining again today. For that, it was a cool morning for a run in the rain.

Zenpukuji Park pond.

A park in Nerima - nobody was playing in the rain.

Lotus flowers are pretty in Shakujii Park pond.

Benches by the pond.

Itsukushima Shrine on the Pond.

Hydrangea flowers are in abundance now.

The trail in the park.

A roadside flowers close from my home.

2014/06/19

New Baseball Field

It was under construction for a long time, but we can now see our new baseball field at Inokashira Park.

The field is right by Ghibli Museum.

It is still closed to allow for the turf to grow.

Drinking and washing water by the home base.

A view of the field from outside of Left Field.

A similar view from outside of the Right Field.

There still are some construction fences left.

Children's playground is right by the field.

2014/06/15

Rakuten Stadium

I was in Sendai last week. In a cool morning of last Friday, I ran from the train station to the baseball stadium.

The poster announcing the exchange games between the Central and Pacific Leagues of Japanese Professional Baseball League at the train station.

A poster of the local businesses supporting Rakuten Eagles - last season's Japanese champions.

This is the tenth year of the team.

Some players used to play for the Majors - including Andruw Jones.

Rakuten Kobo Stadium entrance area.

The third base stand is being extended to allow for more supporters.

This is how it will be after the completion (expected in August).

Seattle Mariners' Hisashi Iwakuma and New York Yankees' Masahiro Tanaka played for Rakuten until 2011 and the last year, respectively. This year, as of 15 June, the team is at the bottom of the Pacific League ranking with 24-35. Hopefully, they will make a comeback.