Municipal Track and Field Competition

Track and field competition of municipal junior high schools was held in Utsunomiya last week. My younger daughter Rina took part both in the 800m race and in the 1,500m race.

My wife had to go to her ballet practice for the performance in autumn and elder daughter Emi had to go to her drama club practice. So, only I went to the stadium with Rina.

The second runner is Rina in the following picture. Rina finished the race as a runner-up.
With Rina’s great practice she has done so far and her efforts, she became a runner-up in the 800m race and 3rd in the 1,500m race.
So, she could advance to the prefectural track and field competition next week.
Congratulations Rina!
I hope that you will do your best in the coming races.
Good luck!
The results of the women’s 800m race final follow.

Sarah Comes Home

Sarah who is my wife’s friend came home from London yesterday. She has been traveling in Japan since a couple weeks ago.

It was more than seven years ago when she came to Utsunomiya last time.
The upper picture was taken on April 30, 2001 at the botanical garden of Utsunomiya Romantic Village. Two daughters Emi and Rina look very small.
Digital cameras were not popular at that time so the quality of the picture was not good enough.

We spent talking, eating drinking on Sunday evening. It was a very wonderful day yesterday. She was going to leave Japan for London tomorrow.


On our way to JR Utsunomiya Station, we happened to meet Emi who was coming back from a drama club practice at her high school.
Few minutes before Sarah took the train to Tokyo, Sarah and I were standing at JR Utsunomiya Station.

Tennis Tournament in Shimotsuke City

I attended doubles tennis tournament in Shimotsuke city, next to Utsunomiya city with my colleague Mr. Ogata. My tennis friend Mr. Yoshida also attended the tournament with former tennis coach Mr. Saito. He is a senior student of a college in Utsunomiya. He has quit a part-time tennis coach job since one and half years ago. It was the first time for me to see him since then.

We won the first round rather easily at the sore of 8 to 4, but in the second round we were defeated at the score of 0 to 8.
The opponents of the second round, Mr. Watanabe and Mr. Fujinuma, were the last year’s winner of the tournament and this year’s first seeded team. They were very strong.
We were defeated very easily at the second round but I was satisfied with being able to play the game with such a strong team.

It was very hot day today as if the rainy season were over. If these hot days continue, soon or later, the Meteorological Agency will announce the end of the rainy season and an advent of the summer.

Left: Mr. Saito, former tennis coach
Second from the left: Mr. Yoshida, he plays tennis 6 times a week
Second from the Right: Me
Right: Mr. Ogata, my colleague

Shibamata Taishakuten Temple

Few moths ago, I went to Shibamata Taishakuten temple with my family. The temple is famous for the serial movie “Otoko wa Tsuraiyo” or “It's tough being a man.”
The main character, Tora-san lives near the Taishakuten temple in the movies.

Most of the movies have the same basic plot.
A traveling salesman Tora-san arrives in some remote town planning to sell his wares to the locals. He meets a local woman and falls in love with her. However, he usually ends up inadvertently helping bring her together with another man. He ends up being heartbroken at the end of the movie.

I like the movies and watched them many times, but had never been Taishakuten temple before. We visited Tora-san museum, sweets shop Toraya and Taishakuten temple.
It’s a really wonderful town.
Tora-san fans should visit the town.

These board are called Ema. Ema are made of wood on which worshipers write their wishes.

Ema are then left hanging up at shrines or temples, where God or Buddha can read them.
The Ema in the picture holds wishes:

“May my mother-in-law become healthy”,

“May all my family live happily with smiles.”