My Favorite Summer Scenes

The day before yesterday is Autumnal Equinox Day; the length of day and night is the same on the day. I’m happy to have cooler days from now, but at the same time, I feel sad that sever hot days have gone.
For my memory of this summer, I upload two pictures I like. I took both pictures after a weekly practice of tennis game in August.

By the way, I was defeated at a tennis match two weeks ago not only by the skill of the opponent but also, I guess, summer heat and fatigue of business trip to Taiwan.

Today, again, I had tennis match with CANON members against ASHIKAGA bank team. I took part in a singles match and won today!
Summer heat and travel exhaustion didn’t help my opponent today.

It’s A Sunny Winter Day.

Last Friday, February 11th is the National Foundation Day of Japan. It was a national holiday in Japan. So, today is the final day of three-day weekends.

I wanted to do a lot of things but did little for three days. It snowed both yesterday and the day before yesterday. I just got relaxed at home for two days.

It’s a fine day today; I headed to tennis courts by car, but snow still covered the courts.
I couldn’t play tennis but trees and park fields covered with snow near the courts were beautifully shinning in the morning sun light.

It was worth visiting for me even without playing tennis.

The Season For Autumn Leaves

I played tennis today with Rina and some of my friends in Kiyohara Industrial Park.

The leaves there were at their peak color.
I enjoyed the changing colors of autumn leaves and, of course, playing tennis.

To tell you the truth, I've had a shoulder pain since early September this year.
I usually play tennis three to four times a week, but now I do only once a week.

I'm happy to think that even only once a week to play tennis is far far better than never.

The Final Day Of My Tennis Club Has Come.

I have been playing tennis two to three times a week for twelve years on the top of a building. But, the tennis courts are going to be closed in the end of this month due to lack of members.

It is said that Japanese economy hit the bottom and is now on the way of recovering. Do you think it is recovering? I doubt it.

The close of the tennis courts shocked me and other members very much. My tennis coach will be laid off in three days and have to find a new job. I guess finding a new job at his age is not easy. So, I can’t help sympathizing him.

I’m now thinking to take a rest of playing tennis for a couple of weeks and start a tennis-club-hunting in the middle of April.

Perhaps, playing tennis in the new place with new members could be fun to me in a sense.

Left: Me      Right: Tennis Coach, Mr. Yuzuki

Center: Me, Back Left: Ms. & Mr. Soma, Back Center: Mr. Yuzuki, Back second from the right: Mr. Nakagawa, Back Right: Hikaru or son of Mr. Yuzuki
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It Snowed in Utsunomiya

After snowing two days consecutively, yesterday and the day before yesterday, it became sunny day today in Utsunomiya.

I played tennis with my friends today on Sunday as usual.  It covered beautifully with snow near the tennis courts.

I enjoyed both playing tennis and taking pictures of beautiful snow-covered nearby scene.

Tennis, Tennis and Tennis.

Mr. Ikeda and I became runner-ups at the Ichikai doubles tennis tournament a few weeks ago. The prize was two right hand gloves for tennis players.

Mr. Takano and I won the CANON Utsunomiya division employee’s tennis tournament a week ago. 5,000 yen, about US$45 worth restaurant coupon was the prize.

Ms. Tajima and I became runner-ups at the Mohka beginner’s level mixed doubles tennis tournament today. We got two middle size towels as a prize.

I have been a tennis bum for almost one month, he-he.

To tell you the truth, I have tons of things to do within this year. One of the biggest tasks is to take family pictures and make new-year greeting cards. I may need 48 hours a day.
Time really flies … sigh.
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Tennis Tournament in Kiyohara Industrial Park

I took part in the Kiyohara Industrial Park Tennis Tournament yesterday. The tournament this year is different from the past ones in several points.

First, it is usually held on the first Saturday in September, but it's held in August this year.

Our company, CANON offers part of employees to take promotional examinations on the first Saturday in September. One of my tennis friends had been unable to participate in the tournament because he should take the exams. I was happy to ask him to attend the tournament this year.

Second, my closest tennis friend Mr. Ogata was transferred to Tokyo Head Office in the end of August. Our branch has been targeted to reduce the number of employees as a part of our company's slim down policy to fight against the world wide economic recession. I feel sad that we have to compete the tournament without him this year.

The result was that we became a runner-up. We won the tournament two years ago, but all three doubles teams were defeated by the winner's three teams at the final this year.

We promised to win next year.

After coming back home, my wife advised me that the shorted way to win the tournament next year is to ask the winner's team to become one of their members, lol.

Marine Day

Today is Marine Day or Ocean Day in Japan. It is a national holiday celebrated on the third Monday in July.

I did not go to any beach nor place which commands the ocean view today. What did I do today? I went to the mountain area in northern Tochigi to play tennis with my friends yesterday and came back today.

I can't remember when was the last time for me to go on an overnight trip for tennis. I'm sure it must have been more than fifteen years ago.

I enjoyed playing tennis in a country area and staying in a beautiful place.

I took following two pictures from the balcony of my hotel room.


Flowers were blooming nearby the tennis court. I don't know the name of the flower, do you?

Tennis Tournament in Igashira Park

From the left: It's me, Ms Tajima, Hiroto and Ms. Kaneda.

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Even though the result turned out to be regretful to me, I enjoyed playing tennis in the tennis tournament held in Igashira Park today.

It became rather warm and gentle day comparing to that of a year ago.
I took part in the same tournament exactly one year ago with Ms. Tajima. We could beat some teams but could not win the tournament again.

The tournaments were divided into three classes: there were an upper level class, a middle level class and a beginners’ level class.
Participants can decide their appropriate class by themselves according to the unwritten classification.
Beginners or players older than forty years old could participate in the beginners’ level class.

We participated in the beginners’ level class … but …

Anyway, I have to thank God for being able to have friends with whom I play tennis and for that I have been in the perfect physical condition, no pain at all in any part of my body, since a few months ago.

Thanks everyone, Ms. Tajima, Ms. Kaneda, Mr. Kosuge, Ms. Itoh, high school boy Hiroto and staff who ran the tournaments for sharing the wonderful day with me.
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Clear Sky in Igashira Park

There are two tennis-club tournaments in Mohka city annually. Rina, Hiroto, Hikaru, Takeru and I attended the autumn tournament both today and one week ago on Sundays.

It was a very fine day today. I enjoyed playing tennis and seeing autumn scenery around Igashira Park where the tournament was held.

Result of the tournament of our team was not good, but I spent precious time with my club members. I could completely forget about my busy daily work while I was staying the park.

To tell the truth, the project of my work is now on the final phase. We are very busy this October. Some of my colleagues, rather younger workers, had to work today even on Sunday.
After coming back from Igashira Park, I called my colleagues to ask if the work was going well.

Contrary to the result of the tournament, the work of my project seemed to be going well.
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Tennis Tournament in Mohka

I participated in a doubles tennis tournament with Mr. Nakagawa even I have been suffering from a terrible backache since two weeks ago. Needless to say, the result of the tournament was very bad. I felt very sorry to Mr. Nakagawa for my bad physical condition. (:<) What was worse, I carelessly forgot to bring my digital camera with me. I have never forgotten bringing my camera to any tennis tournament before. So, I took a few pictures using a cell phone. The quality of the pictures is not good at all.

I brought back a colored leave from the tennis court and took a picture at the balcony of my home not with a cell phone but a digital camera. Autumn is a really artist, isn’t it. (^^)

Annual Tennis Tournament

The first Saturday of September has come yesterday: it's the day of a local tennis tournament in the area of my company. I had asked my colleagues to take part in the annual tournament and five brave colleagues joined my team.
We won the tournament last year but, to our regret, could not this year.
We were defeated at the preliminary league.

They prepared for first league losers to make a consolation tournament.
So, we took part in the consolation tournament. Then we won the tournament. We got no trophy but little prize.
We vowed to win the next year’s tournament.
Anyway, I enjoyed playing tennis very much on wonderful Saturday.
:-)

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

Rina's First Tennis Match

Rina, my younger daughter, debuted as a tennis player today for the first time in her life. She attended the beginner’s class of the local tennis tournament together with me, Mr. Yuzuki’s wife and his two sons. Mr. Yuzuki is my tennis coach for almost ten years.

It was unfortunately raining in the morning but later it stopped raining. We had three tennis matches in the club tournament of the preliminary league today.

Rina won one match and lost two matches. She seemed very happy when she won. It was a memorial first win. lol.

It’s a little bit bitter though, I believe, it might be an unforgettable experience for her.

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Tennis Tournament in Mohka, Igashira Park

I attended a Mohka tennis club tournament today with my friends. One club team consists two doubles teams and one single team. Each club team which wins more than two matches out of three wins against its opponent club. In the preliminary league competitions, we battled against two clubs.

The result of our club was terrible. We lost all six matches (lost against two clubs, all three team matches). As a result, we can’t go on a winners’ tournament next week.
Only losers’ tournament waits for us next week. Saaaaaaaaaaad!

Tennis courts are in the beautiful forest park called Igashira-Kouen in Mohka city, Tochigi prefecture. As I wrote you, visitors on my blog before, it is a beautiful place. Even game losers can enjoy walking around and taking pictures there.
Pictures of a persimmon tree and flowers beside the tennis court follow,

Tennis Tournament in Kiyohara Industrial Park

On the first Saturday of September, Kiyohara Industrial Park (KIP) association in Utsunomiya holds a tennis tournament.
Every KIP company team consisting three doubles can attend the tournament. I attended the tournament with my five colleagues last year and a year before the last, but couldn’t win.
This year is different. I’ve become a very strong tennis player… I want to say so, but actually I can’t say.
I asked four colleagues including two freshmen to join my team. All of them are very good tennis players. Luckily, they all said “YES” to join my team.
We attended the tournament and, as a result, “WON” yesterday.
We got a trophy, a certificate and forty bottles of beer as a prize of the winner.
The taste of the beer I drunk yesterday was excellent!

How do I spend this summer?

I made it a rule to take a week off and go back to my hometown Shimane with my family members from the end of July to early August. But, I gave up doing so this year. Because, I took already two weeks off last April for traveling in the States and my elder daughter is busy to study for a high school entrance exam. She goes to a cram school twice a week. But, during summer vacation of her school, she goes five times a week.
I love spending summer season in Shimane very much but I can’t do this year. I should decide an alternative way to spend this summer… Maybe, it’ll be a camping or swimming in Tochigi.

Today is the day of upper house election. After voting, I went to company’s tennis court with Rina who was my younger daughter. Though she joined an athletic club in her junior high, she is still practicing tennis at neighbor tennis school once a week. I rarely play tennis with her. Maybe, last time I played with her was more than a year ago. We had a good time and I think it could be a good practice for her today.

Even In the Rainy Season...

It’s drizzling in the morning. A bunch of morning glory in the balcony keeps growing in the rain. Its vine has grown more than one meter so for.
I planed to play tennis with my colleagues, Yuzu Tennis members and my drinking friend Anthony at my company’s tennis courts. But, due to the bad weather, I had to cancel the plan. I sent cancellation mail to my friends in the early morning.
After that, the drizzle had stopped and the weather turned better. The feeling I wanted to play tennis grew bigger and bigger, then I asked Ms. Kaneda if they play tennis at indoor tennis courts or better condition outdoor courts today. My company’s courts are next to tall trees, so once it rains it takes a whole day to dry up the surface.
My goodness, she answered YES. So, I called Anthony again and rushed to join Mr. and Ms. Kaneda’s group or Smile Tennis Team. Thanks Mr. and Ms. Kaneda very much again! We had a wonderful Sunday.
I knew that Anthony kept practicing tennis for long years, but it was the first time to play tennis with him. His shots are pretty fast. He hits a ball with a small quick motion. His play style is rare among my friends. Sometimes, he loses the game by missed shots. I think that it's because he doesn’t practice regular basis after coming to Japan. If he keeps practicing regularly, he’ll become far strong a player than he is now.
Right: Anthony

Clear Sky in the Middle of the Rainy Season

Meteorological Agency said last Thursday that Kanto area had been in rainy season.
Ironically, it has been fine since then. Thanks to the good weather, I played tennis yesterday with Yuzu Tennis members as usual and today with Smile Tennis Team members. It was the first time for me to play with Smile Tennis Team members.
One of my Yuzu Tennis members introduced me to Smile Tennis Team. Thanks Ms Kaneda! I enjoyed a lot today.

I felt somehow nostalgic when I found an azalea flower falling nearby the court. It’s the end of the spring.

Most of Yuzu Tennis members are very young. It is safe to say that more than half of them are high school students or younger kids. They like a powerful play style.
On the contrary, most of Smile Tennis Team members are senior. Some are already retired and the others are few years to their retirement. They rather enjoy the atmosphere of playing tennis and a conversation of their daily happenings than playing tennis itself.

My backache has almost gone but not perfectly. So, the play style of Smile Tennis Team is better to me right now than that of Yuzu Tennis.

Summer Heat Continues.

It’s been still very hot in Utsunomiya. I played tennis with my colleagues for a whole day yesterday.
One of our company’s optical equipment development centers is located in Kiyohara Industrial Park in Utsunomiya.

Luckily, KIP association arranges tennis tournament several times every year for all employees working for companies in KIP. Comparing to other tennis tournaments, it’s a bit different. It’s free of charge and even KIP association gives a winner, finalists, and semi-finalists a prize. Why it’s possible? Because, I guess, companies subsidize KIP association.
Our tennis team couldn’t win though, we got a prize. (^o^)Y