Hiko-nyan runners at Tokyo Marathon 2012.

The massive Tokyo Marathon was held on Feb. 26, 2012. Out of almost 300,000 applicants, about 36,000 lucky people got to run from 9:10 am to 4:10 pm. I was near the finish line and saw these two Hiko-nyan runners.

Being an Olympic year, this was an important race for the Japanese runners seeking to qualify for London. Also, the Biwako Mainichi Marathon to be held in Otsu, Shiga on March 4 will also be a crucial race as an Olympic qualifier.

It is unusual to have so many Western visitors coming to Shiga, so we gave them a warm welcome, especially after the radiation scare in faraway Fukushima. Note that Shiga has had absolutely no increase in radiation levels after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident.

Unfortunately, about 20 people got spooked by the radiation and canceled their trip to Japan. To take the place of these people, the Seta Rowing Club in Otsu (host of this rowing tour) recruited people in Japan to join this Lake Biwa rowing tour. The cost was 120,000 yen which included hotel lodging at Hotel Laforet in Moriyama, meals, and tour fees.

The tour also included a day trip to see Enryakuji temple and Hikone Castle on June 9 when I accompanied the group as a photographer and guide. See the video I took above, when they rowed from Nagahama to Hikone, including Takeshima island.

Photos here.

See the rowing map and schedule here:

http://www.setarc.jp/2011fisatour/11%20FISA%20Tour%20MAP(E).pdf

http://www.setarc.jp/2011fisatour/11%20FISA%20Tour(E).pdf

Former Lakestars head coach Ishibashi gives a high-five to a fan.

Ishibashi Takatoshi (石橋貴俊) has been fired as the head coach of the Shiga Lakestars, one of the bj league’s pro basketball teams in the Western Conference. The team announced the dismissal on Feb. 22, 2011.

The news is quite shocking as the Lakestars is still one of the top four teams in the Western Conference with 19 wins and 15 losses. The Lakestars’ official Web site announced in a brief, two-sentence statement that Ishibashi was dismissed and that 31-year-old Assistant Coach Nema Hirokazu will be the interim head coach until a replacement is found. No explanation was given for the firing.

But Kyoto Shimbun newspaper reported that team president Sakai Nobusuke (坂井信介) explained that besides wanting to break the recent string of losses (five games in a row), he wants the team back in 1st or 2nd place in the conference and win in the playoffs. He concluded that a change in the head coaching was necessary to this end.

Right now, the top four teams in the Western Conference is in a very tight race. They are separated only by 2 wins/losses. The Lakestars was actually in 1st place in Jan. 2011, but five consecutive losses from Feb. 6 put them down to 3rd place. The string of losses is certainly disappointing, but I don’t think it’s enough to fire the HC.

I still haven’t seen a Lakestars game this season (notice that I haven’t posted any photos this season). I have to confess that I’ve lost much of my enthusiasm for the team after former head coach Robert Pierce and Bobby Nash were released despite their popularity among fans. I like Joho and Wara, but as for most of the others, I can’t even remember their names and faces. They change too often. The high turnover of players and coaches has been disenchanting and it makes it difficult for me to develop a real bond with the team. I just don’t know these people.

And look at the way they announce such firings. No explanation at all. Not even a public “thank you” to poor Ishibashi-san. It’s like they are discarding a piece of machinery. Cold, very cold. So anyone and everyone on the team is expendable. Here today, and maybe gone tomorrow. It must be stressful for them to think about it.

The team president’s policy seems to be “win at all costs.” Sure, a winning team gets more sponsors and more money. But sports should not be only about winning and/or money. It’s about teamwork, working together, overcoming adversity together, never giving up, and forging a bond with fans. It’s really about doing your best.

I’m really concerned about the local children when they see how “winning is everything” and how coaches and players can be discarded like a paper toss to the trash can at anytime. Kids look up to pro teams, players, and coaches. These adults must set a good example.

OK, so five losses in a row. Work to turn a negative into a positive. That’s what sports should be about. The kids should see and learn that it’s also about the struggle, personal experience and growth, physical health, and self-improvement. Winning isn’t everything. Losing is part of the game and kids should learn how to face it and deal with it.

He belongs to the Kitanoumi Stable run by former Yokozuna Kitanoumi, one of sumo greatest yokozuna. Born in Dec. 1986, Nionoumi debut as a sumo wrestler in March 2002. He is about 173.5 cm tall and weighs 139 kg. During the Hatsu Basho tourney, NHK News (starting at 6:10 pm on weekdays) in Otsu broadcast his bouts every day and we held high hopes for him.

At age 24, he is still young enough to earn promotion to the top Makunouchi Division. It’s been quite  few years since the last time we saw a sumo wrestler from Shiga in the top two divisions of sumo.

Unfortunately, at the Hatsu Basho ending on Jan. 23, 2011, Nionoumi had a losing record of 5 wins and 10 losses in his Juryo debut. This means that he will likely be demoted back to the Makushita Division from his current rank of Juryo No. 12. Out of 15 bouts in a tournament, a sumo wrestler must have at least 8 wins to earn a promotion. Let’s hope Nionoumi bounces back and reaches Juryo and Makunouchi ranks.

See his official profile here:
http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi_2476.html

Update: Unfortunately, due to the yaocho bout-fixing scandal, the Japan Sumo Association has cancelled the Spring sumo tournament that was to be held in March in Osaka. We won’t be seeing Nionoumi until at least May (or later if the May tournament is cancelled too).

Biwako Basho poster

Only two years after the Maibara Basho sumo exhibition tournament was held in Oct. 2008, grand sumo came to Shiga again during Oct. 24-25, 2010. It was to mark the 40th anniversary of the Shiga Prefectural Gymnasium (滋賀県立体育館) in Otsu where the basho was held.

Yokozuna Hakuho, on a winning streak of 62 consecutive wins, and the rest of the top sumo wrestlers and staff totaling about about 270 were on hand to entertain about 2,700 spectators each day. Ticket prices ranged from 13,000 to 2,000 yen.

The day’s activities started at 8 am and included the usual program at sumo exhibition tourneys. First you could watch them practice on the sumo ring. Then from 11 am, they wrestled with about 20 little local kids. The tournament started at 11:30 am and ended at 3 pm. They also injected some entertainment such as comic sumo, sumo jinku singing, and taiko drumming demo.

Unfortunately, I didn’t go. But I was impressed by reports of Yokozuna Hakuho and Kokonoe Oyakata (exhibition tour director, sumo stablemaster, and formerly Yokozuna Chiyonofuji) paying a courtesy call on the Abbot of Enryakuji atop Mt. Hiei in Otsu on the 24th. Kokonoe Oyakata has had a friendship with the Tendai Abbot (半田孝淳天台座主) for 30 years. Kokonoe and Hakuho worshipped at Enryakuji’s main worship hall called Konpon Chudo before meeting with the Abbot. Sumo wrestlers represent the Shinto religion, but they have no qualms about praying at Buddhist temples. Heck, even the Emperor visited Enryakuji when he visited Otsu. But then Enryakuji still maintains close ties with Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine at the foot of Mt. Hiei.

The Abbot gave Hakuho a large, framed placard written with the kanji characters 調息, which means to control the rhythm of one’s breathing, as in meditation. Later in Nov. during  the Kyushu sumo tournament, Hakuho failed to break Futabayama’s record of 69 consecutive wins.

Biwako Basho official site here.

Lakestars vs. Tokyo Apache at Yokohama on March 6, 2010

The Shiga Lakestars pro basketball team in Japan’s bj league played well enough this 2009-2010 season to make the playoffs in the Western Conference for the first time in only their second year in the league. Coming in 4th place in the seven-team Western Conference with 29 wins and 23 losses, they qualified to advance to the playoff contest. The top four winning teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences battled it out in a two-game series of the Conference semi-finals held during May 15-16, 2010.

The 4th place Lakestars had to face the 1st-place team Osaka Evessa. Unfortunately, the Lakestars lost both games against the Evessa this weekend and could not advance to the Conference Finals to be played on May 22, 2010 in Ariake Colleseum in Tokyo. Their first game against Osaka was especially heartbreaking as they lost by 1 point (60-61). Their second game result was 68-78. They played at Kobe Port Island Hall. Wish I saw the game.

The Shiga Lakestars did all they could to qualify for the playoffs, something which just barely eluded them during their first season. We saw quite a few changes in the roster during this season, something we didn’t see last season when the players didn’t really change.

But this season, Mike Hall was released, Ray Schafer came back, popular Bobby Nash was released (miss him), and Mikey Marshall came in. It was clear that they wanted to get the best players available to increase their chances of making the playoffs which they did. But advancing beyond the first round has eluded them this time. But at least they made the playoffs and are showing improvement. Their sponsors and fans should be happy to see definite improvement. Making it to the Conference Finals (at least) is the team’s goal for next season, no doubt.

I also welcomed neighboring Kyoto Hannryz as the new kid on the block this season. Being a rookie team, they unsurprisingly struggled and finished last (7th place) in the Western Conference. Head coach David Benoit was fired in mid-season as a result. The team didn’t improve after Benoit was fired. The team’s management must learn to be patient before seeing concrete results. Give the coach at least two years.

Reminded me of the time when Rakuten quickly fired its pro baseball team general manager (an American) during its debut year when the team was not doing so well. These young team owners are too impatient, always wanting instant results. I call them the instant-ramen generation. They dislike spending time and trouble to make handmade noodles in broth cooked overnight with all kinds of goodies. They get high on artificial additives instead.

I’m glad that Lakestars Head Coach Robert Pierce was retained for the Lakestars’ second year even though they failed to make the playoffs during their debut season. They now have a good reason to retain him again, but his two-year contract has expired and we may see a new coach next season. Also, I really hope that Joho Masashi will be retained for next season. He’s such a crowd pleaser and a good player to boot. Fun to watch him play. Mikey Marshall played well too, and he should be retained as well.

On May 22 at Ariake Colleseum, Osaka and Okinawa Golden Kings will vie for the Western Conference title, and Hamamatsu and Niigata will go for the Eastern Conference title. The winners will play in the championship game, and the losers will play for the 3rd place on the next day. I plan to be at Ariake for the final game. Too bad Shiga won’t be there.

Anyway, thanks to the Lakestars for all your efforts this season. I enjoy watching games when I can (which unfortunately isn’t too often–too many things going on during weekends). I love the cheerleaders too, Magnee, and all the noise that the boosters (who received the bj-league’s No. 1 Booster Award) make both at home and away games.

I look forward to next season. See you again in Oct.

My Lakestars photo gallery: http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=102

My Lakestars page: http://photoguide.jp/txt/Shiga_Lakestars

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sp20100321eo.html

Also see my photos of the Shiga Lakestars vs. Tokyo Apache at Yokohama on March 6, 2010.
http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=23

The Lakestars are doing quite well, maintaining 4th place in the Western Conference. We expect them to make it to the playoffs this season.

All four of Japan’s freestyle mogul women skiers had passed the qualification round. A tearful UEMURA Aiko came in 4th, narrowly missing the bronze medal. However, she did better than last time at Turin when she placed 5th. I bet Uemura will try again at her 5th winter Olympics.

Some 400 people gathered at a community hall in Hino to watch and cheer Ito on a large TV screen.

Congrats to Miki for a good experience.

UPDATE:

Ito Miki returned to Japan early from Vancouver and visited Hino Town Hall in Shiga Prefecture on Feb. 23. She was welcomed by almost 100 people including the mayor of Hino. She thanked everyone for their cheering and support and commented that although she did not attain an outstanding result, she was happy to have skied her best. Her 12th place finish is an improvement over her 20th place finish at the Turin Olympics in 2006.

ITO Miki (伊藤みき) hails from Hino, Shiga and Vancouver is her second Winter Olympics after Torino. She will compete in the freestyle skiing mogul event along with media darling Uemura Aiko. Born in 1987, Miki attended elementary and junior high school in Hino and graduated from the Omi Kyodaisha (Omi Brotherhood) Senior High School in Omi-Hachiman.

She placed 20th in Torino in 2006, but she’s looking much better now. Since she’s not getting much media attention (spotlight is always on Uemura), she has less pressure and may well deliver an outstanding result. (Japanese athletes often seem to perform best when they are not under the media spotlight.) She’s a student at Chukyo University in Nagoya and has two sisters who are also mogul skiers. Miki has been a competitive skier since 1996 (age 9).

The second Winter Olympian from Shiga is OKADA Rana (岡田 良菜), a native of Otsu. Born in 1991, she is a snowboarder competing in the halfpipe event. Encouraged by her parents, she started snowboarding while in the 2nd grade, and entered her first halfpipe contest in junior high. During the 2008-09 season, she won the All-Japan Championship. In Jan. 2009, she placed 8th at the FIS Snowboard World Championships. She is employed by a snowboard shop called Hood in Gifu Prefecture.

Their appearances will be broadcast on TV. The broadcast times will be listed here later.

Let’s wish them the best of luck, along with all the other athletes.

Ito Miki’s official profile in English:
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-freestyle-skiing/athletes/miki-ito_ath1003961uy.html

Ito Miki’s Web site (in Japanese):
http://ameblo.jp/itomiki-blog/

Okada Rana’s official profile in English:
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-snowboard/athletes/rana-okada_ath1004004Wd.html

Okada Rana’s Web site (in Japanese):
http://www.rana-okada.com/

Special guest Hiko-nyan and Magnee at the first game in Hikone.

After one month into the 2009-2010 season, the Shiga Lakestars lead the Western Conference in the bj-league with 7 wins and 3 losses as of November 1, 2009. They won five home games in a row until November 1 when they lost to Takamatsu Five Arrows.

I went to see a game this past two weekends on October 24 (Sat.) against Osaka Evessa in Moriyama (photos here) and on October 31 (Sat.), 2009 in Hikone against Takamatsu Five Arrows (photos here). The game against Osaka was most exciting since it was a very close game. Osaka was a tough team, but in the end our Lakestars came out on top at 66-64. They also beat Osaka the next day in another close game at 83-80.

Unfortunately, Fujiwara Takamichi, the team captain and point guard, suffered a dislocated shoulder on October 25 against Osaka. He will be out of action for several weeks. You can see him at games with a shoulder and arm brace. I wonder how he sleeps.

Hiko-nyan shakes hands with Lakestars Head Coach Robert Pierce.

Luke Zellar is all alone as he dunks it in Hikone.

The game against Takamatsu this past Sat. wasn’t a cliffhanger, as Shiga led comfortably  most of the way, but it was exciting to watch as well. It was also the first time the Lakestars were playing in Hikone. Ticket prices in Hikone were higher than usual. Too bad they lost the next day though, 81-91. The Lakes missed too many shots and free throws. It was their third loss. Kind of surprising since Takamatsu is in last place in the Western Conference with 2 wins and 6 losses. Even though they lost their first home game on November 1 against Takamatsu, the Lakestars showed the spirit of never giving up all the way to the end. We have to give them credit for that. That game was broadcast live by the Biwako Broadcasting Company (BBC).

Lakestars cheerleaders in a new shimmering silver dress.

Anyway, the Shiga Lakestars are really on a roll, still in first place in the Western Conference. Of course, they still have a long way to go with over 40 more games to play. But it’s a great start and it really boosts morale among the players, coaches, and fans. I’m sure the players will work extra hard to hang onto this No. 1 rank.

Hopefully the Lakestars will continue to do well and in turn attract more fans to see them play. I’ll try to see as many games as I can this season (more than the four games I saw last season). Even though I still disagree with the design of their uniforms with a company’s name (“Goal Free,” which is pretty silly since in English, it means the team has no goals) displayed more prominently than “Shiga Lakestars.” You can’t really tell what team it is at a glance. I wish the bj-league would recognize that the teams should be promoting the respective locale first, and companies second.

Photos of Lakestars vs. Osaka here (Oct. 24, 2009 in Moriyama).

Photos of Laketstars vs. Takamatsu here (Oct. 31, 2009 in Hikone).

My English page for the Lakestars (game schedule, venue locations, player bios, etc.)

Japan Times article about Lakestars in 1st place (Oct. 31, 2009)

Oct. 10-11, 2009 was a great weekend for the Shiga Lakestars who played their first home games for the 2009-2010 season in Yasu, Shiga Prefecture. Playing against the Takamatsu Five Arrows, they not only achieved back-to-back consecutive wins, but won by a wide margin. For the first home game, they won by a whopping 48 points, 120-72. And the next day, it was a 30-point lead at 92-62.

I saw the first game on Oct. 10, and the photos are here.

I also pretty much completed my Shiga Lakestars page here, with game schedule, directions to home game venues, and team roster.

Note that they no longer allow outside food and drinks to be brought into home game venues in Shiga. At the gymnasium entrance in Yasu, they even searched people’s rucksacks for any food or drink and required us to discard them. So I drank my drink and ate my rice ball on the spot before going in.

No, it’s not an anti-terrorism countermeasure. They want you to buy food and drink from the vendors inside the venue. In Kyoto, there was no such restriction so apparently it is not a uniform rule for all bj-league games. Well, I already spend enough money on round-trip train fares, game tickets, guide books, and Lakestar souvenirs, so I’m not inclined to spend any more money unnecessarily.

Season opener tip-off between the Lakestars (in white) and Hannaryz at 2 pm.

Congratulations to the Shiga Lakestars pro basketball team for winning its opening game of the 2009-2010 season on October 3, 2009 against the Kyoto Hannaryz. The score was 82-73 witnessed by a reported 1,888 spectators in an almost full Kyoto City Gymnasium. Photos here.

Also congratulations to the Kyoto Hannaryz (led by head coach David Benoit) for holding its debut game in the bj-league. The Hannaryz is the thirteenth and newest franchise in the bj-league pro basketball league in Japan. Being close neighbors (many people in Shiga work in Kyoto, many people in Kyoto visit Shiga to relax, and Shiga’s Lake Biwa supplies water to Kyoto/Osaka), the Lakestars and the Hannaryz are destined to be eternal rivals and friends at the same time. There are more games scheduled between Shiga and Kyoto.

Hannaryz mascot (Chin-tiger) and cheerleaders. The name "Hannaryz" refers to the well-known word "hannari" (はんなり or 花なり) which in the Kyoto dialect means classy or distinguished-looking as well as cheery, bright, and colorful.

Although Kyoto was the first to score and took the lead very early in the game, the Lakestars fought back and had the Hannaryz trailing throughout the rest of the game. I remember the point spread was as large as 16 points. Kyoto did quite well in catching up, coming within 6 or 8 points to tie the Lakestars at one point, but shooters like team captain Fujiwara Takamichi (#11), Bobby Nash (#33), and Joho Masashi (#31) immediately made brilliant comeback plays to score and leave Kyoto in the dust. Fujiwara scored a total of 11 points, Bobby 7, and Joho 18.

Joho Masashi #31 is a new Lakestar Star.

Joho was clearly the Lakestars’ crowd favorite. They were shouting his name (JOHO! JOHO!) a few times, even after the game ended. I’ve seen him play a few times with the Tokyo Apache and he was a valuable and popular player there too. He was traded to Shiga at the last minute. He’s not even included in the bj-league’s official guide book for 2009-10. He played very well today. Looks like he will be very popular in Shiga. He is a welcome addition to the team and who also brings playoff experience to Shiga.

Opening game at Kyoto City Gymnasium, 2 pm-4 pm.

Bobby Nash also delighted us with spectacular three-pointers. And Chris Schlatter (#4) scored on a some good layups and became the team’s highest scorer at 20 points. It was a very exciting game for everyone, although I can sympathize with Kyoto losing its debut game in the bj-league. The Lakestars also lost its debut game a year ago, so it was great to see them off to a great start this season.

Joho scores on a layup.

There are quite a few new Lakestar faces. That big guy in the suit sitting at the bench is Assistant Coach Ishibashi Takatoshi who was the head coach (and former player) for the Toyama Grouses last season. Also new are Chris Schlatter, Mike Hall (scored 13 points), Gary Hamilton, and Luke Zellar (scored 11 points) all of whom are from the U.S. Besides Joho, the other new Japanese player is Horikawa Ryuichi. I have written a brief bio of Lakestars players here.

Hannaryz cheerleaders.

On the next day on Oct. 4, 2009, the Hannaryz roared back and squeaked by the Lakestars 85-81. It was a heartbreaking game for the Lakestars. But congratulations to the Hannaryz for their first official win in their debut season. For the Lakestars, Mike Hall was the highest scorer with 23 points, followed by Chris Schlatter’s 15 points, Joho’s 11, Luke Zellar’s 10 points, Fujiwara and Ogawa’s 7 points each, and Bobby’s 4 points.

More photos of  the season opener here.

Remember that the Lakestars’ first home game in Shiga will be on Oct. 10-11, 2009 in Yasu. See the complete game schedule and venues in English here. Tickets are not usually sold out, so you should be able to easily buy a ticket at the door.

I will also be posting pictures of Lakestars games whenever I see a game.

Shiga Lakestars official Web site here.

Kyoto Hannaryz Web site here.

Bobby Nash (#33) and Head Coach Robert Pierce at courtside.

After reaching a basic agreement for the 2009-10 season, Bobby Nash is set to return to the Shiga Lakestars basketball team in Japan’s bj-league for the 2009-10 season.

He plans to join up with the team in late Aug. and the official contract will be signed after he passes a medical exam. He is the first non-Japanese player to be announced for the Lakestars’ 2009-10 season roster. So welcome back Bobby!!

Bobby, who is 24 years old and 198 cm tall, hails from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, my alma mater. His famous dad, Bob Nash, a former star player at UH, is currently the head coach there.

So far, most of last season’s Japanese players are returning as well, including Fujiwara Takamichi who was team captain and local boy Ogawa Shinya from Nagahama.

See the 2009-10 team roster so far here:
http://www.lakestars.net/team/roster.php

Ishibashi Takatoshi, new Lakestars Assistant Coach. (File photo)

Head coach Robert Pierce is of course returning to coach the Lakestars. He will have a new Assistant Coach in Ishibashi Takatoshi, former head coach (and player) of the Toyama Grouses which ended up in last place last season. Coach Pierce sent me an email in early July 2009 to thank me for my online photos of the Lakestars. He can look forward to more photos (and dedicated Lakestars Web page in English) from me during the upcoming season.

The Lakestars cheerleaders are also set for 2009-10. They held an audition in May-June and selected the girls for the new cheerleading squad. A few girls from last season have remained. Otherwise, they are all new.

Also, the Kyoto Hannaryz will be a new expansion team for 2009-10. Kyoto’s team will make it even more exciting since the team will be a natural rival for both neighboring prefectures Shiga and Osaka.

The Lakestars game schedule for 2009-10 has already been set. The Lakes will open the season in Kyoto by playing against the Hannaryz on Oct. 3-4, 2009. Those of us in Shiga can easily see games in Kyoto. The Hannaryz will be the Lakestars most frequent opponent with eight matches during season. And for the first time, a pair of games will be played in Hikone on Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

See the game schedule in English here:
http://photoguide.jp/txt/Shiga_Lakestars

According to the police, there were eighteen bicycling accidents in Shiga caused by the rider using a mobile phone while cycling. Four of the accidents resulted in serious injuries. The police has concluded that when you use a mobile phone (keitai or K-tai) with one hand while riding a bicycle, you cannot focus your attention on the road and you are more prone to lose your balance and crash.

You cannot talk on the phone, write/read email, nor watch videos on your mobile phone while riding a bicycle. So, just do not hold your mobile phone in one hand while riding a bicycle. If you get caught, you may be fined no more than 50,000 yen.

If you need to use your phone, just stop riding your bicycle. Problem solved.

自転車も携帯電話使用禁止

They are using a 5-meter boat seating 8 people to row off the shore of Nagahama. On June 2, the first day, 160 students from four schools rowed while trying to coordinate their rowing timing.

I think they should also start singing Biwako Shuko no Uta (Lake Biwa Rowing Song) either during or after the rowing.

Tipoff at LakeStars debut game

I enjoyed watching Shiga LakeStars games even though they didn’t do so well during their debut 2008-09 season ending up in 5th place with a record of 19 wins and 33 losses. The bj-league emphasizes the entertainment aspects of the game, so that added a lot to the games. And Shiga did have a good number of LakeStars fans who turned out to cheer at games. The Shiga LakeStars, Shiga’s first pro sports team, is definitely a viable franchise. If you see one game, you very likely will want to see more games. The trick is to get more people to see a game for the first time.

During 2008-09, I went to see four LakeStars games including the debut game (which they lost). Links to photos:
LakeStars vs. Osaka Evessa (Debut game) in Otsu, 2008.10.11
LakeStars vs. Fukuoka Rizing in Otsu, 2009.1.11
LakeStars vs. Tokyo Apache in Tokyo, 2009.3.6
LakeStars vs. Toyama Grouses in Maibara, 2009.3.22

I for one was happy to see the LakeStars being formed. They invited the participation of the local people to decide on the team name. Whether it should be Shiga or Omi or whatever else. The vast majority favored “Shiga.” I proposed the name “Shiga Lakers.” I thought “Lakestars” was too similar to the Yokohama Baystars baseball team. But LakeStars is a good name. At first, I thought the league and games were too commercial with so many ads plastered all over the court floor and sidelines. But I guess they need the money and sponsorship.

Bobby Nash

I was also thrilled to find out that one of the team members was from the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Bobby Nash), my alma mater. I hope he comes back next season. Bobby Nash’s dad, Bob Nash, is coaching the UH men’s basketball team and he was one of the most famous UH basketball players during the early 1970s. We called them the Fabulous Five from Hawaii: Al Davis, Bob Nash, Dwight Holiday, John Penebacker and Jerome Freeman. More here:
http://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/10/26/news/story8.html 

LakeStars cheerleaders 2008-09

As I said, one emphasis is on entertainment, and we get a lot of it with the cheerleaders and local performing artists whether they are singers or dancers. The games are great for these people to get public exposure while the spectators get good entertainment. The Shiga LakeStars cheerleaders even won a cheerleading award. At first, they all looked the same to me, with the same long, black hair and same uniforms. But a few games later, I started to recognize their faces and a few names too. Unfortunately, they will all be replaced for next season. Thanks girls for your cheering and entertainment. I know you worked very hard.

In the Western Conference, Okinawa took first place (41 wins, 11 losses) and Toyama Grouses was last in 6th place. Only the 1st to 4th place teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences can move on to the playoffs to decide the bj-league champion. For a long time, the LakeStars were trailing Fukuoka in 4th place. If they lost the last two games and Shiga won the last two games, the LakeStars would have made it to 4th place. Too bad it didn’t happen. Oh well, let’s see if they can do better next season. Thanks guys for doing your best. Win or lose, it was fun to watch. Otsukaresama to everyone involved!

P.S. Since I live in Tokyo, I also saw Tokyo Apache games:
Tokyo Apache vs. Ryukyu Golden Kings in Ariake, 2008.11.29
 Tokyo Apache vs. Toyama Grouses in Ariake, 2008.12.27-28

Shiga LakeStars official website: http://www.lakestars.net/

Shiga LakeStars (in white) vs. Tokyo Apache

Just uploaded photos of Shiga LakeStars vs. Tokyo Apache held on March 6, 2009 at Komazawa Gymnasium in Tokyo. They wear white uniforms for away games. Very exciting game that went into overtime. LakeStars won.

Photos: http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=731

JT article here: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sk20090307b1.html

This first season is ending soon, so go and see them play when you can. The roster of players for next season will likely change, so see the current team if you can. Hope Bobby stays in Shiga. 

Ryan Rouke’s blog:

http://lakesplayer.shiga-saku.net/c10820.html

Ray Schafer:

http://lakesplayer.shiga-saku.net/c10299.html

Bobby Nash

http://lakesplayer.shiga-saku.net/c10301.html

Brayden Billbe

http://lakesplayer.shiga-saku.net/c10346.html

Official Web site: http://www.lakestars.net/

Hino matsuri float

Miki Ito (伊藤みき) from Hino town snagged the silver medal (Uemura Aiko got the gold) for the women’s dual moguls of the FIS Freestyle World Championships in Inawashiro, Fukushima Prefecture on March 8, 2009. This has assured her a spot on Japan’s winter Olympic team for Vancouver in 2010.

Born in 1987, Ito graduated from Hino Jr. High School and Omi Kyodaisha High School. She’s currently a student at Chukyo University in Nagoya. Both her sisters are also free-style mogul skiers. Vancouver will be her second winter Olympics. At Torino in 2006, she placed 20th.

Caffee or Caffy (キャッフィー) has been called back to duty. The mascot character used for Sports Recreation Shiga 2008 has been sworn in by Shiga Governor Kada Yukiko on March 4, 2009 as one of Shiga’s official mascots, especially for sports events.

I saw an awful lot of Caffy mascot costumes last year at Spo-rec Shiga and wondered what they would do with Caffy afterward. His (or her) last appearance was at the Hikone Yuru-Character festival in Oct. 2008. I asked what would become of Caffy, and I was told that it would be discontinued.

Well, it will be good to see Caffy back again. He (or she) is a Lake Biwa catfish (ビワコオオナマズ), one of the native species of fish in Biwako found nowhere else in the world.