riveting place to enjoy an interactive exhibit a toy museum from Japan is in the state for a limited time in The Natural State The Hanamaki Toy Museum contains an assortment of special wooden pieces by way of a sister city agreement with Hot Springs one of the staff members for the toy exhibit shared the significance behind the storied toy museum "Hanamaki Toy Museum is a space where people from any generation play together they can feel the wood and also learn about nature." the exhibition is on display inside the Hot Springs Convention Center from November 6-10 the interactive exhibition can be found at the Garland County library from November 13-17 Stanford University The Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center is part of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies As Japan faces a rapid population decline and a growing sense of national stagnation how can its youths cultivate high aspirations and pursue a roadmap to achieve them How can educators nurture globally competitive talents across Japanese economy located in the small city of Hanamaki in Iwate Prefecture has gained national and international recognition for producing top baseball talents What sets the high school’s baseball program apart The Japan Program at Stanford's Shorenstein APARC is excited to welcome Mr Hiroshi Sasaki, the renowned head coach of Hanamaki Higashi High School’s baseball team as he discusses his philosophy that “Assumptions make the possible impossible” and shares how he has built a winning team while nurturing individual growth — a challenge in Japan’s collective-oriented society Join us and hear Coach Sasaki’s insights into developing motivation and equipping Japan's next generation with the mindset and strategies to achieve their goals 1:00 PM                                    Check-in opens in Encina Hall Lobby 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM                Documentary Screening of "Koshien" with opening remarks from Ema Yamazaki 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM                Keynote and conversation with Hiroshi Sasaki Hiroshi Sasaki - After graduating from Iwate Prefectural Kurosawajiri-Kita High School Hiroshi Sasaki went on to Kokushikan University and coached at Yokohama Hayato High School before being transferred to Hanamaki-Higashi High School in 2000 he was transferred to Hanamaki-Higashi High School where he served as an advisor for the Badminton and Girls Softball teams before becoming the baseball coach in 2002 he led the team to its first appearance in the Koshien Tournament in 2005 a runner-up finish in the Senbatsu Tournament in the spring of 2009 and a top-four finish in the summer Koshien Tournament he has led the team to numerous national tournaments and made great strides while at the same time nurturing many of his students to become promising professionals and professional players His success with MLB players Yusei Kikuchi (LA Angels) and Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers) and his personality have become the talk of the world and many people are interested in learning about his high school training methods and Tomoye Takahashi Professor and Senior Fellow in Japanese Studies at Shorenstein APARC the Director of the Japan Program and Deputy Director at APARC a senior fellow of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies Tsutsui received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kyoto University and earned an additional master’s degree and Ph.D from Stanford’s sociology department in 2002 Tsutsui’s research interests lie in political/comparative sociology His most recent publication, Human Rights and the State: The Power of Ideas and the Realities of International Politics (Iwanami Shinsho was awarded the 2022 Ishibashi Tanzan Award and the 44th Suntory Prize for Arts and Sciences Ema Ryan Yamazaki was recently nominated for an Academy Award for her short documentary film INSTRUMENTS OF A BEATING HEART which follows a group of Japanese 1st grade students on the journey in performing "Ode to Joy." She is also the Editor of Shiori Ito's BLACK BOX DIARIES which was also nominated for the Academy Awards in the feature documentary category Raised in Osaka by a Japanese mother and British father Ema grew up navigating between Japanese and Western cultures Having studied filmmaking at New York University she uses her unique storytelling perspective as an insider and outsider in Japan MONKEY BUSINESS: THE ADVENTURES OF CURIOUS GEORGE’S CREATORS was released worldwide after raising over $186,000 on Kickstarter Ema’s second feature documentary about the phenomenon of high school baseball in Japan It was a New York Times recommendation for international streaming and featured on the Criterion Channel follows one year in a Japanese public school.   Learn more about how your support makes a difference or make a gift now Japan's home run king might be on the verge of changing his name to "Stanford's home run king." the left-handed power hitter who set the Japanese high school home run record (14) while playing at Hanamaki Higashi High School (Hanamaki has made a big first impression in the States Watch how far his first collegiate home run goes—if you can keep track of it Listed at No. 15 on the D1 Baseball Preseason Top 50 First Basemen Sasaki's power at the high school level translates at the top tier of NCAA baseball without growing pains who also attended Hanamaki Higashi High School Sasaki differs from the left-handed phenomenon for the Los Angeles Dodgers While many thought he'd follow the typical trend and enter the Nippon Professional Baseball Draft after high school "When I was evaluating the doors that were open for me—and fortunately, I had a lot of doors—I considered which ones would be able to maximize my potential," Sasaki said via his interpreter, Chihiro Tsukamoto, during an interview with MLB.com I really have this intense passion and desire to play college baseball in the USA." Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information After signing a record contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani and his 54 home runs for the season were on full display as he went on to win his third MVP award But only a relatively few people witnessed his “first official home run” when he was a student at Hanamaki Higashi High School in Iwate Prefecture Ohtani’s team was playing Hanamaki Minami Senior High School in the second round of the regional qualifying round for the spring Iwate prefectural tournament Katsutoshi Takahashi was the coach of Hanamaki Minami at the time and his eyes widened when he saw the lineup sheet of heavily favored Hanamaki Higashi was already creating a buzz in the prefecture with his nearly 190-centimeter frame was a public school that had never played in the national Koshien high school baseball tournament before Takahashi dreaded seeing Ohtani penned in to start the game as the pitcher while batting third in the lineup for the game at Hanamaki Stadium The coach realized it would be a very difficult game for his team Hanamaki Higashi wasted no time getting on the scoreboard With one out and a runner on second base in the top of the first inning Ohtani smacked a hit to left-center field to knock in the first run Ohtani took the mound and threw strike after strike Ohtani led off the third inning with a double and Ohtani again found himself in the batter’s box for the second time in the frame With one out and runners on first and third the pitcher plunked Ohtani on his right elbow Takahashi said he was relieved to see that Ohtani was not in pain But after Ohtani removed his elbow pad and trotted to first base the umpire ruled the pitch was not a dead ball because Ohtani did not try to avoid it Ohtani appeared disappointed that he could not get on base the left-hander readjusted and blasted the next pitch over the right-field fence The three-run home run was the first dinger by Ohtani in an official game Takahashi said the ball “seemed to fly away forever.” Ohtani hit for the cycle in the game and had five RBIs The game ended 19-0 in five innings under a “mercy rule.” Ohtani’s performance on the mound was also rather noteworthy The only baserunners he allowed were one batter who was hit by a pitch and another who made it to first after the catcher couldn’t catch the third strike Takahashi said some teams had tried to counter Ohtani’s hitting by putting four players in the outfield But when Ohtani faced such a defensive shift he would hit the ball in the infield where there was no fielder “Ohtani always put the team’s victory first and chose the most probable method,” Takahashi recalled Thirteen years have passed since that first official home run is now considered perhaps the best baseball player the world has ever seen “Iwate used to be a ‘weak prefecture’ in high school baseball,” Takahashi said it is no longer unimaginable for children here to become the best in the world Takahashi is currently the principal at Morioka Commercial High School a public high school in the Iwate prefectural capital of Morioka He said he is still involved in high school baseball and hopes to one day see the “next Shohei Ohtani.” Cherished time: Up-close to Ohtani’s 160-kph high school pitch Moniak hits winning homer as Angels top Mariners 5-4 MLB/ Ohtani’s 2nd HR leads off 12th as Angels rally for 9-6 win at Rangers MLB/ Ohtani wins for Angels in 2-way start like none since Ruth Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Stanford freshman Rintaro Sasaki is pioneering a path stateside by effectively majoring in the sport he’d become known for in Japan: baseball having grown up surrounded by some of the best Japanese players that took to the tutelage of his own father the baseball coach at Hanamaki Higashi High School in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture – the same program that helped grow MLB All-Stars like Shohei Ohtani and Yusei Kikuchi Sasaki stirred his own national attention by slugging a Japanese high school record of 140 home runs during his time at Hanamaki High and he set his sights on American horizons upon graduating potentially paving a new path for international players like himself in this NIL era Sasaki ultimately decided to forgo the Nippon Professional Baseball draft which is historically the way Japanese players transition from high school athletes into domestic professional baseball players before the best of them embark on an MLB future Sasaki is instead continuing his education stateside at Stanford where he’ll be eligible for the MLB Draft in 2026 He got his very first taste of American baseball last summer where he suited up for the Trenton Thunder Making his debut with the Thunder on June 11 against the Frederick Keys Sasaki demonstrated his power tool immediately as he connected for a two-run homer (352 feet; 99.7 mph exit velocity) in the third inning to take the lead as his very first hit in the United States he scorched a 105.7 mph RBI single to right field He finished his first series in Frederick 3-for-10 with a homer and five RBIs "It was amazing, but it seems like that's kind of like every day for him."A booming homer. A ripped RBI single. A 3-RBI night.Rintaro Sasaki's stateside debut in the @mlbdraftleague was a sight to behold: https://t.co/6pEPgS2fOb pic.twitter.com/sJfaJhvW2R Throughout the 25 games he appeared in, Sasaki went on to hit four home runs that had an average exit velocity of 102.7 mph (106.0 max) and average distance of 377.5 feet (407-foot max). His last homer would even make the difference for the Thunder with a grand slam as Trenton won 7-1 in a combined no-hitter Rintaro Sasaki. Grand slam.Japan's all-time high school home run leader is up to .291/.443/.545 with 4 HR in 17 @mlbdraftleague games for the @TrentonThunder. pic.twitter.com/KCZDUkTPVT the Rintaro Sasaki experience in the MLB Draft League was an impressive preamble to what can be expected of him playing baseball in America Offering an advanced power profile that can clear fences to all fields while featuring above league-average discipline at the plate he performed better than what his expected values were tracked to be as an 18-year-old prospect in a brand new country against strong college-aged competition He hit .221 stateside with a .395 slugging percentage and an xwOBA (.352) that practically matched his actual end-of-year number (.359) the power profile placed him at the top amongst qualified first-half hitters with a 92.4 mph average exit velocity (third overall) and he finished top-10 in max EV (108.1 mph) Twenty-four of the 62 balls he put in play were struck at or above an EV of 95 mph which placed him sixth in hard-hit rate at 38.7 percent with a 16.1 percent solid-hit rate (league average is 6.2%) Sasaki finished the first half in the top-10 of several leaderboards among qualified players seventh in slugging and eighth in OPS (.782) he showed how his on-paper profiles translates to in-game production while offering a glimpse as his potential as he continues to acclimate to a brand new environment and home the stereotype is to expect big swings a majority of the time that often comes with whiffs and even chases He sat at league average in both chase and whiff rate and he struck out in 25 times 111 plate appearances The MLB Draft League is structured to help players boost their draft stock and display their talents in front of Major League scouts the 2024 season was featured as a bridge with the international baseball scene the league hosted this players from all over the globe this past season like: Dennis Kasumba (Frederick) and Sempa Shawali Sherican (Frederick) from Uganda Joe Zhu (Frederick) and Tom Sun (Frederick) from China Irvin Escobar (Frederick) from Puerto Rico Sungkyung Kim (Mahoning Valley ‘24) and Chang-Yong Lee (Mahoning Valley ‘24) from South Korea Allan Gil-Fernandez (Frederick) from Puerto Rico Providing not only an opportunity to capture a glimpse at the phenomenon that is Rintaro Sasaki but to grow the game even further worldwide The @mlbdraftleague is an international stage 🌎🇯🇵🇺🇬🇵🇷🇨🇳🇨🇦🇩🇴🇺🇬🇨🇳 pic.twitter.com/MZxFj4arfU Already receiving recognition and expectations as D1Baseball slotted Stanford as the No 5 freshman class in the nation with 11 first-years and many calling Sasaki one of the top projected freshman in the NCAA this spring It has been 36 years since 1988 when Stanford last won the College World Series and a deep roster with 2025 MLB Draft prospects littered throughout the Cardinal program is poised to make a run Follow the MLB Draft League on Instagram @mlbdraftleague plus on X @mlbdraftleague and @draftleaguedata or visit the website www.mlbdraftleague.com as the 2025 season kicks off on Wednesday           Iwate — An indoor baseball facility where locals can practice their skills opened in Hanamaki with its funding coming entirely from major league pitcher Yusei Kikuchi please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent Kikuchi is a native of the prefecture’s capital we have a place where we can practice baseball to our heart’s content,” 33-year-old Kikuchi a free agent who formerly played for the Houston Astros which is called “King of the Hill,” began in February this year on land leased from Kikuchi’s alma mater The single-story facility has a total floor area of about 1,400 square meters where up to three people can pitch at the same time sauna and cafe decorated with items featuring various major league stars The facility also is equipped with state-of-the-art machines for measuring the quality of pitches and hits where Kikuchi threw the ceremonial first pitch to Yusuke Chiba a catcher who played with Kikuchi when they were on the Hanamaki Higashi team Kikuchi and other pro baseball players will use it for off-season training it will be used as a baseball school for children from preschool to junior high school The school is scheduled to open in December and has already received more than 100 applications from children in and outside the prefecture “I’ve always wanted to contribute to Iwate through baseball,” said Kikuchi at a press conference “The COVID-19 pandemic made me even more determined to create a place where we can practice baseball around the clock.” He went on to say that his initial idea ballooned eventually leading the facilitate to become a place that would develop young players and act as a local community center “I didn’t want to compromise [on the ideas],” Kikuchi said who attended the opening ceremony with his family said: “It’s amazing that Kikuchi has created such an awesome facility on top of doing so well in the major league Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Ohtani’s hometown is capitalising on the economic effects brought by the 30-year-old baseball hero A tourist takes a picture at a handprint monument in front of Hanamaki Higashi High School OSHU – A surging number of fans of Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani are going on a kind of “pilgrimage” to Iwate Prefecture to visit places related to the Los Angeles Dodgers player who won the National League’s Most Valuable Player award this year Ohtani received the honor two years in a row winning the American League’s MVP in 2021 and 2023 throngs with tourists buying charms related to his two-way role as a pitcher and hitter His old high school is now a tourist attraction and part of a taxi sightseeing course Ohtani’s hometown is capitalizing on the economic effects brought by the 30-year-old baseball hero charms are popular among people in and outside the prefecture Komagata Shrine in Oshu has a history of more than 1,500 years and is known for where people pray for victory the number of visitors who prayed at the shrine increased by about 2,000 year-on-year to about 14,000 Nearly 1,000 people visit the shrine on a busy day Bringing in the tourists are the shrine’s “Nitoryu,” or two-way charms that are said to bring good luck in the areas of health and attaining one’s goals the shrine created two kinds of charms that featured the team’s colors of red and white the shrine added two more charms in May featuring the Dodger’s colors when Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season the shrine was flooded with inquiries and received orders from customers from various parts of the country including the Kyushu and Shikoku regions The manager of a boy’s baseball team reportedly bought the charms in bulk as gifts for his team Since both the blue and white charms went out of stock following Ohtani’s historic 50-50 achievement the shrine plans to renew their designs and begin selling them again from Jan The Oshu municipal government has an area dedicated to the baseball star near the shrine that features materials and documents related to him Visitors can shake a model of Ohtani’s hand and see panels displaying his results for the season and past special editions of newspapers around 20 people visited the area on the weekends that number has recently increased to about 60 Some take pictures while shaking hands with the model fans are also visiting Hanamaki Higashi High School where Ohtani graduated a monument was installed in front of the school to celebrate Ohtani’s winning the American League MVP award and AL home run title for the 2023 season A taxi sightseeing course planned by a local tourism association included the monument in its course “I have been rooting for Ohtani for a long time,” an 87-year-old man said with excitement “Now feel I have seen where he got his start.” professor emeritus of theoretical economics at Kansai University who is familiar with the economic effects of sports “Tourists visiting Iwate Prefecture for Ohtani may learn about the appeal of the prefecture and visit there again The first time Ohtani Shōhei heard his high school baseball coach Sasaki Hiroshi declare that he would throw a 160-kilometer-an-hour fastball someday “It was an impossible number,” the Los Angeles Angels pitcher recounts Ohtani was 15 years old and still in his first year at Hanamaki Higashi High School in Iwate Prefecture Ohtani was built like a matchstick—long and skinny he had shot to a towering 190 centimeters tall he struggled to hoist just the bench press bar his fastball was already pushing 140 kilometers and his coach and others knew he would have the strength and technique to reach the blistering mark soon enough kept saying I’d get there eventually,” states Ohtani A few years earlier he had helped bring up another high school pitching sensation “I more or less knew what to expect,” Sasaki asserts who joined the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball in 2019 threw progressively faster as his body filled out “He put on 20 kilograms and his fastball increased by 20 kilometers an hour and there was no question he’d hit 160.” gained national attention when he guided Hanamaki Higashi to a second-place finish at the 2009 spring national high school baseball invitational Then at the prestigious summer tournament the following August he set a new tourney record with a pitch that clocked in at 154 kilometers an hour Ohtani joined the team the year after Kikuchi graduated and the pair never suited up for a game together until the 2021 MLB All Star Game They were connected indirectly through Sasaki Ohtani having joined Hanamaki Higashi so closely on the heels of Kikuchi feels akin to fate Ohtani was blessed with a coach who had fresh firsthand experience bringing up a pitching prodigy and could guide him toward greatness Sasaki was careful to avoid filling Ohtani’s head with expectations or to hold Kikuchi up as the ideal he set out to instill in Ohtani a can-do attitude He would present his charge with statements meant to stimulate his mind He would assert that the shortest path to success is to follow in a person’s footsteps while also emphasizing the importance of thinking outside the box Ohtani Shōhei while a student at Hanamaki Higashi High School Sasaki is a big proponent of setting measurable objectives to strive for “Players need to shoot for a concrete number or have a rival to compete against,” he explains “You can’t make a plan without a clear goal in mind.” In Ohtani’s case he says trying to make it to the 160-kilometer mark became a major motivator “It pushed him forward as a pitcher.” setting goals is only part of the equation Taking a hint from business books and corporate training manuals Sasaki has his players draw a grid consisting of nine squares divided into nine parts each to create what he calls a “goal sheet.” At the center he has them write their main target and then fill in the remaining squares with things they need to do to achieve that goal Ohtani did not hold back in his aspirations he wrote in the center square of his goal sheet that he wanted to be the top draft pick for eight pro teams Around this he wrote the elements he thought vital: sharp ball movement In the final square he added Sasaki’s 160 km/h fastball prediction He knew from experience that most players came up just short of their targets and a good trick for hitting the mark is to aim a little bit higher “It occurred to me that I should have said 163 instead,” recalls Sasaki he discovered that Ohtani had reached the same conclusion on his own “I walked into the team weight room and found a sheet of paper that read ‘163 kilometers an hour’ posted on the wall Ohtani during the semifinals of the Iwate regional high school baseball tournament in July 2012 Ohtani at bat in the quarterfinal of the 2012 Iwate regional baseball tournament but Sasaki knew he was still growing and made certain not to overtax the young player To prevent injuries during training and in games he pushed his developing star only as far as he thought his strength and stamina would allow Sasaki kept up the approach over the some two and a half years Ohtani played for him During Ohtani’s first year on the team Sasaki played him in positions other than pitcher He admits this was a tough decision to make I had no doubt Ohtani would have gotten results if I’d used him on the mound,” Sasaki declares “But I stuck to my decision not to let him pitch in games until after his first summer on the team.” Ohtani (center) and Sasaki (second from left) during Hanamaki Higashi’s game against Osaka Tōin High School in the first round of the national spring invitational on March 3 Sasaki saw Ohtani’s development as a marathon “I knew his goal was much further down the road,” he says “He needed time to properly develop physically and mentally and it was my job to help guide him along each step of this path.” Japanese high school baseball is notorious for pushing pitchers to their limits but Sasaki was careful not to overwork Ohtani the only injury of note the young star suffered in his high school career was to the growth plate the thin layer of cartilage where growth of long bones takes place Although this happened just ahead of the summer Iwate regional tournament out of the rotation until he was fully healed Ohtani made headlines when he threw a 160-kilometer-an-hour fastball in the semifinals of the Iwate regional tournament but the process that got him there was of more value to Ohtani Under Sasaki he developed the mentality and maturity that sustains him today as a Major League Baseball superstar Banner photo: Ohtani Shōhei tries to run out a hit against Seattle Mariners pitcher Kikuchi Yūsei on June 8 Related article › Raising a Legend: Ohtani Shōhei and His Father’s Baseball Notebook Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages Iwate — Visitors launched sky lanterns one after another into the starry sky of Hanamaki emitting soft orange light in the hope that their wishes would come true By Takayoshi Watanabe / Special to Ryoko Yomiuri Publication I had entered the world of “Night on the Galactic Railroad” by Kenji Miyazawa (1896-1933) He must have got the idea for the story while looking at the sky at night The yearly event is held on the snow-covered ski resort of the Namari Onsen hot spa area and is scheduled to be held a total of five times — twice in January and three times in February — this year Participation is limited to people who are staying overnight in the Hanamaki Onsenkyo cluster of onsen hot spa areas Visitors are required to make reservations with the lodging facilities where they stay The event will be canceled if there is no snow or if rain or winds affect the area The sky lanterns are a type of hot air balloon found in Thailand They are traditionally used for communication and prayer The event in Hanamaki started in 2018 as a new winter attraction visitors each receive a sky lantern made of washi Japanese paper and bamboo a free shuttle service takes them to the event site The sky lanterns held by visitors are lit by local workers and released into the air almost in unison with the nostalgic sound of a steam locomotive whistle 80 centimeters long and glowing in soft orange rise as if they are being absorbed into the night sky The surroundings are pitch black with all lights turned off Watching the sky lanterns dancing in the dark night is a refreshing experience the lanterns and the stars can be seen together the shuttle bus returns to the lodging facilities Many facilities have nice rotenburo open-air baths with views of the beautiful snow-covered landscape Looking up at the starry sky while soaking in the rotenburo bath you can recall the steam locomotive whistle you heard during the event You will be back in the world of the Galactic Railroad located near Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Line the “Taroshi Fall,” a 40-minute drive from Hanamaki Station but gives off the appearance of one during winter when mountain water drops falling into a river freeze midway This forms a large icicle which looks like a waterfall an event is held to measure the width of the year’s icicle and predict the year’s harvest Visitors to Hanamaki can enjoy the impressive winter scenes presented by snow The sky lantern event is scheduled to be held on Feb A free shuttle service is provided between lodging facilities in Hanamaki Onsenkyo and the event site Japan Tourism is presented in collaboration with Ryoko Yomiuri Publication, which publishes Ryoko Yomiuri, a monthly travel magazine. If you are interested in the original Japanese version of this story, click here.   Iwate Prefecture--Like his idol Shohei Ohtani He wants to excel both on the field and in the classroom at Stanford University in the United States graduated from Hanamaki Higashi High School here on March 1 he is preparing for his new life at Stanford University with the dream of becoming a professional baseball player while receiving one of the top educations in the world Sasaki has emphasized that he has been nurtured by the people around him is the coach of Hanamaki Higashi High School’s baseball team and pitcher Yusei Kikuchi of the Toronto Blue Jays referring to Hanshin Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture where the Japanese national high school baseball tournaments are held every spring and summer I went to Koshien many times as well as the practice fields where Yusei and Shohei played.” Sasaki grew up close to both Kikuchi and Ohtani “They are like dream players and have been a great inspiration to me My practice uniforms when I was little were hand-me-downs from Yusei.” Sasaki played in the Koshien tourneys twice--once in the spring tournament and once in the summer tournament Sasaki revealed that his father once encouraged him to play rugby when he was in elementary school I think he was testing me to see if I was really ready (to play baseball),” he said By the end of the summer of his senior year Japanese professional baseball teams coveted Sasaki's services He was torn between declaring his desire to become a pro player and waiting for to be drafted or continuing his education at an American university What made him decide to go for the latter was the awareness of how much the people around him helped “I am who I am today because of the support of many people Sasaki said he has not matured enough as a person “I thought that in an environment like at Stanford University I could build new thoughts by meeting various people,” he said the university announced that the Japanese teen sensation will join the Cardinal baseball program for the 2025 season praised Sasaki as one of the “most high-profile international prospects to play college baseball in the United States in a long time "His powerful bat plays right into our style of play and we look forward to him contributing immediately to help us achieve our goals of competing for and winning a national title,” Esquer said Tuition and dormitory fees will be fully covered by the university under the scholarship program Sasaki is well aware that Stanford is one of the top universities in the world “I am also prepared for the (high) level of academics,” he said “Taking into account what will happen after my baseball career I chose a lifetime’s pleasure over a moment’s pleasure.” he was injured and did not reach his goal of winning the Koshien championship title for Iwate Prefecture he looked back and said the experience “laid the foundations of my life.” Sasaki said his high school coach (his father) used to say that playing in the Koshien high school tournament requires more “professionalism” than playing professional baseball games Unlike professional baseball’s regular season games every game at the tournament is a “make-or-break game,” he said one hit or one home run can decide the game,” Sasaki said I learned to hone my skills to the finer points on every play.” His final at-bat in the Koshien tournament last summer came in the quarterfinals against Sendai Ikuei Gakuen Senior High School Sasaki grounded out to second base and dove headfirst onto first base “I can’t remember what I was thinking at the time anymore,” he said Sasaki has also been pondering what baseball will be like in the United States He said Kikuchi once told him that in Japan players tend to be evaluated on a point-deduction system players tend to be evaluated on a point-addition system and I sensed that kind of atmosphere," Sasaki said Sasaki’s strength is his ability to hit for extra bases He hopes to develop that strength further and become a player of a larger scale “I am not trying to deny Japanese baseball,” he said I want to be a person and a player who incorporates both the best of Japan and the best of the United States.” Sasaki is scheduled to move to the United States later in March and will join Stanford’s baseball team in April He will start taking classes from April and will formally enroll in Stanford in September Sasaki said he started studying English in earnest from October and is currently taking online conversation classes three times a week “My English isn’t at a level where I can speak it at all yet,” he said “I think it is best to go to an environment where there is no Japanese spoken MLB/ Shohei Ohtani is “Made In Japan” with American adaptations The imposing the Yabuya Sōhonten soba shop has made a specialty of wanko-soba in which soba noodles are served in small dishes each typically about the size of a single mouthful with said dishes refilled until customers indicate that they have had enough The spacious arrangement of traditional Japanese-style seating on the second floor facilitating banquet-style events on the premises when he taught at an agricultural high school Miyazawa Kenji met and found a kindred spirit in the store’s founder when it was first opened for business bringing colleagues from work along to have soba there with him with its distinctively classical Japanese-style décor “Bush,” which is one rendering in English of the meaning of the Japanese word yabu This episode of bilingual punning gives a further insight into Miyazawa’s erudition: he counted languages and linguistics among the areas of his expertise The restaurant offers both classical Japanese-style seating and more Western-style tables Miyazawa’s favorite dish was tempura-soba (soba with tempura on top) and a type of Japanese soda called “cider,” somewhat closer to carbonated lemonade than to the apple drink many Westerners might imagine talking happily with his colleagues while they all drank this “cider,” was more animated than other customers pouring alcoholic beverages for one another This restaurant is highly recommended for visitors looking to experience Hanamaki in Miyazawa’s footsteps The “Kenji Set” gives customers the chance to savor Miyazawa’s favorite tempura-soba and cider combination for ¥1,000 (plus tax) This garden is prized for its flowerbed Although Miyazawa made landscaping and designing of flowerbeds a key part of his career few examples of that handiwork survive intact to the present day One flowerbed of Miyazawa’s that does survive is at Saryō-kadan where even the bricks and other materials used in the landscaping are the same as they were when he initially landscaped the plot The building and garden of this teahouse were originally a villa belonging to the Hashimoto family second cousins to Miyazawa on his grandmother’s side It is said that Miyazawa accordingly frequently visited this flowerbed that he himself had landscaped Hundreds of tulips bloom here in May The Hashimoto family owned and operated Ōtsu Gofuku-ten reputed to be the largest kimono fabric store in Iwate Prefecture at the time No extravagance was spared on these structures though only the villa has survived to the present In addition to the rare old Japanese cedar used in the construction of the building and the fanlights and decorative shōji screens that are emblematic of the refined skills of the artisans who built it the flowerbed remains in the garden as it was originally created by Miyazawa The owner and operator of Saryō-kadan reports that it was left to him by the previous owner who declared that the villa and the flowerbed belonged to the people of Hanamaki and that he wished them to be entrusted to someone who would treat them with appropriate care both the garden and the building had fallen into disrepair with only one square meter of the flowerbed visible at all the long brickwork partitions that Miyazawa had laid down were uncovered a flowerbed 9 meters in length was revealed and while professional craftspeople were hired to repair the building the interior and the garden were tended by the family of the aforementioned owner and operator It reportedly took a year and a half of work before the place could be opened to the public Reclining chairs and low tables in the traditional outer corridor of the house afford a view of this lovely Japanese-style garden the garden and the building were simply opened to the public Only later did the owner have the notion of visitors observing the flowerbed in comfort while drinking tea which led to the establishment of Saryō-kadan The traditional outer corridor of the house from which Miyazawa himself observed the flowerbed is now furnished with the reclining seats and low tables of a teahouse visitors can have matcha (powdered green tea) or shiruko (a sweet porridge of boiled and crushed azuki beans served with rice-flour dumplings) while they study the flowerbed in an atmosphere bringing them that much closer to the works of the Hanamaki author and gardener Matcha with traditional Japanese snacks and shiruko with oshinko (pickled vegetables) The charming exterior puts visitors in the mind of a little European house Located in the parking area of the Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum Yamaneko-ken is a European-style restaurant built in a style reminiscent of the “Restaurant of Many Orders” (“Chūmon no ōi ryōriten”) one of Miyazawa’s most popular children’s stories decorated with a line from the story that translates as “All are welcome there is no standing on ceremony here,” and one passes through the gift shop Be sure to look closely at the entrance to the restaurant proper to see the salt all faithfully arranged as per the descriptions in the story Tables and chairs in period design are arrayed across the wide floor While the protagonists of the story “Restaurant of Many Orders” never made it to their table there is no cause for concern that patrons here will not be seated and thus be unable to place their orders Booklets containing quizzes about Miyazawa and Yamaneko-ken as well as information about sightseeing in Hanamaki are placed at each table for the enjoyment of patrons and for reference on where to go after eating While such Western standards as spaghetti and beef stew are on the menu patrons will want to keep an eye out for dishes made with locally-grown ingredients as well Two such popular dishes are the Yamaneko suiton set consisting of suiton (soup with flour dumplings) and yaki-onigiri (grilled rice ball) basted in a rich combining suiton with braised pork and seasonal vegetable tempura The hakkinton pork used in the latter dish is a Hanamaki specialty brand that derives its name from “The Pig of the Frandon Agricultural School,” a children’s short story by Miyazawa in which pigs are likened to platinum (hakkin) The suiton in the Yamaneko set is made with many locally grown ingredients The Oryza Roll-Cake set has a delicate Banner photo: The mischievous sign of the Yamaneko-ken restaurant with only a cat’s ears and tail visible People in Shohei Ohtani's home prefecture and cities across Japan were elated Sunday by the two-way star's record $700 million 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers Ohtani grew up in the small city of Oshu in Iwate Prefecture before rising to stardom in Japanese baseball and then as an international sports phenomenon "I can't take my eyes off Ohtani's moves," said an excited Tsubasa Kamata "It's impressive that he has agreed to the biggest contract ever I hope he'll do his best without pushing himself too hard or getting injured." The local Iwate Nippo newspaper published about 16,000 copies of an extra edition the same day reporting on Ohtani's free agency decision with the headline in Dodger blue who picked up a copy in front of JR Morioka Station "I've been following Ohtani since his high school years People flocked to Ohtani's old high school and took photos of a monument that displays his handprint "His desire to win might've been the decisive factor (for choosing the Dodgers)," Hisako Mikami "I want him to hit a lot of home runs for his new team." Extra editions were also distributed in cities across the country including Tokyo and Osaka on Sunday with people rushing to grab a copy as a keepsake of the occasion said she respects not only his play but his conduct and mannerism "I hope we can watch him play at a high level for a long time." said he hopes Ohtani "will return to Japan someday and elevate baseball here." There were also fans hoping Ohtani will win more awards and titles in Major League Baseball after overcoming injuries that curtailed his 2023 season "I want him to recover from the elbow injury first and earn the most wins and home run titles as a two-way player," said a 37-year-old fan Baseball: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers agree to record $700 million, 10-year deal To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible A half-hour of being shaken up on a shuttle bus from Shin-Hanamaki Station on the JR Tōhoku Shinkansen brings visitors to Hanamaki Onsen This modern resort district is situated in the hot spring area of Hanamaki Onsenkyō where hot springs are scattered over a wide area It offers lodgings with extensive modern conveniences in the midst of a majestic mountain view A festival of roses takes place here during the prime viewing period from early June to early July More than 6,000 rose bushes in 450 varieties are planted in the Hanamaki Onsen Rose Garden Senshūkaku is distinguished by its rose baths which are for the exclusive use of female patrons The fragrance of the roses floating in the hot spring water helps to ease fatigue and stress in no time Another attraction is the ability to move among the main baths of the other hotels as one pleases: first to the outdoor baths of Hotel Hanamaki which makes extensive use of Japanese cypress in its construction and offers spectacular vistas from its outdoor baths with the rustic charm of its outdoor rock baths to luxuriate in Slightly removed from these big hotels is Kashōen This relaxing bathhouse is popular for its Torotoro-no-yu (simmering water) Bathers can experience the waters to the full in both a main bath and an outdoor bath made from Japanese cypress Bathers enjoy the relaxing fragrances of the brightly colored rose baths The Hotel Hanamaki is popular for the view from its outdoor baths made of Japanese cypress The outdoor bath at Hotel Kōyōkan is floodlit by night Reputed to have been discovered by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro a general of the Heian period (794–1185) Ōsawa Onsen is also said to number among its customers Miyazawa Kenji and the poet and sculptor Takamura Kōtarō Standing on the bank of the Toyosawa River with a modernist Japanese-style construction and patrons are welcome to go from bath to bath filled with free-flowing water from the hot spring the baths are also set aside for exclusive use by female patrons at scheduled times The indoor Yakushi-no-yu (healing Buddha bath) Tōjiya also offers a communal cooking area and laundromat welcome options for patrons planning extended visits The Ōsawa-no-yu outdoor bath stands on the riverbank The naturally alkaline hot spring water has a moisturizing effect on skin Although mixed bathing is the rule in these standing immersion baths they are also set aside for exclusive use by female patrons at scheduled times Namari Onsen Fujisan Ryokan is a three-story wooden structure upstream from Ōsawa Onsen on the Toyosawa River The story goes that these baths originated about 600 years ago when the sight of a white-furred monkey soothing its wounds in natural hot spring water inspired the building of a bathing cabin on the site The immersive standing bath that the spring is famous for is named Shirozaru-no-Yu (the white monkey bath) after this legend The spacious Shirozaru-no-Yu featyres a high ceiling and natural lighting during the day through large windows The bath in the center of the chamber is dug out of the living rock to a depth of 1.25 meters Standing immersion allows water pressure to act uniformly on a bather’s body and is claimed to be particularly beneficial for the circulation The spring water bubbles up naturally from the bottom of the baths Other facilities include outdoor baths by the stream semi-enclosed outdoor baths with a waterfall view and baths that can be reserved for private use All of these allow onsen immersion while observing the natural splendor of the area making it easy to go to two different hot springs on a single visit This wooden three-story ryokan is built in a luxurious Western style A brewing vat 2 meters in diameter dominates this museum display (Courtesy of the Iwate Tourism Association) The region spanning northern Iwate and eastern Aomori prefectures in present-day Japan was ruled in the Edo period (1603–1868) by the Nanbu clan the people who maintain the traditional sake brewing techniques of the region are known as Nanbu tōji is known as the home ground of the Nanbu tōji having once been the heartland of Nanbu-style sake brewing features a restoration of one such traditional sake brewery With fixtures on display such as gigantic brewing vats and drinking vessels of various periods the museum gives visitors the chance to learn much about the history and techniques of the Nanbu tōji sells some 100 varieties of sake from Iwate and other parts of Japan as well as local souvenirs and sake-flavored gelato unique to the locale Those with a taste for Japan’s famous rice drink should not miss it Banner photo: Namari Onsen’s Shirozaru-no-Yu.) Monuments based on the children’s story “The Cat’s Office” mark the entrance to the Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum Miyazawa Kenji (1896–1933) is revered by local residents to this day for his many accomplishments he instead devoted himself to agricultural development in the area where he lived eventually teaching at an agricultural high school Children’s stories and poetry written by Miyazawa including the novel Ginga tetsudō no yoru (Night on the Galactic Railroad) and his celebrated poem “Ame ni mo makezu” (“Undefeated by the Rain”) are widely admired even today Related article › Miyazawa Kenji: A Literary Life in Northern Japan This cobblestone path leads to the Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum Located in the Yasawa district of the city of Hanamaki the Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum sits on the slopes of Koshiōzan a hill not far from Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tōhoku Shinkansen This station itself is only two minutes from Miyazawa Kenji Kinen-kan-guchi one must either walk up a flight of 367 stairs to get to the parking lot near the gates of the museum itself “Ame ni mo makezu,” is rendered one Japanese character after another alongside these elegant carved wood stairs and reading it as one ascends helps to alleviate the trial at least a little There are also markers indicating the halfway point and other degrees of progress and tourists call out “Hello” and “Almost there” in a friendly manner to one another as they pass by walking either of these routes is not recommended for persons unsure of their strength Various monuments based on Miyazawa’s works have been installed in the woods surrounding the museum for visitors to find as well This monument represents a yodaka (nighthawk) who burns as a star inspired by the Miyazawa Kenji children’s story “Yodaka no hoshi” (“The Nighthawk Star”) The museum presents Miyazawa’s original manuscripts sorted into five sections corresponding to spheres of his interest: science The screen in the center of the floor shows videos about Miyazawa’s ideas as well as his research and creative endeavors This display shows Miyazawa’s cello next to the violin used by his younger sister The Kenji Salon near the lobby offers libraries of video and music based on Miyazawa’s works Examining them after seeing the museum exhibits can give one a renewed sense of how strongly his life experiences and research influenced his creative efforts The Ihatov Museum is at the bottom of a flight of stairs surrounded by trees The Miyazawa Kenji Ihatov Museum is a center for information interchange among fans and researchers of Miyazawa’s works It is located about 10 minutes’ walk downward across Polan Square from the Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum a sundial flowerbed based on a design by Miyazawa blooms with lovely seasonal flowers in Polan Square Designed by Miyazawa the Nansha Kadan blooms with colorful flowers The first floor of the building offers halls and exhibit rooms where lectures and other presentations connected with Miyazawa and Hanamaki take place In addition to Miyazawa’s collected works the library on the second floor also houses documents sure to please serious enthusiasts including the author’s research papers and newspaper clippings about him and his activities It’s the perfect place to become better informed about the author Library shelves on the second floor of the Ihatov Museum stock all manner of publications pertaining to Miyazawa Most of Miyazawa’s children’s stories are available for purchase in Japanese and other languages at the gift shop on the first floor Interested readers can compare the translations with the originals The gift shop also has a variety of branded souvenirs for sale and admirers of Miyazawa’s works gather for talk and refreshments in the nearby café The Cat’s Office gift shop sells Miyazawa publications and merchandise The café is a well-lit place to relax Located about 10 minutes’ walk north on National Highway 456 from the Ihatov Museum the Miyazawa Kenji Dōwa Mura offers an opportunity to learn about the stories written by the author while experiencing the settings that he created in those stories Visitors will know they are close when they start hearing music inspired by Miyazawa’s poetry and onomatopoeia At the “Ginga Station” entrance is an arch painted with murals giving an illusory sense of outer space drawing visitors right into the author’s world Facilities and monuments recreating the settings of Miyazawa’s children’s stories are scattered here and there throughout this expansive village It is as though one has stumbled into a dreamland of the author’s own making This path leads to Kenji’s School the main facility of the Miyazawa Kenji Dōwa Mura One place not to be missed is Kenji’s School The first room visitors encounter upon entering the building is the Fantastic Hall and ceiling wherein a large tree is depicted as growing in which a night sky and a telephone pole have been painted There are four other rooms which help visitors gain a sense of the author’s imagination including an outer space room with red and blue lights twinkling as though in outer space and a sky room with a video of the city of Hanamaki scrolling beneath one’s feet to give the impression of flying through the air The Fantastic Hall of Kenji’s School The five log cabins that make up Kenji’s Classrooms present Miyazawa’s works grouped into five areas The Classroom of the Stars has displays of art objects and associated works all arranged with constellations as a conceptual theme Visitors can have a better understanding of Miyazawa’s point of view by reading the stories of the constellations and seeing the plants and animals which the author used in his works The Classroom of the Stars offers Miyazawa stories associated with constellations and other heavenly bodies The gift shop stocks merchandise in motifs based on Miyazawa’s children’s stories as well as souvenirs of Hanamaki a snack made of dark molasses poured over karintō (small sugar-coated fried-dough biscuits) Miniature book editions of Miyazawa’s children’s stories and poetry that fit in one hand can be easily carried while traveling making them perfect for reading on the return trip The gift shop is patterned on Swan Station This remarkable sight can only be experienced during periods of drought upon seeing the west bank of the Kitakami River when a mudstone layer of the riverbed was exposed during a drought dubbed it the “English Coast.” He explained that the sight gave him the impression of walking along the White Cliffs of Dover Reading the short story collection Igirisu kaigan (English Coast) which includes this incident as the title story will help one understand just how impressed he was; he frequently visited this locale with his students during his teaching career the water level in the river is maintained by a dam making it difficult to have the same experience as the author did in his day Banner photo: A stream flows through grounds surrounded by a grove of trees Courtesy of the Iwate Tourism Association.) AD Leave a rating/comment#Illustration#For FamiliesBack to ArticlesSHARE Public Relations Office, Government of Japan Home > Highlighting JAPAN > Highlighting Japan February 2019 > Sharing Japanese Literature with the World Three hours by bullet train from Tokyo Station Hanamaki City is known as the place where one of Japan’s most prominent and prolific Japanese authors the highly intellectual writer left behind a legacy of imaginative worlds that have enchanted readers for decades No article or any part there of may be reproduced without the express permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should be made through this form Hard-throwing Japanese high school pitcher Roki Sasaki who is being heavily scouted by major league clubs stayed on the bench to avoid injury as his team was eliminated from contention for a prestigious national title on Thursday who threw a pitch at 160 kilometers (99.4 miles) per hour on Sunday in the fourth round of Iwate Prefecture's summer tournament and was clocked at 163 kph (101.3 mph) in April Ofunato High School's 12-2 loss to Hanamaki Higashi High School (Roki Sasaki responds to reporters after his team was eliminated in Iwate Prefecture's summer tournament.) so I don't think it can be helped," Sasaki said "It's only natural for those involved in high school ball to want to play where Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani and Seattle Mariners pitcher Yusei Kikuchi both pitched will now represent Iwate at the historic Koshien Stadium in Japan's most prestigious sports tournament high school baseball's summer national championship Sasaki threw another 129 in Ofunato's semifinal victory on Wednesday Sasaki's absence in the final was likely a disappointment to fans accustomed to high school ace pitchers taking the mound on consecutive days with little regard to the risk of injury said the decision to rest his ace was to keep the pitcher healthy a sentiment that has been gaining traction in Japan over the past year but it was my decision," Kokubo told reporters after the game who also held the youngster out of Monday's quarterfinal game was asked whether winning was less important than Sasaki's future "That's absolutely not the case," Kokubo said regardless of whether Sasaki pitches or not." The move was another indicator that change is afoot in the tradition-bound world of Japanese high school baseball the National High School Baseball Federation called on a panel to investigate safety measures for pitchers at national tournaments In September the panel will look into mandated pitch limits and rest days which oversees the prestigious summer competition took that step after it was backed into a corner by a regional federation's reforms Niigata Prefecture's federation announced pitch limits for its spring tournament a move condemned by the national federation but praised by the head of the Japan Sports Agency in February "It was a courageous decision," said Nobuhiro Togashi who heads Niigata's federation and sits on the panel of experts investigating pitching safety reform "The player himself may well have wanted to play but it was a decision that said Koshien is not everything The Sasaki case will no doubt be discussed on the panel." have declared that the right-handed Sasaki will be their first pick in Nippon Professional Baseball's amateur draft this autumn A source with one major league club told Kyodo News this spring it had hoped to sign Sasaki at the end of this year that would have required the pitcher to drop out of the summer tournament and the American team was told the youngster was unwilling to do so Baseball: Highly sought Japanese high school pitcher Roki Sasaki hits 160 kph From junior college and NAIA to Division 1 and 2 the skill level seems to grow with each passing year there’s one name on every college coach’s mind Besides there are many like Sasaki at the college level The thing is…Rintaro is 17 years old…in high school…and continues to grow This frame and build alone piques the interest of all college and professional coaches Sasaki is graduating from Hanamaki-Higashi High School (the same school MLB player Shohei Ohtani graduated from) this year and is the #1 ranked high school baseball player in Japan The high school phenom hit 140 home runs at the high school level smashing Kitaro Kiyomiya’s record of 111 home runs set in 2017 Sasaki was projected to go to the NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) as the #1 overall pick but changed his career path recently deciding to play college baseball in America Rintaro Sasaki is the #1 high school prospect in Japan & may come to America for D1 NCAA baseball instead of playing in Japan. NIL deals could reach the millions for an International player of his caliber. pic.twitter.com/HhdEaI4IiR As far as Sasaki’s college of choice is concerned it’s no surprise that he is rumored to be going to Vanderbilt to begin his college years Vanderbilt has been a top contender in the college baseball scene since 2004 missing only one NCAA tournament winning two national championships in that time frame as well Adding Sasaki to their roster would not only make them a favorite in the SEC but could potentially make them an instant candidate for the College World Series While Sasaki has not committed to Vanderbilt yet he will be an instant difference-maker wherever he ends up Many believe that Sasaki is coming to play college baseball due to the new NIL rules as well and that his name image and likeness could be worth millions it makes sense to come to America to play baseball Not only does the MLB have a higher average salary but the NPB tends to underpay athletes during the first few years of their contract no matter how skilled they are there's still a chance that Frogball fans could witness the Japanese phenom TCU and Vanderbilt play each other often in non-conference games toward the beginning of each season Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Killer Frogs message board community today Follow KillerFrogs on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest TCU news! Follow KillerFrogs on Facebook and Instagram as well Download the KillerFrogs app on Google Play or in the Apple App Store To use this site, please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page. This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies. Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. The roots of Shohei Ohtani’s historic development into the first successful two-way major league player in a century were planted during a setback in high school, according to a teammate and fellow pitcher on that Hanamaki Higashi High School team. Daiki Obara, now a TV station employee in Morioka, said that the turning point in Ohtani’s career came in his second year at the Iwate Prefecture school in 2011, when a hip injury suffered in the summer left the future Los Angeles Angels star unable to pitch for about six months. Upon returning from the injury, Ohtani made a drastic lifestyle change, Obara said, putting himself on the road to becoming one of the most dominant players in pro baseball both on the mound and at the plate. When Ohtani first entered Hanamaki Higashi, he already stood over 1.80 meters, but weighed less than 70 kilograms. He joined a group of players that was dubbed the “weight-gain gang” whose aim was to bulk up. After lunch, his name would be called over the school P.A. system to head to the teacher’s room, where a boxed lunch or other meal was waiting for him to scarf down. He worked intensely on increasing his weight, snacking between meals with baked goods. At night, he would treat himself to a beloved chocolate crepe in the dorm as a reward for working hard in practice. But these toxic dietary habits would change after his injury, when he started to seriously think about nutritional intake and crafting a solid physique. Ohtani prioritized his physical development and rehab, and cut out the late-night get-togethers with his dormitory mates that he had so enjoyed. He started adding tofu to his protein drinks between meals. “Shohei would say ‘if it’s good for my body’ and then try different things,” Obara recalled. The time away from the pitcher’s mound also gave Ohtani time to hone his batting skills. “That was when I learned the joy of hitting,” he would later say. Today, Ohtani packs a solid 95 kilograms onto his 1.93-meter frame, giving him to power to throw a blazing fastball while belting home run after home run. And it all started from what he learned during one injury layoff. In recent years, Ohtani rarely goes out to dinner with his old teammates during the off-season, citing his full schedule. Being a two-way player means spending more time training than other players and, including the time spent on recovery, the day goes by quickly. “The mentality he has to try to improve himself is amazing,” Obara said. “It’s not a matter of if he can do it or not. His focus is on, will I do it or not.” Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting, readable fomat. Embed on your websiteClose×Copy the code below to embed the WBUR audio player on your site<iframe width="100%" height="124" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://player.wbur.org/hereandnow/2011/04/01/japan-shelter-tsunami"></iframe> EmailSurvivors take rest at a shelter in the tsunami-destroyed town of Sendai (AP)We check back in with Jonathan Levine-Ogura an American living with his wife and kids in the northern Japanese town of Hanamaki He tells us that people living in shelters need things like shoes and schoolbags for the school year that starts back up next week.  Levine-Ogura also says that rural Japanese fear that the thousands of people still missing after the earthquake and tsunami will become "lost souls" and haunt them. Jonathan Levine-Ogura writes the blog Into Iwate Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version Japanese version Today's print edition Home Delivery Following a surge in bear attacks across Japan last year local governments are ramping up efforts to prevent encounters with the animal employing measures such as digitally mapping out locations of sightings and using artificial intelligence-based monitoring systems Although bear sightings this fall have decreased compared with last year officials are making preparations in case numbers rise.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Akita Prefecture saw the highest number of bear-related injuries in the nation for fiscal 2023 through March In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Japanese version