LIONS is THE JAPAN CHAMPION for '08

Finally, Saitama Seibu Lions is the Japan Champion for 2008 season! What a wonderful season for the Lions! I am really happy to see the Lions winning the Japan Series in Game 7 since I know what had happened a lot last season. Since I am Kaz Ishii fan, I have become Lions fan after he had decided to move to Saitama from Tokyo. His choice and mine were really good one. I had really good experience as Lions fan in this season! I had really great time and great foods at Seibu Dome! Now, we are going to challenge the Asia Series!

ついに、ライオンズが日本シリーズ優勝を飾りました。ホントにうれしいです。自分は石井一久ファンなので、彼がスワローズからライオンズに移籍したと同時にライオンズのファンになりましたが、最高の形で報われました。今年は、ホントに西武ドームでたくさん楽しみましたし、ライオンズファンになってホントに良かったと思いました！たくさん、おいしい物も食べましたし。

The score of the only game(Game 4) I had atended for 2008 Japan Series.

Guess who's coming to the talk show? あなたはだぁれ?

My sister told me that the Gakusyuuin University(Mejiro area of Tokyo) would have a talk show on their Pyramid Building, which appears on one episode of "Ultra Seven." "Ultra Seven" is a Japanese Sci-Fi show for Children, and I am big fan of it. The building itself(the picture of a miniature below with the Arien Prote)was torn down in this January.When I checked about it on the web, they said it's a free of charge and had two stages.
In the first half, university's guest researcher would talk about his memoir about that building and the college facilities. I thought "poor guy! He cannot even hold real position at there. He must have been struggling financially. I don't wanna hear his boring story. I just want to hear the talk show(2nd half) of Kazuho Mitusta (the director of "Ultra Seven" ) and see the episode on the big screen." The web said I must attend both part of the show; so, I decided to go to sleep in the 1st half of the show. When I got there, they gave me a paper that had some guy's name from the Japanese Emperor family on it. I didn't know who this was. I guessed some unimportant guy would give us boring history of his own. Faces of audience were little bit strange. I knew there must'd been some weird Sci-Fi freaks. I was right about it; then, there're some little children with parents. That's OK for a "Ultra Seven" show that including Ultra Seven himself as a special guest; but, there're many audiences who wore suits and all. That was strange to me, 'cause the show is talking about a just a historical building, which appeared on the Children Show. I didn't understand why they were wearing that kind of clothing. I mean the theme of the show was Children's TV show. Most of the audience should be children with parents and freaky Sci-Fi fans. It's ridiculous to wear a suit. I was dead wrong. The speaker for the first half of the show was Japanese Prince Norihito, the next Emperor of Japan. I was so panicked, 'cause I didn't understand what's going on out there. Instead of sleeping, I listened, with respect, everything the Prince said. What I really suprised was that the Prince stayed the entire show after his speech. He even watched an episode of "Ultra Seven."

Ultra Seven and the back of the Japanese Prince and Kazuho Mitsuta
ウルトラセブン第29話”ひとりぼっちの地球人”に学習院大学の有名なピラミッド校舎が出てきます。校舎（一番上の食玩の写真のプロテ星人の前にあるのがそれです）はもう取り壊されたのですが、それを懐かしんで学習院大学で無料のトーク・ショーがあると妹が教えてくれたので行ってきました。この作品を監督した満田かずほ監督のトークの後、ビッグ・スクリーンでウルトラセブンの鑑賞会という事だったのですが、よく調べるとその前に学習院大学の客員研究生のスピーチがあるとの事。今どき、正研究員にもなれないような経済的にも貧しそうでかわいそうな人の、ピラミッド校舎に関する思い出話を1時間近く聞かせられなければならんのかと思うとイヤでした。その研究生のスピーチの時は眠ればいいやと思いながら会場に入ると、やはり親子連れとキモい特撮オタクっぽい人たちが多く見受けられました。が、観客の中に妙にきちんとしたみなりの人たちが多くいるのに気付き、変だなぁと思っていました。だって、今日のメインはウルトラセブンですよ。会場にも、今日のスペシャル・ゲストはウルトラセブンて、子供たちが群がりそうな事が書いてあったし・・・。会場で渡された紙に、何でか皇族の名前が書いてありました。どうせ、自分の知らない皇族が学習院の思い出を語るのかと思って待っていると、現れたのは皇太子その人でした。事情が全く理解できず呆然としていると、学習院の客員研究生である皇太子がスピーチを始めました。結局眠るどころか、皇太子の登場にあまりにも感激したので、彼の思い出話に聞き入ってしまいました。皇太子は、自分のスピーチの後も最後までショーにいて、ウルトラセブンを見ていました。感激したけど、皇太子の登場には腰を抜かすくらいビックリしました。

Last Sunday

Last Sunday, I went to Jingu Stadium for the first time in August. It was between Hanshin Tigers(Japan's most Poplular Team) and Tokyo Yakult Swallows. I got there 16:17 for 18:00 game. I needed to go there that early because I only have general admission ticket (All of reserved seats are sold out) and I and my buddies wanted to have seats on Tigers side. When I got there the gate was opened earlier than usual(16:30). 85% of Left field breacher seats were already filld with Tigers fans when I got there. Right field breacher seats for Swallows fans had only 100 people. It was bad weather. Some rain, some cloud. Even though that weather condition, I believed they would have game. Ryan Vogelsong was announced to start for the Tigers that night. I was so happy to be given the opportunity to see one of his starts. He wears No.4 on his Uniform. It was really cool to me wearing that number. Pitchers usually not to wear 1 digit numbers, and the Tigers has the history of great pitchers wearing No. 4. Around the game time, I went to get Raamen Noodle and Fried Octopus. Right after I got them, the game was cancelled.

Ryan Vogelsong in the outfield(L) and bullpen(R)
この前の日曜日の神宮でのタイガース戦は指定席が全部売り切れなうえ、外野自由の阪神側に座りたかったので、１６：３０の開門を目指して行ってみたら、１６：００に開門が早まったようで、すでにたくさんのタイガースファンでレフトは埋まってました。どうにか、こうにか、人数分の席を確保し、ビールで盛り上がっていると、試合開始が近づいてきました。僕のラーメンと連れのためにタコのから揚げを買いに行き、受取った直後、雨天中止がコールされました。１８：０５でした。せっかく、ボーグルソンが先発したのに・・・。

Swallows vs Carp

Ken Takahashi couldn't hold three runs lead, and the Carp lost the fifth straight games on Sunday. On the other hand, Swallows won the forth straight games. It was Yukata( Japanese traditional summer cloth) Night and the Fire Works Night at the Jingu stadium. There were a lot of people out there. It was cool to ware Yukata on hot summer night. It was really fun to watch Hanabi.

Fire Works(Hanabi)

Yakisoba(Fried Noodles) & Tokyo Raamen(Tokyo Style Raamen Noodle)

French Fries & Miyazaki Ji-Dori (Grilled Miyazaki Chiken)

昨日は浴衣DAYと花火ナイターって事で神宮球場に行ってきました。浴衣を着るのは幼稚園以来でしたがいいっすねぇ。日本の夏でした。いつもの通り、食べ物もたくさん満喫しました。

Chiba Marine Stadium

After the Lions and Eagles game on Saturday, I actually went to Chiba Marine Stadium to see the game between Hawks and Marines. My friends kindly offered me a ticket to see the game with them; however, I arrived at the stadium around 8pm. It was fifth inning. That was the first time I came to that stadium since 1998. I am surprised that it had huge crowd that evening. I'd tried to buy some foods from concessions; but, either I had to wait really long lines, or they were out of stock. Although I really wanted to eat Philly Cheese Stake, one of my favorite, they are sold out. I also couldn't get foods from concession stands at the Seibu Dome 'cause of the long lines and I didn't wanna miss a thing. I've learned that if I want to enjoy foods from the stadiums, I really need to get there early.I got a cup of beer, cheese ball, and Yoshihisa Naruse's recommended Marine Dog, which doesn't contain any sea stuff. They use Marines original designed cups for foods and drinks. I believe it is not that usual in the Japanese ballpark. The desings of cups were so cool that they would be collectable items. 　

Marine Dog recommended by Naruse

A cup of Cheese BallsA cup of Beer

I saw really unusual things. Benny Agbayani hit two triples in that game.

心優しい友人のカップルが招待してくれていたので、土曜の昼に所沢でデー・ゲームを観戦した後に千葉マリンスタジアムに行きました。マリンスタジアムは落合の現役最終試合を見て以来でした。ライオンズの試合が終わったのが17：30頃で、そこから１８：００開始のマリーンズ戦に行ったので、球場に着いたのは２０：００頃でした。球場の食べ物がほとんど売り切れか長い行列に並ばなければならなかったので、あまり買えませんでした。それでも上の写真にある成瀬推薦のマリンドッグ、もちもちチーズ（とかいう名前のと）、ビールを買いました。マリーンズ使用の容器はおみやげに持って帰りたいくらいかっこいいと思いました。

Lions vs Eagles

I went to Lions against Eagles at Tokorozawa yesterday. It was really good game with two good starting pitchers of Takayuki Kishi (Lions) and Masahiro "Maa-kun" Tanaka (Eagles). I saw Kishi's warming up in the bullpen before the game. I realized he was really different that day from his usual warming ups in the bullpen. He was really energized that day. He pitched really good in the game too. He looks like he has determined to win the ballgame. I've never seen him like that before. He threw really good fastball from the hill. His fast ball recorded 90 mph entire game. It was really unusual for him. His usual fastball is 86 mph. He threw seven strong innigs and got a win.

Eiji Shoutu made really good relief job in the 8th and Alex Graman got a save as Eagles' Shima hit a grounder to Second baseman Hiroshi Hirao .

This game was a part of the Lions Classic. Yasumitsu Toyoda and Katsuya Nomura did ceremonial pitch. When I saw it, I thought I would cry. It was really good emotional ceremony.

Yasumitsu Toyoda's ceremonial pitchToyoda shook hands with Katsuya Nomura

昨日の岸はブルペンから違っていました。投球練習中からいつもと違って気合が入っていました。ゲーム中もストレートが時速１４５ｋｍを記録するなど、速球で押す力投を披露。７回を１失点で勝利投手になりました。この日は正津も好リリーフを見せました。最後はグラマンが嶋を二ゴロに。代わったばかりの平尾が捌いて試合終了。

今日もライオンズクラシックでたくさんのお客さんでした。豊田泰光と野村克也の始球式は泣きそうになるくらい感動でした。