@Netherlands (8/9/09)

@Netherlands (8/9/09)

Sunday, September 27, 2009

We came back to Thomas’s home again after three years.

Guten Tag, this is Ken.



After re-charging in Japan for one week, came back to the land of Europe again!
To the land of Germany, here we are.

Speaking of Germany, this is our memorable country in 2006 World Cup when Atsushi and I were trotting around all over Germany in Love Wagon.
Oh yean, it’s been more than three years since then… 



Please refer to the Atsushi’s Blog about stories of Germany World Cup, before Libero reminiscences were formed. 





Well, I was immediately joined by Atsushi at first arrived in Germany, it was neither in Berlin nor in Frankfurt but…
in Magdeburg!


Here, this is a small town where Tomas lives 

Tomas and I met in the previous World Cup in Germany.

Not even listed in Lonely Planet, the city of Magdeburg is located 150km west of Berlin.




View Larger Map

For the first time in three years and three months, we visited Thomas again in his house.

We were picked up by his car from the station. .




Looking back, it was such a dramatic first meet with Thomas.

When we went to watch
[Spain vs. Ukraine @ Leipzig] in Germany, we noticed a soccer-loving family sitting in front of us. 
Before kickoff, I gave a wristband of Japanese team to the child as he was so cute, and the father was so pleased that he said “Come, come and stay with us,” he invited us to stay at his place.

Thomas is second from the right and his son, Till. (then seven years old)



Unfortunately, we had already secured a place to stay in Leipzig that night, (it was a camp ground though) we promised to visit his house after watching another game the very next day in Berlin.
It was two-hour driving from Berlin to Magdeburg. I remember that Atsushi and I drove all the way to his place though down pouring heavy rain, then finally we managed to get there.
I give you an example If we were to describe this rather strange incident. 

As if Japan were Germany, there was a rather little suspicious Arab duo, down came to the Kashima Stadium, and met a Japanese person who is a complete stranger and they had an instant rapport. Then down came from the National Stadium the next day, with no maps, all they had was a hand written note in English which was unable to read. They anyhow hit the Tomei highway, in the bucketing rain right in the rainy season, managed to get off at Numazu Interchange, kept driving the road or the fire trail or whatever, and somehow they finally reached the house…



Something like that.
This is the picture, expressing the joy of meeting together at the time in three years ago.


Team Chon mage in German branch

At the time of World Cup, German run a huge campaign called "A Time to Make Friends”. 



 Apparently, it was for breaking the common international images against Germans which is unkind and serious looking, and all the German people seemed to be so kind to us foreigners. 


You can say Thomas was a prime example.



And today, I went to watch the game of Wolfsburg team whom Hasebe is playing for, with Thomas. Wolfsburg is also Thomas’s hometown where he grew up.

It’s been three years since then. 
Do we look much older compare to before?
We will report about the game later in another entry in this blog!

Returning to home after the game, his wife, Andrea, was waiting for us with plates full of German version of SUSHI she made.

Simple Salmon and Avocado Sushi
The taste of vinegar rice was very good, there even Kikkoman soy sauce was on the table. It was so delicious that the taste was as good as an authentic Japanese sushi!

Who could imagine being able to meet Sushi Bomber here in Germany?

Now, I am going to watch the highlight of the match then go to bed.


Tomorrow, I'm going to watch Till’s soccer game, who has turned 10 this year!





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Saturday, September 5, 2009

Do you know Keisuke Honda?


Good morning everybody! This is Ken.

One day before a friendly match Japan against Netherland, the Japanese players trained in the same stadium.

A lot of mass media people also has been staying in same hotel I stay.

Also, there is a bulletin board announcing the schedule of Netherlands team.


Those mass media people told me that the official training is confidential.

Oh man! That’s too bad. (But I got a great news.) Oh well, maybe I should relax today then.

Just after I had a daydream , suddenly my friend, who went to the stadium, called me and said “ Hey Ken! EveryoneI could enter the stadium. Oh my goodness! A tons of Dutch fans are already here. The Dutch players gonna start official practice at 11 am.You also should come and see it! Hurry!”

So, I got ready so quickly and hurry out toward the stadium.




This is the home stadium of FC Twente.



Look at that!The Roof stuck out.

That’s why protect fans from getting wet with rain.


By the way, It has been raining today. Tomorrow gonna be rain,too.


How amazed that the stadium was packed with excited spectators even today is “JUST”one day before a friendly match Japan against Netherlands.


I didn’t see any Japanese supporter anywhere except me.


Since I came to Holland, a lot of Dutch have called me “HONDA! HONDA!” It’s NOT the CAR company that they are talking about :)

They are talking about Keisuke Honda who is Japanese soccer player. How well Keisuke Honda is known in Holland! It is a honor to me to be called “ HONDA” . I am so proud of him.

Keisuke Honda is a Japanese player who currently plays for Russian soccer team side CSKA Moskow. He is a midfielder and can also play as a left full back. He is known for his goalscoring abilities and free-kick taking.

By the way, People calls me “Ono!” too. Ono was also playing in this country.

They started their practice at little over 11 am. First they were warming up by running and pass and dribble. After that, they practice shooting.

Finally, they showed us a small game by ten-to-ten in half court. It was wonderful! When the match reached a pitch of excitement, we yelled and shouted encouragement in spite of ourselves.


With composure, I could feel a tense everywhere from the small-side game.



On the other hand, it's about our Japanese national team.

Japanese national team will practice at 2pm. It is just after Holland team. So, we decided to eat lunch and left out side of stadium.

Just before 2pm, we came back to the stadium and then…. I was shocked. Because there was tons of Dutch fan before. But now, nobody there…

The worst thing was….stadium gate was closed! I couldn’t believe it.

So, I asked security guy why stadium gate was closed and then security guy told me that “the Japanese official practice is “NOT” open to the public.”

Oh man! What is this? That is not fair. Please somebody explain to me…

I shouldn’t complaint about it. Why don’t I pull myself together. Anyway, I should go back to hotel.

I made “gate flag” which means a flag to encourage the team when fan is holding in the seat. You can get idea from my photos. I make pun on a word from oppose team’s country name. (makes cute & poor joke)

So this time I have to make fun of Holand. ….

Oh my goodness! I had never spent this much to think for gate flag.

It’s so dumb joke I made….

We pronounce Holland is like as “ORANDA”

“ORANDA” means country farmer’s saying “That’s mine”

I added “NODEBANDA” between “ORANDA”

“NODEBANDA” means “That’s my turn to play”

So, I put a Japanese soccer player Keisuke Honda on the top of flag.

Total meaning is “GO HONDA! Keisuke Honda’s turn to win".



Huh? Is this joke?? Sounds like too serious. What do you think?

Don’t dig deeply. Don’t worry about it. I’m sorry never mind.

Anyway, I got a report from TV station, if you like you are welcome to watch it!


Oh, I almost forget to talk about good episode of Keisuke Honda, which I wanna tell you guys.

We had a conversation with taxi driver when we went back to our hotel.



Ken: Hey! Do you know about HONDA?

Dutch Taxi Driver : Yeah! HONDA. Of Course I know!

Ken & Atsushi : Oh! How famous HONDA is!

Dutch Taxi Driver: I also know about SUZUKI !

Ken & Atsushi: Huh? SUZUKI? Is he talking about Takayuki Suzuki who is soccer player? He is old time player isn’t he?

Dutch Taxi Driver : Oh! I know I know KAWASAKI too!

Ken: Wow! Does he know about Kawasaki Frontale too!? Oh my goodness! He knows about Japanese soccer club well. He must be a BIG Soccer fan too!

Kawasaki Frontale is a Japanese professional soccer team.

The Dutch taxi driver: And also I know YAMAHA!!

Ken: YAMAHA!? Are you talking about Júbilo Iwata (known as YAMAHA) ?

(Origins : The team started out as the company team for Yamaha Motor Corporation in 1970.)

Anyway, you better to watch out Dutch people! They know about Japanese soccer very well!

Somehow they know that Japanese soccer club information well too. Tomorrow’s game gonna be hard game for Japan.