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.