Temple University Athletics
Temple Football in Japan: A Daily Journal
5.17.18 | Football
Day 1 - Frank Nutile
After a long day of traveling the Tokyo 8 has finally made it to Japan. We left Edberg Olson Football Facility at 8:15am Friday, May 11, and arrived at the Sheraton Miyako Hotel in Tokyo around 6:00pm Saturday, May 12. Dan Archibong used the stopwatch on his phone to clock the travel time, and when we pulled up to the hotel it said 19 hours and 42 minutes. The flight itself took up the majority of that time at about 14+ hours. On the plane, the flight attendants provided us with meals that were out of our comfort zone looks-wise, but were surprisingly very good.
After passing through customs at the Tokyo airport we were greeted by Kevin Abe (General Manager of Dome Corporation) and Ken Nakata (Project Coordinator/Corporate Planning Dept. of Dome Corporation). From there we took a bus over to the Sheraton and were able to see the Tokyo landscape. For those who do not know, like many of us on the team, in Japan the driver sits on the right side but drives on the left. On the ride over I was pleasantly surprised at how clean and well-kept the city was considering its mass population. This was eye-opening compared to the cities I have visited across the United States. After having about one hour of free time we went to dinner with some of the representatives from Dome. Dinner was a blend of American and Japanese food, which tasted very good. So far this has been an extremely long day of travel, but I am excited to see what the week brings.
Day 2 - Linwood Crump
On our first day in Japan we embarked on a trip to Hosei University, one of the many colleges in Japan. At Hosei University is where we partook in a football clinic to help players from the university improve on their skills. At the clinic, Coach Collins introduced us to the many different teams that showed up at the university to participant in the clinic. At the football clinic we put players through drills for them to improve their skills and also teach them more about the positions they played. I was in control of the defensive backs at the clinic and my group worked how to line up, backpedal, and also how to change direction out of their breaks. Also, at the end of the clinic there was a Q&A session for the players from each university to ask us and Coach Collins questions about how we got so big or how fast we run our forty-yard dash which concluded the clinic.
Later, we attended a baseball game where we watched the Yomiuri Giants vs. the Chunichi Dragons. Before we got to the game we had to take the subway to the stadium, and the subway was fast and comfortable. I learned while entering and leaving the subway if you take escalators you have to stand on the left-hand side of the escalator. As we got to the stadium we stopped at the UnderArmour store to view the merchandise that was being sold at the stadium. As we found our seats in the stadium we observed how much baseball means to the Japanese. Both team's fans came in full support with almost one whole part of the stadium taken up by the away team. There were thousands to watch a regular season match. I was stunned to see so many people at the game. Baseball in Japanese culture could be compared to football by how many fans show up to support.
Day 3 - Shaun Bradley
Today was pretty wild for me, we started the day going to the U.S Embassy. We tried to take pictures prior to walking in but the security guards told us we couldn't take any photos. Once we got to the entrance of the Embassy, we went through this very detailed security check. They had us completely turn off our phones and we had to turn them over to them. The Embassy was identified by huge giant glass windows and American flag in the front lawn. Once inside, we first went into this little meeting room where the speaker talked about different things the Embassy oversees as well as different majors and how to apply them to things they worked on. We then got a little tour of the Embassy. It seemed like everyone was really engaged, we had many questions that they were very eger to answer. We ate at their café… one of the best double cheeseburgers I've ever had!
Next, we traveled to the Dome Corporation headquarters, or as some would call it the Under Armour factory, one of the most electrifying buildings I've seen. So much gear and equipment, we even got to see the future products and concepts. I bought two shirts and had a chance to use their headquarters as a place to workout. After the workout we just hung out and played some games!
Day 4 - Michael Dogbe
This trip has been exceptional thus far, I have been fascinated with all the wonderful things I have experienced in Tokyo. Today we made it over to an ancient temple named Sensoji Asakusa, the sky tree, sumo wrestling, and Temple University Japan. It was an eventful day to say the least.
One of the things that I found interesting was when we visited the temple. There is an old Japanese tradition where you would find out your fortune through a chain of events. Learning about the Japanese culture has been a very insightful, I can't wait to find out more. However, the most exciting event was the sumo wrestling. I was told that sumo wrestling was done for religious purposes and that it is something that has been practiced for centuries. We all were surprised to see how big these sumo wrestlers were, they all ranged from 350-400 plus pounds. These guys were extremely massive, but very athletic at the same time. To see the crowd be so engaged with the wrestlers was very cool. Lastly, we ended our day at Temple University Japan, this was a cool thing to be a part of. I was pleased to meet the president and the faculty of the university. We talked to the students and learned about the future plans of the school. Overall this was a great day.
Day 5 - Matt Hennessy
Day 5 of our journey through the land of the rising sun brought our travel party to the University of Tokyo, Japan's most prestigious university. Upon arriving at the university, I was most intrigued by the University's architecture which blended buildings similar to those of historical United States universities with traditional Japanese architecture, creating a beautiful and unique campus. While the university is located within the city limits of Tokyo, the abundance of trees, ponds and flowers made the campus feel as if it wasn't in an urban environment. Our excellent tour guide, who was a University of Tokyo student, gave us a history lesson on the University of Tokyo. The grounds on which the University of Tokyo sits, were once owned by a Samurai family, which explains some of its traditional architecture.Â
Before going to instruct our clinic with the University of Tokyo football team, some of my teammates and I stumbled upon a food truck in the middle of the campus. While I have tried a number of new foods here and all of them have been exceptional, my best meal may have come from this small food truck. I ordered garlic buttered beef, which was cooked and seasoned right in front of me. The incredible smell coming from the truck hinted at how good this beef was going to be and it lived up to expectations, being some of the best tasting beef that I have ever had.
Lastly, we had the opportunity to work with some of Japan's finest student-athletes at our clinic. I had the chance to speak with one of the players before the clinic and we discussed our experiences as student-athletes. The player mentioned that the education system is much more demanding in the younger years making it harder to get into athletics as a youth and eases up as the students move on to college. However, the student was now able to find balance between athletics and academics at the University of Tokyo. Teaching this clinic was much easier than the clinic at Hosei University because all students are required to take at least a year of English at University of Tokyo. Therefore, the players were able to understand us much more easily and our interpreter did not have to work nearly as hard. The clinic went very smoothly and the players were receptive and eager to learn. Continuing a theme that I have noticed since arriving, the people were also incredibly welcoming and kind. While we did not partake in any tourist activities today, I may have had the most fun out of any of the days. During my time here, I have enjoyed all of the beautiful sites we have gotten to see but what has made this trip truly special is interacting with the incredible people of Japan.Â
Day 6 - Jaelin Robinson
Today, the second chapter of our trip began. We started the day in Tokyo, with a visit to the serene Meiji Jingu shrine which was preserved within a small forest in Tokyo. The shrine had a large entrance at which we had to bow before entering. Continuing on the path to the shrine, there were several smaller gateways, each of which we had to bow at. Eventually, we arrived at a small bath-like structure made of wood which contained water that was said to cleanse the soul before entering the actual shrine. Once inside the shrine, there was a very specific procedure to be followed to ensure that one's wish was granted. We had to make our wish, bow twice, clap twice and then bow once again - in that order. The visit to the shrine provided another peaceful retreat from the bustle of Tokyo.
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Next, we used the Tokyo metro to arrive at a larger train station where we would transfer to a larger, long distance train. However, we were not about to board just any train. We boarded a Japanese Shinkansen train which is also known by its nickname, "the bullet train." The train had comfortable seating and provided a comfortable ride despite the fact that we were going roughly 200mph. We took the train to Osaka, another city which is about 340 miles from Tokyo. Even though we traveled such a large distance the bullet train was able to complete the trip in 2.5 hours. Some of my teammates and I went to get Korean BBQ, which seems to be a very popular food here in Japan. After dinner, we concluded the night in order to catch up on sleep before our trip continues. We have three days in Osaka, all of which should be very exciting.
Day 7 - Dan Archibong
My day started a little later than usual. I have been consistently waking up around 6 a.m. everyday. However, today I woke up around 8 a.m. It felt good to sleep in. The jetlag has finally subsided. This morning was the first breakfast in Osaka. The breakfast in Osaka was definitely an upgrade. I enjoyed pancakes, waffles, and two omelets. Â
After breakfast we went to our daily 9:15 a.m. brief. Ken, our Dome representative, explained that we would be visiting a sacred shrine. When we arrived at the shrine, I was impressed at the amount of history that stood before my eyes. The first thing we saw was a golden temple. As we followed the tour guide, we came along numerous ancient structures with tons of history behind them. Following the tour, we made a stop at a restaurant overlooking a river This was an interesting experience because we all tried some new food that we have never tried before. There were a few different kinds of fish that we all enjoyed. There were also some things that we did not enjoy so much. However, I think I can speak for everyone when I say our visit at that restaurant was a pleasant one.Â
After the restaurant Michael Dogbe and I decided to go to a spa to get our bodies right. This would be my first time at a Japanese spa It was a little different from America, however, just as refreshing. Today was a good day. I look forward to the remaining days we have left in Japan with my teammates and coaches.
Day 8 - Isaiah Wright
To begin our final day in Japan we went to downtown to do our final shopping. I didn't end up buying anything but while being downtown I was able to view the culture of the Japanese as well as get a first-hand look at how stylish they are. I took a class on Youth Cultures and I chose to learn in depth about hypebeast, which are people who buy specific materials because of the hype that surrounds that specific item. I've been here for nine days, and throughout my days I always found myself seeing people wearing Supreme, Gucci, Vapor Max's, etc.
To conclude our day we did our final football clinic. It was pretty cool to be able to teach skills I've been trying to perfect myself. I liked how these kids were so determined to learn and master these skills. Their determination motivated me in a way, also being out here made me feel like a celebrity. It isn't everyday i get mobbed by people for pictures. It was definitely a good feeling to be giving back to those who aren't able to be receiving the same training as me. After the clinic a few of us went to get diner at the BW Station and surprisingly steak, sausages, and fries is a filling meal. This trip has helped me build stronger bonds with my teammates as well as my coaches, and for that I am grateful.
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