On Tuesday I decided to visit Kiyosumi Teien, which is an extremely beautiful and peaceful garden. Unfortunately though, I brought my camera but forgot my memory card in my laptop back home so I had to resort to using my phone for pictures. Then, yesterday I went to the baseball game between two of the baseball clubs in Rikkyo to watch my friends play.
Kiyosumi Teien’s focal point is the gigantic lake in the center of the gardens. Surrounding the lake are several trees and stones, and it all looks very natural. Other than the tea house that is set on the lake, nothing looks man-made. The bridges consist of several stones that are next to each other and the handrails are made of bamboo. Some of the rocks are pretty low in the water so you can get pretty close and see all the fish and turtles. There are a few small islands in the center of the lake, and if you’re lucky there will be a herron or two.
Honestly, this place would be a great place to go if you’re looking for someplace peaceful to just relax and get away from stress. There are several benches around the park for you to sit and relax and look out over the lake. I love different parks and gardens for different reasons, but with this one in particular sticks in my mind because of how relaxing it was to follow the dirt path around the pond.
Yesterday after class I went with a friend to a nearby baseball field and threw around a baseball for a while. I played baseball when I was in elementary school and even after I stopped playing baseball I would still play catch with my mom or dad every now and then, but I really haven’t thrown a baseball since I was in elementary school. My first several throws were definitely super weak and felt really unnatural. Not to mention my aim was super off. I sent my friend chasing after the ball on more than one occasion. However, the more we practiced, the more natural it began to feel. I could throw farther and my aim was getting better. With a little more practice I might actually be a decent player again, haha.
In the evening I went to watch the baseball game between two of Rikkyo’s baseball clubs. The baseball field wasn’t really designed for spectators so I actually got to stand on the side of the field with the rest of the players, which was cool. It gave me a chance to meet some of the players on the team, but more importantly it gave me a good spot for taking pictures (although if somebody hit a foul ball I would have been in major trouble, haha).
Hanging out with the team was pretty enjoyable. Everybody was super surprised that a foreigner had come to watch the game, but once they got over that, they did their best to talk to me. We spoke with a jumbled mix of Japanese and English, but somehow we managed to understand each other.
Watching the game was also super enjoyable. It had a much more relaxed feel. Sure, everybody was playing hard and giving it their all, but they were also joking around and laughing with each other. It’s been a while since I’ve been on any sort of team, and I sort of miss the feeling of camaraderie.
Honestly, I miss being active in general. The other day when we played games after the dorm BBQ and yesterday when I went to the baseball, it felt so good to run around, throw a ball, etc. I hope I’m able to do more stuff like this with my friends before I have to go home.
Ryuugakusei Seikatsu 