SILVER WOLF IS #1

So the day after I got to school, I was telling my friends about how I didn't have a fight, and I showed them the video. OH SNAP! I suddenly had a fight!
Basically, because all I did that week was party, I rapidy lost my weight in preparation for this match.
I was 67.2kg before Practice on Friday
Now fast forward to the match on Sunday: I weighed in at 63.5 kg
NICE-O!
Here's a video of the match:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sknhFjTtETg
I lost by points due to a yellow card for holding and kneeing. However, I did well and am proud of my performance in my first fight overseas.
After the fight, I told my teammates, "Because these are my last three days and I have no damage, I will be at the gym everyday"
And I have done so.

Today, before my session, I bought cake for all my trainers. After I got back, I saw this on the blog:
http://ameblo.jp/silverwolfgym/entry-10092615598.html
They are basically telling fans that I am going back home and telling me to come down to the gym when I come back to Japan.

It is very sad. While I did not come to Japan for the sole purpose of training martial arts, it is a major reason why I chose Japan as my destination. I learned Japanese and studied Japanese culture mainly to be able to train at a Japanese gym, preferably this one.
Upon my return, I am more motivated than ever to "ganbare" - do my best - in my studies and kickboxing. In that way, I can have either the option of returning to Japan after I graduate in either grad school in a Japanese MBA program or fight professionally in Japan - and maybe even both.
SILVER WOLF#1! WASURENAI!

Finals over

Finals were pretty rough. I struggled with International Trade, but International marketing was a JOKE. My Asian Business final was hard too - but thankfully, I got to go out drinking with the prof afterwards. That was something fun and truly a "only in Japan" moment.

Last night, I went to Roppongi to a year end party, but I wasn't feeling it, so I bounced with some friends to Odaiba.
Today, I woke up late after being out in Odaiba all night. In the evening, I met my buddy Annas in Shibuya and later ran into Jesse. Eventually, we went to GasPanic - the first club I went to in Japan - the meat market. And surprisingly, I met a K-1 fighter:
ANDY OLOGUN from NIGERIA.

That was fun. After that, I met my homestay parents with Annas, who used to live in the same homestay last semester. We then ate at a restaurant in Eifukucho, where Annas lives. Good stuff.
With finals over, there will no study and plenty of abroad. I'm going to definitely enjoy the rest of my time at SW

KIMATSU SHIKEN

So I went on the RISE site, and it turns out I'm not fighting. Too bad and a major dissappointment. The biggest matter is that I gotta wear my American flag shorts in Canada, because I may not have another chance to fight in Japan.

Anyway, I've been very busy because of finals lately. ANd just as busy training.

However, last Saturday, I skipped training to go to Akihabara. I was told that I would be disappointed if I went alone, but I had a good time. It was basically a nerd's world. You see those guys with long hair and dragon print shirts? Yeah, they were there - in two flavors: White and Japanese. Akihabara itself is filled with Anime stores, Arcades, computer stores, and porn shops. The computer stores didnt interest me because I don't need any new computer equipment, and I was tired of the few Anime stores I went to. I'll have to admit that the porn stores were rather funny, but rather uncomfortable when a random Japanese man starts smiling at you and attempts to initiate conversation. I spent a good amount of time at the arcades though.

On Sunday, I went with Chiemi-san to Asakusa. Asakusa is part of the Shitamachi, which is the old part of Tokyo. There, I went to Kaminarimon Gate and Senso-ji. It was a good time. Right after we were done there, Chiemi-san took me to a Dojou place - apparently one of the few restaruants that serve it. Dojou looks like a small mudskipper. I'm not too big on fish, but this was alright. My personal highlight was eating WHALE sashimi - tastes like beef.

Later that day, we stopped over at Ginza to go to a UniQlo. UniQlo is basically Banana Republic quality at Old Navy pricing. Personally, I always have trouble finding jeans in my size. They're either too wide or too short. But here in Japan, I saw 26 waists, 27! 28! 29! I'm personally 29-30, and I was soooo happy to see 29 waist jeans. However, when I put them on, they were incredibly long. Solution? UniQlo custom tailors the jeans to your size... FOR FREE. I went on a shopping spree and got some shirts that I gotta say look SEXY. I'm gonna be careful wearing these shirts because girls are gonna be all over me - TRUE MASATO STYLE.

Monday and Tuesday was more training. Strarting from Wednesday, I began to prepare for finals, but yesterday, I saw the bad news of my non-existent match. However, it gave me more time to focus for finals. Now, I only have one more final left,and I look forward to seeing more of Tokyo after I am done with that.

OSU!

RISE KAMINARIMON

So on Friday, I asked my trainer, Daiguji if I could enter RISE Kaminarimon, an Amateur kickboxing tournament. One of my goals while coming to Japan is to get some International experience and bring it back to the US with me.

I wish I could fight at 60kg, but I have to do 65kg (because of Gyuudon) and I will be doing B-Class. Anyway, here I am representing SILVER WOLF.

On Friday, I basically got beat up by all my senpai. But it was worth it, and this Friday, I'm going to spar them all again.

Saturday, I trained again - Boxing class with alot of punchout drills. My trainer, Daiguji told me "Ippai renshuu." So that's what I'm doing.

Sunday I rested and went to the Kanamara matsuri, a Japanese Phallus Festival. Originally, the festival was celebrated by prostitutes to prevent against sexually transmitted diseases. But over time, it became a Shinto Fertility Festival. THe legend has it that a demon lived inside a woman's vagina and would bite off the members of her husbands on the wedding night. However, a suitor finally had a blacksmith forge an iron sheath for his penis and broke the demon's teeth.

Here are some pictures:

Kazuya Yasuhiro, "Oishikatta", Meeting Kohiruimaki, Dude's Last night, and The Hair Salon

Ever since I got back from the Kansai trip, that was all I posted. I haven't even posted pictures from that trip yet!

The Tuesday after I got back, I went to the gym, and it FILLED with TV crews, reporters and cameramen. I was a little hesitant to go in, but somebody told me that it was okay, so I did. I peeked into the gym and saw that everything was going normally aside from the TV crew. I took off my shoes and walked into the lockerroom, and guess who I see? KAZUYA YASUHIRO!!

It was rather pleasant. I have a lot of respect for that guy because when he fights, he brings it! He was also glad that I talked to him because he now knows he has a foreign fan, and because everybody was all over Masato and not him. Later that night, I had noticed that Masato hung his towel under my coat. So I licked it. Oishikatta.

The rest of my week passed by as usual - bogged down with schoolwork, but on Saturday, me and the girl I was dating unfortunately broke up. So sad. However, when I was in Roppongi later that night, I met another fighter! TAKAYUKI KOHIRUIMAKI! I talked to some of my friends, and they told me that he always parties in Roppongi and Shibuya, but they also told me that I was very lucky to get his picture, because he never allows people to take pictures. Maybe he was happy because I was a foreigner.

After all that, on Monday, I was at the gym, and noticed that it was a training partner's last night. After class, he told everybody, "These last two months have been great, but I got a new job, so I must live life." It was so sad, because I know in 27 days, that will be me. After that, I had to live life on my own and get to work on classwork.

On Wednesday (youtube from my friend is available). My friend was being very obnoxious at a hair salon. He was so obnoxious, that they put us in the VIP area. Here it is:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kWSFZHLRt30

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fwQOaXamc4E

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2RLcCLG5M78

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CNwN-7FBsvk

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_sRR_qdjUlA

My most expensive haircut ever - 4000 yen, and that's after using a coupon and not getting charged for our VIP treatment.