FC Tokyo 1-2 Omiya Ardija

This weeks football matchup will take us halfway around the globe to Tokyo, where FC Tokyo took on Omiya Ardija in the final match of the 2007 J-League Season. For information sake, Urawa Reds took the Championship AGAIN this season and surprisingly, Yokohama FC will be relegated. Much to the shigrin of many of Mrs. Architectureandfootballs friends.
Before the match recap, let me first say that having never actually been to a premiership OR MLS match, this was a great event. Very exciting being surrounded by a positive attitude and excitment for a football match, even though both teams had nothing more than pride to play for, and the stadium was, to be fair, little more than half full. But a beautiful stadium it was, and many great photos, videos and memories will be kept with me from that day.

So, to the good stuff. The first half had little to offer. Both teams started off tight and nothing was really created on either end. Then in the first 10 minutes of the second half (consequently when mrs. architectureandfootball and i were still out buying souvenirs) two goals were scored, one for each side, opening up the match immensely. The first was for FC Tokyo and was a great individual play to create an open shot just inside the box and he put it over the keepers head with great force. The equalizer came just 5 minutes later on something of a comedy of errors by the FC Tokyo defense and Ardija basically put the ball into an open net. For the rest of the half chances were had on both sides, the majority going to Tokyo. I would have to guess Tokyo had 60% of the ball but could not get the go ahead goal.
Then, in the 88th minute, Ardija took advantage of yet another poor defensive play when Leandro easily dribbled past two defenders and then the goalie and easily won the match. They were ecstatic, as was the great travelling support, and even though it meant little to either team, the emotion of the moment was thick, and from behind me, a man sitting with his wife and small child continually lambasted his defense saying "have pride" and "where is your pride?"
Then after the match the team lined up on the center line and the coach gave a speech basically apologizing for the teams poor season. I was blown away. Then the team took a lap around the stadium and each section cheered them and they bowed to everybody. It was a great gesture and something you would never see in America.
So although Tokyo was shambles on the day, and I have seen better matches played by college teams, I am now a lifelong FC Tokyo fan, and hope that next season they can at least begin to climb the table and help build the league up to a higher standard.

japan 2 - thanksgiving day

the trip to shibuya and pufferfish was monumentally successful. while in ginza, we were going around with mrs. architectureandfootballs mother looking for a birthday present. it was easily found in one of the many posh clothing stores and from there we started looking for a japanese art gallery. it too, was found quickly, a great little place called s. watanabe color print co(www.hangasw.com) and we ended up buying our first actual piece of art, a 1930s print of a japanese woman in a kimono. see the image at the top. thats it.
yesterday was the long awaited trip to tokyo disney land with our niece and nephew. it was just as any trip to disney land is anywhere in the world, except instead of corn dogs they were selling steamed pork buns and spring rolls. we still managed to find a fried chicken restaurant for lunch. the first ride we took was pirates of the carribean which made my niece cry like she was being robbed at gunpoint. from there we went to the more light-hearted its a small world. twice in a row. all day with the kids really made us think about what it might be like to have children. it was a true test of patience and physical stamina. and it was not, i repeat, NOT encouraging. but besides the shallow and selfish feelings of uncomfort, it was a great day and the kids smiling and pointing in awe made everything worth it.
today is mrs. architectureandfootballs 30th birthday. we arent doing too much during the day but this evening we will be having crab shabu shabu at her favorite restaurant in tokyo. tomorrow is the big football match and dinner with her old college friends. have an extra piece of leftover turkey for me and enjoy the american football!

japan 1

sunday, mrs. architectureandfootball and i came to japan. i think its wednesday morning now, here, which means its tuesday night in chicago. no photos uploaded yet but give that portion time....

we arrived monday with very little problems in the flight. i watched a plethora of movies on the way...1.no reservations 2.transformers 3. the outsiders 4. casablanca 5. talk, talk, talk, 6. ratatouille.

monday night was basically a game of me vs. my internal clock, trying to stay awake long enough not to embarrass myself. i half won. of course they immediately fed me alcohol once we got back to mrs.　architectureandfootballs parents house, so that didnt help anything. but the amazing dinner which the wifes mom prepared was enough to keep me going for a few hours.
yesterday we both got haircuts in the morning. in japan, they hardly use clippers, so the guy cut my hair, then i got a shampoo job and then a massage!! apparently thats standard fare over here. so it was a very pleasant surprise. usually i hate receiving massages too, but this one was phenomenal.
during the day we went around doing business oriented things, so nothing really interesting to report. but that evening, mrs. architectureandfootball, her mother, her brother, and i went to an ohnsen. its basically a hot spring spa where the men and the women get separated, then walk around naked going into different temperature baths and such. it was amazing. all the water was treated with a peculiar, dark red treatment, which was a base so that you could stay in the water longer without your skin drying up. we then put on some pajamas and went into the restaurant, all sat together again, had a great deal of beer and japanese food, and then went back for one more quick dip, then walked back to the house. i opened another beer once i got here, immediately passed out on the couch and spilled the beer all over myself. such is my life.
so today were going to shibuya, the biggest, busiest part of tokyo to go to citibank, and then some other things, going to ginza for shopping, and then having fugu for dinner: pufferfish!! its my favorite. they kill it and carve it just before you eat it so in some cases, if youre eating sashimi, its still quivering while its on your plate!!

tonight the japanese olympic football team is playing in a qualifier match so well come home and watch it.
more later! ja-ne

That time of the year

This will be a quick post - but I just wanted everybody to know that Mrs. Architectureandfootball and I will be heading to Japan this Sunday!! I'll try to post about the trip while we're there. Typically when we go I've got time in the morning to browse the internet so this will make that time a bit more productive. Well, that depends on what your personal definition of productive is....