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Princeton University Athletics
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Legacy Lead-Up: Football Experiences Zen, Japanese Meals ? And Practice
March 19, 2015 | Football
SPRING VIDEO PREVIEWS: Defense with Matt Arends l Offense with Britt Colcolough (Friday)
Junior running back DiAndre Atwater, a second-team All-Ivy League honoree during his Princeton career, will be providing updates during the Princeton football trip to Japan. His first blog entry, which focuses on the arrival to Japan and an early meeting with Saturday's Legacy Bowl opponent, the Kwansei Gakuin University football team, can be found below. His most recent entry, located at the top, talks about the hectic schedule the team went through during the middle of the week.
If the KG Fighters set up our itinerary intending to exhaust us, that goal was met without a doubt on Tuesday. We loaded the buses at 10 am and proceeded to the city of Kyoto for lunch and shopping for authentic Japanese novelties. The lunch buffet was an eclectic pairing of Japanese noodle and rice based dishes, with "American" classics like pizza and French Fries. We then drove into a mountainous area to a historic Zen Temple to attempt to master the art of the zazen. The Zen Master graciously permitted our entire team to enter the temple, and once all 110 of us were seated barefoot on the Temple floor, he began the lesson. To get into the mode of perfect Zen concentration, we had to cross our legs (which some of us haven't been able to do in 10+ years) and relax our minds. We then had the option of letting the Zen Master strike us 4 times with his wooden paddle, to aid in our quest to perfect concentration. In hindsight, we probably shouldn't have let this man practice his wood chopping techniques on our upper vertebrae, but it was all part of the experience.
After leaving the temple and walking back down the mountain, we were taken to another area to shop before dinner. Players and coaches bought more souvenirs for their families and sampled the Japanese's form of gelato. For dinner, many of us got to check another experience off of our bucket lists, as we dined at a traditional Japanese homestyle restaurant. This meal was a complete cultural experience, as we were shoeless, sitting on pillows on the floor, and cooking food ourselves in an Asian-spiced broth. After dinner, we got back to the hotel around 9pm, and many of us were asleep before our heads even touched our pillows.
On Wednesday, we began our day with a crisp practice in a beautiful Japanese stadium. The stadium had a turf-field, ample bleacher-style seating, and Van-Gogh-esque mountain backdrop. After practice, the players had some time to eat lunch on our own in the city of Kobe. We dined on authentic sushi, ramen, and rice dishes that would make even the most avid Panda Express fan smile. After meetings, film, and a little more free time, we got a chance to eat dinner with the KG players and explore with them. The KG players used their knowledge of the area and took us to local classics including Japanese bbq and hibachi restaurants. After dinner, many players retired back to the hotel for some much needed rest before another big day. We're halfway through the trip, and not even Gary has had enough yet! That's all for now, I'll post again soon.
The first few days of Princeton Football's journey to Japan have been exciting to say the least. The trip itself consisted of a thirteen-and-a-half hour flight from JFK to Tokyo, another hour connecting flight to Osaka, and a forty-five minute bus ride to our hotel in Kobe. Upon arrival to our hotel, many players were surprisingly eager to get out and explore the city. While the city of Kobe had a lot of culture to offer on the humid Sunday night, some of us preferred to take refuge under the familiar Golden Arches of a local McDonald's.
On our first full day in Japan, we proceeded to the Kwansei Gakuin University for a tour and practice. The campus scenery was reminiscent of many universities on the west coast of the United States. With the student body of KGU consisting of over 23,000 students, the campus had an array of different buildings and structures that would even make Princeton architecture majors take a moment to appreciate them and their majesty.
Due to the fact that the university was founded by Christian missionaries, the campus had many Christian structures as well. After a crisp practice in the KG stadium, we received a handsome greeting by the KG team at our welcome party. We got a chance to dine with the KG players at our respective positions, and learn about these players' different lifestyles.
Needless to say, these first few days have been fantastic. With 5 days to go, we're looking forward to more great food, culture, and incredible culmination in the Legacy Bowl on Saturday. That's all for now, be on the lookout for another post in a few days!
