The team left Kashima in the morning and arrived at Shizuoka J-STEP, the camp location, by bus. It rained continuously from Kashima to Shizuoka.
Upon arrival, a welcome ceremony was held at J-STEP, and we received a welcome address from Chairman Kobayashi of the Shizuoka City Urban Development Public Corporation. Local products were also donated, including Shizuoka's specialty Shizuoka tea, Shizuoka-grown "Red Ore" tomatoes, Fujinokuni pork, a bounty of Sakura shrimp from Suruga Bay, and edamame from Miho-Komagoe. Uchida, Ito, Kawamata, and Inukai, all from Shizuoka, received these gifts on behalf of the team.
A bouquet was presented to Coach Oiwa, who said, "To claim four titles—the ACL, J.League, Levain Cup, and Emperor's Cup—in the second half of the season, we want to make the most of this week. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated."
Due to traffic, our arrival was delayed, and the practice started 30 minutes later, at 4 PM. After running in the rain, we did some rubber-band training in the stands. The spectators, excited to see the players up close, created a small buzz.
We returned to the field for pass and control drills and ball possession exercises. Finally, the team split into three groups for a mini-game using cones as goals, concluding the first day's practice. The players were drenched in sweat and rain. Immediately after returning to the accommodation, the rain intensified.
Kento Misao:
"To make a comeback after the break, we'll use this interval to play games that make everyone want to cheer us on. Please look forward to it."