Yes, I’m a proud wearer of “dad shoes.” And I’m not even a dad🤣

Definition: The term dad shoes refers to a type of sneaker that prioritizes comfort, durability, and function over sleek, modern aesthetics. I would even suggest that “dad shoes” specifically pertains to New Balance sneakers in the Castlerock Gray colorway.

I have to mention that I got my 574s long before Shohei Ohtani signed his big endorsement contract. New Balance fit my feet best and provided me with the most comfort. I must admit however, that Steve Jobs rocked NB before I even knew…

My very first pair was the (Made in USA) 990v4. I had just moved to Kaka’ako and enjoyed taking afternoon strolls along Ala Moana Beach. I also enjoyed exploring Chinatown on weekends. A great pair of kicks!

But I recently picked up NB’s max-cushion trainer, the 1080v14. My goal is to run (actually walk) the 10k portion at the next Honolulu Marathon. Although serious runners rock these types of shoes, I kinda look like a senior citizen with foot disorders in them🤣

Finally, I got these 327s for travel since you can really rack up miles on the streets and in the train stations of Tōkyō. This pair wouldn’t be considered “dad shoes” since they are a touch more fashionable. But they have now become my everyday sneakers as I will be wearing my 996s on my next trip in April🌸

Dad shoes yes, but please don’t call me Otōsan🤣

Blessed to have gone to Tōkyō for Fall Break. This trip felt different in that I had more meetups than usual, but that’s a good thing! Got to spend precious time with people who mean so much to me❣️

There was a typhoon nearby, but the weather held up. The yen rate was ￥150 per dollar. I got to try Jiro-kei and Ie-kei ラーメン for the first time🍜 I also got to explore new places and ate new things. Of course, the highlight (as always) was the people and the relationships. So looking forward to the next one…

Shohei fan here. And this is my very favorite Shohei Ohtani baseball card (he has tons!) I was in Japan during the Tokyo Series and got to experience a bit of that energy. This card is part of that memory.

“Small kid time,” my favorite players were Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. Now as an “old fart,” it’s been Shohei. Part of the affinity is that I’ve been studying Japanese language & culture for more than 5 years now. And Shohei is a national hero. But this blog post is not as much about him as it is about me being a fan.

Shohei started out with the Angels in 2018 as a two-way player, billed as the “Babe Ruth of Japan.” Yup, I was an Angels fan for 6 painful years😖 Nope, never finished reading this book🤣

2nd fave card. 2018 Topps Heritage pays homage to the 1969 set. I’ve been (hardly) working on completing a ‘69 set for over 25 years now🤣 Aging myself, but these are the very first bubblegum cards that I ever bought as a little kid. Simple, clean, nostalgic…

If you remember, Shohei donated gloves to every elementary school in Japan back in 2023. I was actually able to play catch with his glove at Keio Yochisha Elementary in Tokyo last November. The principal was kind enough to bring them out to the playground. Hopefully he got ‘um all back🤣

Only regained interest in the hobby after Shohei joined the Dodgers. Now collecting his Topps base card each year. Fun and inexpensive (except for his rookie…)

Got his first Topps Dodger card from a garage sale thanks to my sis. It’s these stories that make collecting fun & meaningful.

And no collection would be complete without his Japanese cards. These are his 2014 Calbee & 2017 BBM base cards.

Last season he became the first 50/50 player and reached superstardom. (If your face is on ITO EN, you’ve made it!) This is what I was drinking in Japan back in March🇯🇵

This is his 1st Dodger Stadium bobblehead giveaway from last May. I’ve been waiting for almost a year to find a good deal on eBay. Snatched it!

Finally… Never thought I’d be “that guy” to ever wear some other dude’s name on the back of a jersey.

I am him😬

Our Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus had a Japan trip scheduled back in 2020. Unfortunately, COVID happened. Five years later, we were blessed to go and share the gift of aloha through music🎵

I went as a chaperone for a group of 5th grade boys and as a co-emcee (日本語 translation.) A highlight was visiting the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima. Grateful for the blessing🙏

I had the privilege of accompanying Kaʻāmauloa Pathway’s visit to Keio University & Affiliate Schools on November 19th-20th. The purpose of the visit was to establish an exchange program based on the SDGs. My role was as a guide / “interpreter” / video documenter.

It was a whirlwind 2-day business trip, but we had an amazing time visiting with the students, teachers, and administrators. We went to Keio Yochisha Elementary, Keio Chutobu Junior High School, Keio Girls High School, and the Keio University Mita Campus.

The visit was a huge success, and I’m looking forward to the future & potential of this collaboration. お疲れさまでした。