Weather Update

We are well into the second round and it is currently 4 PM. Off in the valley, the sky is full of resounding thunder with distant flashes of lightning. The winds have picked up and it remains to be seen if it will move in close enough to affect the remainder of the round.

Hero Motorbike

These Hero motorbikes have been a great topic of conversation since we arrived in Nasu.

KEEN-Japan

KEEN Shoes of Japan is onsite with a slick display of the latest cool footwear. KEEN Japan is also supplying each competitor with a pair of Obsidian shoes as part of the players package.

David Munk of KEEN USA is also here as a KEEN representative and as a competitor in this years tournament.

Val Jenkins Between Rounds

Valarie Jenkins practices putting between rounds on Thursday. Val is the leader in the womens group. 3 strokes ahead of Mayu Nanaka of Japan after the first round.

Kick Off Round 1

The weather is partly cloudy with temperatures in high 60’s to kick off the first round. Pool “A” started at 8:30 AM on the Raijin course and Pool “B” followed 1 hour later at 9:30 AM on the Fujin course.

Suzette Simons addressed the players this morning before the carts started to roll out. Another format change this year includes a “Shotgun” start.

Top Scores Rnd 1

Updated Scores

Warm-up for Round 1

Dave Dunipace (left) of Innova Champion Discs, gives putting tips to Manabu Kajiyama (right)of Japan prior to the first round on Thursday morning.

Young Competitor

Inoue Daichi of Japan is the youngest competitor in this event. Inoue is 13 years old and is also the overall Japan National Amateur Champion.

Wednesday Wrap Up

As the final groups of players and international staff arrive in Nasu Shiobara from Narita Airport, the energy that is the Japan Open has definitely begun to take hold. With an amazing influx of talent from across the globe, it is now obvious that we are all prepared for something completely awesome.

With practice rounds coming to a close on Wednesday afternoon, and most of our guests breaking free from the inevitable jet lag, word of the opening ceremony was passing fast throughout the players cottages. One of the coolest parts of the Towa Pure Cottage property is the ability to talk from balcony to balcony without having to physically walk over. Its really cool when you here the different languages ring through the pine forest. You can almost guess what each party is talking about without understanding the actual conversation.

After a few more of the JO veterans gave testimony to the healing powers of the ohnsen (Japanese bath), it wasn’t long until the word was out to the newbies that they should dawn their comfy TOWA bathrobes and sandals and follow suit.

One things is for sure here in Japan, and that is the perpetual motion of the Hero Disc staff. Some of the most elegant methods of presentation are visible at the larger-than-life clubhouse of Nasu Highlands. The Hero Disc tournament store fills the entire front lobby and continues down the grand hallway towards the clubhouse restaurant which looks out over the finishing holes of the lower “Raijin” course.
Now that everyone had begun to meander down to the Nasu Amusement Park for the Official start of this years’ JO, the sun was piercing through the trees in an almost surreal fashion, illuminating the endless variety of trees and shrubs that were meticulously groomed along the many winding paths throughout the property.

The Hero staff was hard at work, but with an eager bounce in their step while preparing the stage and all of its program elements for this long-awaited ceremony. Some of the more prominent “actors” of this week’s production are the fleet of multi-purpose, automated vehicles that have been custom-designed for Herodisc events. These bad boys are straight out of the “Transformer” movies with their mechanized doors opening to unveil the 2010 players packs and a full-size stage and sound system. In its final move, a roof appears exposing a backdrop of Hero orange with a giant Airman icon towering overhead.

Opening Ceremonies

The weather on Wednesday provided ideal conditions to get the last practice rounds in. At the end of the perfect day, the opening ceremonies kicked off at 6:30 PM to mark the official beginning of the 2010 Japan Open. The musical group “Medetia” opened the evening with an incredible drumming performance.

Then International Tournament Director, Sam Ferrans opened the evening with welcoming words and introduced the executive producer of the Japan Open, Mr. Kozo Shimbo.

Following Mr. Shimbo, Crazy John Brooks took the stage as Master of Ceremonies to recognize all of the sponsors and to specifically thank Hero Disc and Innova Champion for their roles as presenting sponsors. Also, Brian Graham of the PDGA took a few minutes to thank Hero Discs, the JO staff, and the players.


The attendees were then treated to a buffet style dinner, that included many items, from fresh sushi, grilled eel kabobs, and a rotisserie beef roast that was delectable. Many sides and salad accompanied the fare to round out the meal and warm the hearts of all.


After dinner, Sam Ferrans lead the ceremonial toast and the unveiling of the players packages. As the side panels of the Hero truck slowly opened there was a barrage of cameras front and center to capture the moment.

In majestic fashion, a unit of Shogun carried the flags through the center of the crowd towards the stage as Sam introduced all of the participating countries.

After the closing words, folks were welcomed to stop by Joe’s Bar at the patio compound of the Towa Pure Cottages.

Valarie Jenkins and Nate Doss Prepare Together; but for the Japan Open, They Share Separate Experiences

Valarie Jenkins and Nate Doss Prepare Together; but for the Japan Open, They Share Separate Experiences

These days on the disc golf course, it is not uncommon to find Valarie Jenkins and Nate Doss within shouting distance of each other. Both are traveling, playing, and enjoying life together. Both have reached the highest levels of accomplishment in our sport. And both are in a great space with their lives, adopting a healthy perspective of where disc golf currently fits into there lives, as well as understanding the broader scope of where they want to go with our sport.

“We want to win, but it is not the be-all, end-all now,” explains Nate Doss, with Valarie nodding in agreement next to him. “For us, we want to put on a good show for the fans. That is really our goal when we play.”

This admission may surprise some who stand in awe at the talent these two possess. They share five PDGA World Championships, a United States Disc Golf Championship title, and multiple Player of the Year awards, so their competitive spirit is undeniable.

And yet, both Jenkins and Doss have matured enough on and off the course to understand the role they play as growing icons in disc golf.

“In the US, fans will approach us at any time to get an autograph or talk to us about disc golf,” Jenkins said. “I mean they come up to us before, during, and after we are playing. But here in Japan, the fans and staff know why we are here. They tend not to be as up-close, respecting our time and knowing why we are here.”

For the 2010 Japan Open, Jenkins and Doss are both clearly here to win. And despite their stated mission to entertain the fans, both have adopted pre-Japan Open preparations bear their desire to win.

“The biggest key to winning this Japan Open will be endurance,” Jenkins says with the glowing smile that the disc golf world has become accustomed to. “The courses can be overwhelming, but with the 18-hole formats now, even if we come apart a little during a round, we will have a chance to come back and regroup before the next round.”

The 2010 Japan Open has adopted a new format, constructing two 18-hole courses at the magnificent Nasu Highlands Golf Club, instead of the one 27-hole layout used previously. And with two rounds of golf on both Thursday and Friday, as well as another 18-hole semi-final on Saturday morning, endurance will certainly be the over-riding factor throughout the 90-holes each player will traverse on this rugged course layout.

But for Jenkins and Doss, extra planning has clearly gone into their preparations for achieving the coveted Japan Open men’s and women’s titles.

“We are on Japan time now,” Doss said. “We got here last week and are now through those early mixed up days of sleep that everyone goes through when they come here. This is my fourth time in Japan, and I feel as prepared as ever for this one.”

For most of the guests of Hero Disc and Innova Champion, winning the Japan Open is not something they realistically set their sites on. With just a men’s and women’s open division, players with a wide range of skills are all on the course together comparing their scores against the best in the world.

But for Doss and Jenkins, the experience of winning this event is not a shared one. Valarie is the two-time defending champion of the Japan Open, while Doss has yet to win in Nasu Shiobara. Both do share the same perspective of what a Japan Open title means to our top players, however.

“This trip is actually two experiences,” Jenkins explained. “There’s all the cultural stuff and ceremonies, but eventually we settle into a disc golf tournament. The Japan Open is so special because of all the hard work the Hero staff puts into this event, but winning the Japan Open is a different honor.”

Unlike many of the disc golf tournaments conducted in the United States, winning the Japan Open is a special honor to the Japanese people themselves. Additionally, when you win this PDGA Major, you are the champion for two years, while in the states there seems to be a perpetual flow of events that have players competing week-in and week-out for championships.

“When you win the Japan Open, you instantly become a national hero,” Doss said with a look indicating he would welcome that honor.

For Jenkins, however, the Japan Open title is an honor that she has experienced, and one that she will try again to earn.

For both of them, though, winning the 2010 Japan Open is an experience that they seemed prepared to accomplish. And then they could each enjoy sharing in that honor over the next two years…with each other.

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Custom Target Band Covering

You have to see these new target bands in person to really appreciate how stunning they are.

Pro Shop

The Pro Shop for the 2010 event is setup in the lobby and main hallway of the clubhouse. There are many items to peruse and several new items made it onto the shelves and racks this year. There are new 2010 coffee mugs, new golf towels that are at least a yard long, Kouji Tatano’s bronze sculptures, to name a few. There is a plethora of apparel items and plenty of golf discs to go around. Many items are also available online at herodiscusa.com or herodisc.com

Kouji Tatano Bronze Sculptures

One of the unique items in the pro shop this year are the miniature bronze sculptures from Kouji Tatano. Kouji also has produced the famous J-Dye discs featured in previous years here. There are a number of disc golf related poses and themes available. Each depicted player is mounted on stained glass and affixed to a beautifully finished wooden base. These are striking pieces of art.

JO Fellowship

It is no secret that the over 100 international players that have now arrived here at Nasu Highlands mean business. And the business is FUN! Some of this years attendees planned early and came to Japan as early as June 1st. Whether for practice and preparation, or for a chance to soak up more of what they missed in a previous visit, there is an abundant positive energy buzzing through the pines here at the Towa Pure Cottages. The last game of catch ended around 1:30 AM last night, and the arrival party which met each shuttle bus of players from Narita was the perfect match to light the fires of fellowship that will burn for a lifetime here in Nasu, Tochigi, Japan.

With record attendance as the main buzz here thus far, and the Asahi Super Dry sponsorship, the stars of the sport have assembled here in this fantastical hideaway at the base of Mount Chausu, Tochigi prefectures only active volcano. Arriving to 10 foot tall banners of HERO Disc orange waving in the streets just before midnight, and a welcoming committee of staffers here at Towa Pure Cottages, there is no doubt that the festivities had officially begun with a bang for this years event.

As you check in to your cottage, or disc golf mansion as we like to refer to them, you are immediately taken by the many personalized signs of preparation for your arrival. Custom welcome notes and a welcome package. with a warm box of mixed sandwiches and locally prepared chicken snacks. Hero Disc signage is everywhere giving an immense personal touch to the many travelers as they roll in group after group, nation after nation. There are a number of conversations going on simultaneously in the forest that some 70 different cottages sit and serve as home to players for their weeks stay.

Waking up on Tuesday morning was really a shocker when you still think its Monday and youre willing to argue with someone that LIVES here about the date. Just taking a chair on your porch will alert you to a variety of languages and laughter that rings through the trees as players mingle throughout the day coming and going at their leisure which is a prime goal of Hero Discs event design.

You might be tempted to stop by the “ohnsen” or traditional Japanese spa/bath at any time during the day. The lobby is available for assistance 24 hours a day as you could find yourself wandering up to the towa welcome house and request an appointment with the healing waters. Your taste buds can have a tough time with the word “favorite” and “best ever” if you’re not careful, as the foods and colors and methods of presentation here can put you in a spin during any meal.

Its after dinner now and the sounds and sights take on a totally different meaning. The voices are louder and more sincere. The sights are humbling as you watch history place its hand on each and every shoulder in the field. As we welcome the final super-shuttle from Narita at midnight tonight, I can guarantee you this. I have heard it more than a dozen times today alone. “I am so glad I came here this year… p.s. I was the first on the list.
One more thing… The masterminds at Hero Disc and Innova made a bold and quite remarkable move in the 90’s. It is apparent now that the move to 150 class discs has left a permanent mark on the pro end of the game. By incorporating the 150 class element, the players have now not only embraced the concept with open arms, but its obvious that the JO veterans (and other 150 class events and lifestyles) have now raised the level of proficiency throughout the field. Playing with 150 class plastic has improved the overall experience for so many of our current and returning guests. That’s right! less is MORE for some.

It’s a good idea to push yourself towards an early bedtime your second and third nights here by most’s experience, so I will part with a word about travel. It has been my experience that Frisbee players are most available to “breakthrough” when there is an element of unfamiliarity. This is a major factor here at the Nasu Highlands every two years. The contest is now to prove to most that the most fun really does win. With all in consideration, the best is yet to come. If you are not in Japan right now and reading this entry, please remember one thing… there will ALWAYS be a place here for you, no matter where you come from, what hand you throw with, what language you speak, what your background is and so forth. If you want a “breakthrough” experience that IS actually cost-effective and guaranteed to please… then come to the land of the rising sun for one of professional sports’ greatest entities. The Japan Open Disc Golf tournament.
Signing off by the light of my last Asahi Super Dry, I wish you all a good night and a terrific day tomorrow of sport, spirit and spectacular spontaneity. O yasu mi nasai. (good night).

Wednesday Afternoon Weather Update

Here at the Nasu Highlands Golf Club, there are steady moderate winds coming from the east. The wind is picking up and the heavier gusts are challenging. Sunny day with tempuratures in the low 70’s Fahrenheit.

These conditions are perfect for the practice rounds taking place today. With players facing 36 holes per day, folks are pining for this weather to continue during the tournament rounds, which start tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM.

Japan Open Provides Unique Approach to Event Production

After traveling for 24 hours, over nearly 8000 miles, and across 13 time zones, one would expect to feel painfully exhausted, unable to think straight, and wondering whether the journey half-way across the world is worth it when they arrival at the Towa Pure Cottages in Tochigi prefecture .

Yet when the bus finally winds its way down the drive to this mountain spa at the end of a four-hour shuttle from Narita airport, all doubt is quickly whisked away by the enthusiastic welcoming committee who are waving flags, singing songs, and smiling widely, as their guests arrive to begin an experience that the staff has been planning and preparing for months.

It’s midnight in the remote mountain hide-away of Nasu Shiobara, but at that moment of arrival, the feeling grips you like when first opening your eyes on a sunny morning after a great night’s sleep. Your senses awaken and stand on high alert for whatever the Hero Disc and Innova event team has in store for their guests at the most desirable destination in the disc golf universe…the Japan Open.

This 2010 edition of the Japan Open will somehow find a way to elevate the experience from the seemingly insurmountable expectations of the disc golfers that resulted from a stellar execution of the 2008 production. And yet, the secret to the Japan Open’s success, not as a tournament–this major remains one of the most coveted prizes in all of disc golf–but as an experience, rests with the unique philosophy and approach that has been adopted over the years by Executive Director Kozo Shimbo and International Director Sam Ferrans.

Armed with the wisdom of nearly three decades of producing this PDGA Major, our hosts seek not to entertain us, but to inspire us. They do not try to guarantee a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but rather they seek to provide a potent pallet of possibilities from which each one of their nearly 200 guests can paint their own individual and unforgettable memories. This Zen-like approach to event production is as refreshing, as it is risky.

Putting the onus on the disc golf community in any regard is a leap of faith that can often go fulfilled, but more often results in frazzled fits and starts. The Japan Open willingly surrenders their responsibility for fulfilling their guest’s expectations, knowing from their long history and intuition that the wide-ranging preferences, cultures, and expectations presents a challenge that can, at times, be ominous. The event crew is keenly aware of this challenge, and, while they strive to please all their guests, they know better that perfection is unattainable.

From this simple, but profound, realization rises the humble mission of the Japan Open to at least provide a map from which each guest can wend their own path through the entire week of Japan Open festivities. Indeed, the responsibility of creating the unique experience lies with the guest themselves, not with the event organizers. Tacitly, we all know this. It is never stated, but it is understood.

Like the Taiko drums that set forth the mood with distinct rhythms and timbre only to be absorbed and interpreted through the personal prism of each one’s immediate state of mind, so too does the Japan Open set the stage for a disc golf experience that becomes ingrained and personal to all who participate in it. To a person, the Japan Open is described in nothing but superlatives. But for a full appreciation of why this PDGA Major event beckons disc golfers from around the globe, one must paint from the Japan Open pallet themselves after traveling the miles and cutting across the time zones. This is a dream trip that only our Far Eastern friends can provide.

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2010 Japan Open Set to Take Center Stage

For the nearly two hundred players, volunteers, and fans traveling to the majestic Nasu Highlands Golf Club in Tochigi prefecture Japan, their bags are packed, their 150-class discs are chosen, and their hopes are high for one of the most renowned disc golf tournaments held in our sport. The 2010 Japan Open is once again poised to take center stage in the disc golf community, as an international contingent of players from North America, Europe and Asia converge on the island nation to enjoy the top-shelf amenities offered by their hosts, Hero Disc and Innova Champion.

Hall-of-Famers Kozo Shimbo and Sam Ferrans have been working diligently to provide a potent pallet of possibilities for their guests to create their own personal, once-in-a-lifetime experience in the mythic mountains of Nasu Shiobara. The competition will feature many of the most familiar names in the disc golf universe; defending Japan Open Champion, David Feldberg, reigning PDGA World Champions Avery and Valarie Jenkins, “The Champ” Ken Climo, as well as Des and Jay Reading, Nate Doss and a host of talented others who punctuate the line up of over 120 registered disc golfers.

While this competition will surely raise the excitement level in Japan, it is the cultural exchange that provides the lasting impressions to all who visit this mountain resort, that is also frequented by the likes of the Emperor of Japan, high level executives from Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic, and others. The Nasu Highlands Golf Club is a treat for our disc golf community, as the Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed course provides an incredible tableau upon which Japan Open course designers have constructed two championship 18-hole courses with a combined distance of over 15,700 feet.

Sanctioned as a “150-class” PDGA Major, players can thrown only discs that weigh-in at less than 159.9 grams. This is a legacy from where the event originated in the highly populated Tokyo city park courses three decades ago. This lighter class of discs requires a steep learning curve for our players under the best conditions, but can also be a huge liability with the winds that are known to course down the Nasu Highlands mountainside during this beginning of the annual rainy season in Japan.

Regardless of the challenges, the weather, or the competitive dynamics of the 2010 Japan Open, all who may the pilgrimage to this incredible event will bring home with them a disc golf experience like no other. You can follow much of the action through a wide variety of media efforts found on http://www.japanopen.org throughout the event.

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Course Map

2010 Japan Open Pay Out Schedule Posted

This year the Japan Open will being paying out the top 50 Open Division spots, and the top 10 Women’s Open Division spots.

Click here to go to Japanopen.info