Section 9: The Match Against Kataller Toyama. From the Girl Who Cried Over Firefly Squid to Becoming a Big Sister

For J.League supporters, away trips have a special resonance.

Win and it's heaven, lose and it's hell. We travel hundreds of kilometers for those 90 minutes.

However, away trips for supporters with children have another side to them.

It is a time to watch our children grow and change from the closest vantage point.

The setting this time was Toyama, a city we were visiting for the first time.

It was the last day of Haru-chan being four years old, with her fifth birthday just the next day.

It wasn't just about going to watch a soccer match.

I want to record what she felt in this city and how she took a step up the ladder toward becoming a 'big sister'.

I would like to leave a true-to-life record of the gentle scenery of Toyama and the 'best stadium culture' we discovered on our away trip.

The joy of making something for someone else, experienced in the city of Takaoka

The first place we headed to was Takaoka, known as a city of metal casting.

We decided to try our hand at casting at 'Otera Kohachiro Shoten,' located in a corner of the town that still retains its traditional streetscape dating back to the Edo period.

For a girl about to turn five, even if she didn't understand what casting was, the idea of making accessories was enough to get her excited. But what Haru-chan chose wasn't a cute ring or necklace, but a rugged keychain.

When I asked her, 'Why did you choose that?'

'Because I want to put it on Mom's keys'

was the answer that came back immediately.

Not for herself, but for her mom who was staying behind.

That alone made me feel, as her dad, that coming to Toyama was worth it. I thought to myself, she is growing up to be such a thoughtful child.

The person who taught us how to make it was a very gentle grandmotherly teacher who said she had a grandchild about the same age as Haru-chan.

Taking molds with large machines and hammering together. Her eyes were completely serious as she handled real tools that she would never encounter at nursery school.

When she finished her one-of-a-kind keychain, adorned with beads she had carefully selected after much deliberation, her face beamed with the pride of accomplishment.

After that, we passed through the town where the Doraemon Tram runs and headed to Takaoka Otogi-no-Mori Park.

Watching her jump into the world of Doraemon at this park and talk to each of the characters, I felt like she taught me the pure heart for enjoying stories that adults often forget. It doesn't matter why there is a vacant lot here. The power to believe in the world that exists right there made her shine.

A dream-like playground found in Himi

Our next destination was the neighboring town of Himi.

Even though she had played to her heart's content at the park, a child's energy is bottomless. Seeing that she still wanted to play, we made a last-minute change to our plans and stopped by the Himi Seaside Botanical Garden.

However, we stopped in our tracks at the entrance. There was a sign that read:

“The current Himi Seaside Botanical Garden has many play areas for children. *Please understand this before entering.”

For a child, it's a dream-like announcement, but for the parents who have to play along, it's a kind of terrifying warning (laughs).

The sign did not lie; the park was filled with net play equipment, a zip line, and wooden electric trains—it was more like a playground with some plants inside. Haru-chan literally played until the sun went down.

Completely famished, we went to Himi Kitokito Sushi for dinner.

I asked the staff, 'What does kitokito mean?' and learned that it is Toyama dialect for 'fresh'.

She learned it for herself and stuffed her cheeks with real salmon roe and salmon.

Including the trout sushi and Himi udon we had at the hotel the next morning, Toyama's food had the power to firmly capture even the heart of a child who tends to be a picky eater.

The final trial of her fourth year, welcomed in Namerikawa

And so, the second day of our expedition arrived.

The biggest highlight of this trip took place before the soccer match, when we visited the Firefly Squid Museum in Namerikawa.

Haru-chan's eyes were sparkling at the magical light show of the firefly squid, which can only be seen during this season, but the greatest trial was waiting for her: the touch pool where you can interact directly with live firefly squid.

"I-it's scary..."

Haru-chan, who had been so confident until then, started to back away with a face that looked like she was about to cry.

Even if they were small firefly squid to an adult, to her, they must have been unknown, terrifying creatures. Seeing her stubbornly refuse, saying "I'm absolutely not doing it!", I almost gave up.

Our family's policy is "Don't force them. But, let them have a successful experience once they are convinced themselves."

From there, a long, long dialogue between father and daughter began.

"I'll touch it to show you. See, it doesn't hurt. Do you want to try bringing your finger a little closer?"

"No! It's scary!"

Time passed with us at a stalemate. However, at a sudden moment, she said,

"If I can touch this, can I become a big sister?"

She was about to turn five the next day.

It was the moment I saw her own resolve to finish being four and become a new version of herself.

"Of course. If you can touch a firefly squid, you'll be a fine five-year-old big sister."

Thinking about it now, it was just random encouragement with no basis (laughs), but those words pushed her forward.

The moment she gathered her courage and gently touched it with her fingertip.

The moment fear turned into joy, her face was overflowing with confidence as she said, "I did it!"

After leaving the museum, I don't think I will ever forget her profile as she pointed at the beautiful Toyama Bay and told me in a lively voice, "It came from over there, right!"

The Ideal Stadium Culture I Witnessed at Kataller Toyama's Prefectural Stadium

And finally, we arrived at the battlefield: Toyama Athletic Stadium.

The scene I saw there left a deep impression on me, not just as a J.League fan, but even more so as a parent.

The spacious park was filled with supporters wearing Kataller Toyama's blue uniforms.

Right nearby, there was huge playground equipment where children were playing with enthusiasm, and on the well-maintained lawn, children were chasing balls while their parents watched over them warmly during a picnic.

I could feel firsthand that soccer was not just for a handful of passionate fans, but was rooted in this city as a part of everyday life.

The stadium food was excellent (Haru-chan had her usual shaved ice...), and the hospitality of the staff, who greeted us kindly wherever we went, was wonderful.

And even behind the visitor's goal for Nara Club, the Nara Club supporters, who were sitting leisurely away from the crowd so as not to disturb the cheering, kindly spoke to us as well. They even shared some treats with my daughter, and thanks to everyone, I truly feel that her sense of consideration for others is being nurtured. Thank you all.

The match ended in a disappointing 2-5 result. The three goals conceded early on had a major impact, and although there was a moment where we looked like we might close the gap, it was a very tough defeat for Nara Club.

Even so, here in Toyama, there was not a hint of the sharpness often associated with the word 'away'; instead, there was a warm space filled with people who truly love 'a daily life with soccer'.

A city where children can enjoy themselves is a city where parents can be happy too

Looking back on this Toyama expedition, what stayed in my heart was the inclusiveness of the city of Toyama.

Takaoka, Himi, Namerikawa, and the stadium.

Wherever we went, there was a foundation that valued 'ensuring children can enjoy themselves with peace of mind'.

Seeing children smile is the greatest happiness for a parent.

Perhaps it was because of that sense of security that Haru-chan was able to overcome the final trial of her four-year-old life on her own.

To everyone in Toyama and all the Kataller Toyama supporters,
and to all the Nara Club supporters who fought alongside us,

thank you for the wonderful time.

I hope to return to this beautiful city again, having risen to the same category, bringing my daughter who will have grown a little more.