We wrapped up a wonderful trip to Japan with the most exciting win of the series. Jose Reyes hit a game winning home run in the bottom of the 10th to secure the sweep. It was a well played game in which the Japanese rallied to tie the score in the top of the 9th inning before Reyes' home run. John Lackey pitched great again, followed by two clean innings by Chris Capuano and a scoreless eighth inning by fellow Padre Clay Hensley. Ryan Howard, to no surprise, was named the series MVP. Despite getting swept, the Japanese players were very talented and worthy competition. I was most impressed with their fierce determination and execution of the fundamentals of the game. Rarely was there a mental error made by a Japanese player, demonstrating their discipline, attention to detail, and overall knowledge of the game. In the end it seemed the power of the MLB hitters was the difference, although at no fault of the NPB pitchers. It's simply a testament to the ability of our hitters; I myself have given up plenty of home runs to the same guys that I cheered on in Japan!

Winning the series came in a distant second place to the overall cultural experience I received away from the field. I cannot offer enough gratitude for the Japanese people and their never ending hospitality. From the moment we arrived to the time we landed back in Chicago, we were treated like royalty by the Japanese people. Politeness, manners and respect are the norm, even in the huge city of Tokyo where space and privacy are non-existent. Furthermore, everything is extremely clean, a testament to the pride and respect the Japanese take in their county. The fans' generosity was appreciated and as I unpack from the trip, I marvel at the great souvenirs that I received from fans. I am extremely grateful to the country of Japan and their citizens for the incredible hospitality.

Playing against other teams during the MLB season affords brief encounters with opponents, but not the opportunity to know them on a personal level. I knew going into this trip that every player on the
team was an extremely talented baseball player and it was fun to watch each individual exhibit his talents. But the best part of getting to know the other MLB players was the humility and respect for the game that I saw from each teammate. There was great camaraderie and no individual player was competing for himself. It was a priority to win the series and, because it was such a good group of players with high character, we were able to accomplish the sweep. Finally, it was really neat to see the homecoming for Tadihito Iguchi and Kenji Johjima. Everywere we played they were the fan favorites, as the Japanese fans had great support for their national players competing in Major League Baseball. I hope it was as great an experience for them as it was for me. I'll never forget this wonderful trip and I hope that someday I will be fortunate to return to represent MLB again.

Chris Capuano, Doug Melvin and myself with Ambassador Sheiffer at the American Embassy in Tokyo.

Ryan Howard and myself at Sensojo Temple in Tokyo. The two of us stood out just a little bit in the crowded market, as you might be able to see from the people in the background.

A Japanese girl dressed up in Harajuku.

Joe Mauer cleaning his hands in accordance with Japanese customs at the Sensoju Temple. After cleaning your hands you are suppose to drink the water, which Joe decided not to do!

Joe Mauer, Lyle Overbay, Chase Utely, Brian Schneider, myself and Sarah Overbay on the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto.

Brian and Jordan Schneider and myself at the market near Sensoju Temple.

We just wrapped up Game 4 with a 7-2 win over the JapaneseAll-Stars. It was a great all-around effort, including two RBIs by Brian Schneider and Jose Reyes and home runs by David Wright and Ryan Howard. I started my second game of the trip and this one went better than the first. I was still a little rusty, but Schneider did a great job behind the plate calling pitches and keeping my focus. Sometimes it is a challenge pitching to a catcher for the first time, but he made things extremely comfortable. It’s great to have won the first four games and hopefully we can complete the sweep tomorrow night in Fukuoka.

Clockwise: Chase Utley, myself, Joe Mauer, Sarah and Lyle Overbay and Brian Schneider on the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto.

Yesterday was an eventful day traveling from Tokyo to Osaka. We departed Tokyo for Kyoto via the bullet train. In Kyoto we were treated to a great lunch, some shopping and a magnificent tour of the Golden Temple. The temple was incredible, as it is surrounded by water and truly plated in gold. It is at the base of a mountain and the weather was a little cooler than we were accustomed. It was rather refreshing.

A picture of me walking the streets in Japan.  As the cliché goes, I stand out like a sore thumb.

From Kyoto we bussed to Osaka, arriving around 7 p.m. For dinner Liz and I joined Lyle Overbay and his wife Sarah for a steak dinner at an Australian steakhouse. Although I have enjoyed the food in Japan, the dinner seemed like a familiar restaurant back home. After dinner we wondered the streets of Osaka trying to find a taxi. There seemed to be many lined up along the streets but none were for hire. In the end we walked back to the hotel, enjoying the cool, crisp fresh air and entertaining conversation. It was a perfect night to cap off a great day.

Right now we are on a train from Tokyo to Kyoto, where we will stop for atour before continuing on to Osaka. We are getting a glimpse of the countryside of Japan during the ride, which starkly contrasts to the condensed, urban life in Tokyo. There seems to be a lot of agriculture and farms and the land is very green and fertile. I look forward to getting a taste of Osaka and Fukuoka after such a great experience in Tokyo.

Chris Capuano, Ambassador Sheiffer, Doug Melvin and myself at the American Embassy in Tokyo.

Yesterday was perhaps the most eventful day yet for me in Japan. Our day started off with a visit to the residence of the United States Ambassador to Japan, Tom Schieffer. Ambassador Schieffer was a former owner of the Texas Rangers and an avid baseball fan and historian. He and his wife, Suzanne, gave us a wonderful tour of their property, which was the residence of General Macarthur immediately following the end of World War II. Perhaps the most impressive item on display in the house was a glove worn by Lou Gehrig during a professional baseball tour of Japan in 1934. The Ambassador then took us out for an old fashioned American meal of burgers, fries and shakes! It was a great educational experience to learn about the history of the United States and Japan.

A Japanese girl dressed up in Harajuku.

After lunch Liz and I ventured out to Harajuku, a trendy, young and fashionable area of Japan.  We had heard about the girls of Harajuku and their trendy fashion after seeing pictures and videos of them with Gwen Stefani. On Sundays the teenage girls flock to Harajuku in outrageous outfits and costumes, somewhat like an urban fashion show. The theme yesterday seemed to be Little Bo Peep, as many girls were dressed up in fluffy dresses, bonnets and pigtails. It was the most crowded place we have yet been in Japan.

After last night's game Mike Myers and his family invited us to a traditional Japanese restaurant for dinner. Also in attendance was NBP All-Star Kei Igawa and a translator. We spent the night discussing baseball and learning about the different methods of training and techniques between MLB and NPB.  Kei was very excited to hear about our experiences in MLB and also to hear our thoughts on the Japanese players. He is hoping to sign with a MLB team this winter. He said the power of the MLB team is the most impressive difference between the two teams. Although I am not normally too experimental when it comes to food, we followed Kei’s lead. Dinner items included lots of noodles, crab, chicken yakitori, fish, steak and octopus. It was a very memorable experience and I’m grateful to Kei and Mike for their inclusiveness and hospitality.

As for the game, it was a great 11-4 win. The usual suspects of Ryan Howard, Andruw Jones and Joe Mauer hit home runs and Erik Bedard pitched great to help us win. The first three games in Tokyo could not have gone better. It was so much fun to watch some of the best athletes in the world play at the top of their games. Hopefully we will continue our success, although the Japanese team will make it a very tough challenge.

I’m very thankful to Brian Schneider for allowing me to use his computer to download some pictures. I hope you enjoy them.

Saturday was another great day here in Tokyo. Today was the first organized sightseeing tour and it was very interesting. We started off at Asakusa Kannon, Tokyo's most famous temple. The legend has that two fisherman caught a golden statue of Kannon, a Buddhist goddess, from the river. A shrine was built in her honor and later a temple in AD 645. The architecture of the shrine was of more traditional Japanese style, as compared to the tall, modern skyscrapers that are prevalent in Tokyo. Thousands of Japanese aligned the streets and steps of the temple, gathering to pray. It was a funny sight to see a group of tall and strong MLB players towering over the friendly Japanese people. We got a lot of funny looks and giggles to say the least. From there we took a short boat trip down the Sumida River where we disembarked at Hamano-rikyu, known as Samurai Gardens. After a short stroll through the gardens we were treated to a traditional Japanese lunch consisting of different types of sushi.

Joe Mauer cleaning his hands in accordance with Japanese customs at the Sensoju Temple. After cleaning your hands, you are suppose to drink the water, which Joe decided not to do!

Standing in the Kannon temple gave me great appreciation for the history of Japan, which dates back much much longer than the United States. America seems like such a new country relative to the ancient history of other places like Japan. It was a wonderful experience to see a traditional, ancient part of Japanese religion and to understand how it impacts Japanese culture today.

As for baseball, we came away with another solid, but close win. The star of the day was Ryan Howard, who hit two of the most impressive home runs I have seen. The first was an opposite field line drive and the second was a moon shot to dead center field. The home runs came in his first two at bats of the game. When the Japanese pitcher walked him on four straight pitches in his third at bat the fans became very upset, voicing their displeasure at the pitcher. It was pretty cool to see the Japanese fans excitement over the home runs and how they wanted, and perhaps expected, a home run each of his following trips to the plate. Another bright moment occurred when Tadihito Iguchi smoked a double down the left field line to score two runs. I'm sure it was a great feeling for him to have success in front of his native fans. Lyle Overbay provided the finishing touches with a homerun in the top of the 9th to extend our lead and Brian Fuentes closed out the game to earn the save. The two games against NPB have both been extremely competitive and exciting, exactly what was expected of the series. Fortunately we have come out on the winning end both times.