grilled onigiri(英語テストVer)

On a business trip, a friend came up from Sapporo and we went out for yakiniku.
In Korea, the staff usually grill the meat for you. In Japan, they just bring the meat and you grill it yourself.
So I thought: if we grill the meat ourselves, why not the rice too?

・When you order rice, always ask the staff for some plastic wrap.
・Shape the rice into a ball yourself, add a bit of seasoning, and place it on the grill.

That’s how you get a charcoal-grilled onigiri (焼きおにぎり).
There’s nothing more luxurious and delicious, and it’s cheap too.
At first everyone looks puzzled, but one bite changes everything.
The outside turns crispy, the inside stays soft and a little sweet. With the meat, it’s perfect.
Definitely give it a try!

I thought I had thrown away all the old car magazines where I’d once appeared, but by chance, another one turned up.
This was 19 years ago.
The two guys at the top? They’re still active today, performing at the top level in Japan and internationally.
The guy in the third row? That was me. I couldn’t keep up, declared myself beaten, and pulled out.
And this time, I ended up eating yakiniku with Hojo, the guy in the bottom row.

He retired two years ago and became just an ordinary man. I knew of him, but we had never spoken before.

After I pulled out of the All Japan Championship, he started competing and kept at it for about fifteen years.
The result? Eight All Japan Championship titles, including six in a row.
Honestly, I knew he had done well, but not to that extent.
The mindset of someone who consistently wins really is different. Every word he said hit home.

We shared stories that had been “off-limits at the time,” things we couldn’t talk about back then.
We promised each other we’d start living more seriously and prepare for our old age.
The problem is… I’m already old. That’s awkward (laughs).
Still, sitting down and talking with him like that turned out to be a valuable lesson.
The fact that he chose me as the first person to celebrate his retirement with—an honor, honestly.

And then back to everyday life: working seriously on making a kitchen.
The COMO sink has gotten ridiculously expensive, so I went with a nice stainless steel sink instead.
As expected, a sink made by a traditional manufacturer has beautifully detailed finishes, and I really like it.

In the evening, I started watching “Ie uru onna” (家を売るオンナ, The Woman Who Sells Houses) on Hulu.
No matter how many times I watch it, it’s still hilarious.
And Keiko Kitagawa at 30 years old… stunningly beautiful, almost unfair.
In the show, she looks cold, but in reality she sees straight into people’s hearts and sells with precision.
It’s not just a drama, it’s a lesson in business.

In any industry, those who can truly sell always have both “brilliance (華)” and “passion (熱).”
It’s not about titles or diplomas.
The same goes for sports.
Hojo’s story reminded me: behind skill and results, there has always been that brilliance and passion.

And me? I realized I can’t let my own flame go out just yet.
A simple grilled rice ball, a talk with Hojo, and a TV drama were enough to straighten my back and remind me why I keep moving forward, even in old age.