Yumi Toda @ Pupukea….

hey, wanted to thank everybody for sending me emails about this mystery photo. i must have gotten 12 emails with everybody saying the same thing so it must be right. the minshiku i stayed at is called Yoshino. is it still there??? and the mystery girl that was so kind to me is japanese amateur champion Takako Yamamoto. she lives in yoshihama, yes the same place as shun and ryota. and they all know each other. wow!!! i bet she doesn’t remember me because 21 years ago, i looked like a scary skinny chinese boy with a mustache. and i ain’t joking….
but thank you all again for the emails. finally i feel like i can close that lost chapter in my book. next time i go to yoshihama, i will thank Takako Yamamoto personally. it was her along with the many of kind japanese i met in 1990 that made me decide to pursue a career there. 21 years later, that’s what i’m doing and i’m never giving up….[:?????§???:]

wow, i just got this email from shin-san. he use to work at the minshuku Yoshino. that’s him on the left, and the Yoshino obachan on the right. what a small world… i can’t believe how my blog helps me find out so many answers to my many questions. i can’t be a happier man….

i’m still buzzing off yesterday’s ehukai session. jim russi who lives right in front told me it was the best day of the year. i’m glad i didn’t miss it…..

ryota took off on a 4′ closeout left, bottom turned, and as i thought he was going to pull out the back, he hit the lip hard and did one of the best turns i’ve seen in a long time. that photo is another cover shot story. stay tuned….

gosh, can somebody please tell me this girls name. 16 year old bodyboard grand champion. this girl is good. the photo before this one is amazing. a spread in the vol. 5 go-naminori web magazine? i think so…

before, i knew each and every japanese bodyboarders name. now, there are so many new faces that i’m lost. who’s who? i don’t know. i better start remembering because it’s my job. this girl took off and pulled into the barrel of the day. the japanese are charging hard these days and i’m stoked to see that. bb special on go-naminori coming soon….