The Japanese word "ikigai" literally means "reason to live." If you are a professional athlete, it is to be hoped that the sport you play is your ikigai, for the sustainability of both your career and your happiness. On Monday, September 16, many of Japan's top table tennis players were reunited with their passionately pursued professions at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo. The occasion was an exhibition of, by and for the T. League, Japan's elite professional table tennis league founded two years ago. At the special one-day friendly tournament, Japanese national team members took on the T. League all-stars. Next, there was a battle of the sexes between national teammates such as Tomokazu Harimoto and Kasumi Ishikawa (pictured). No fans were in attendance, instead watching from the safety and comfort of their own homes on TV and the internet. Everyone who set foot inside the gymnasium was required to take a COVID-19 antigen test. Luckily, all tested negative. T. League representative Yoshihito Miyazaki explained that the event was made possible through strict adherence to pandemic protocols. "While the coronavirus is still spreading, we don’t have to be too afraid of it and gained confidence through the event tonight," said Miyazaki. For Japan's wunderkind, Tomokazu Harimoto, the return to action was more a test of confidence than of his undeniable skill. "It was my first match in half a year and I was nervous from start to finish," confessed the 17-year-old whose #4 world ranking has been fossilized since the suspension of play in March. "In practice everyone hits everything hard but it doesn't work that way in matches," elaborated Tomokazu. "It's comforting to be able to hit live balls again. I got rid of more than half the concerns that had built up in the last six months." His countrywoman Kasumi Ishikawa was also elated to once again get a chance to compete. "It was the first game we played in half a year," Ishikawa reflected. "I was happy to play in actual matches. Hopefully, we’ll start playing more matches from this point on and this was a great first step for that." With international competition set to resume this November, including the women's and men's World Cups in China, any chance to compete under pressure is at least as important as the mechanical drills. "It was great to be able to play with a bit of tension in the air," said the 27-year-old veteran Ishikawa. "It was a first step, a new beginning for table tennis and I enjoyed it." Under the pressure of the bright lights and conscious of the large, table tennis-starved viewership at home, the T. League select team edged Japan's national team representatives, 5-4. Next, the national teammates played women vs. men, with a few modifications to the rules for the occasion. Ishikawa enjoyed competing against Harimoto for the first time since he was an up-and-coming grade school champion. "I don’t think I’ve played against male players in front of a crowd, but it was so much fun," said Ishikawa. "We played against each other a lot when he was in elementary school, but this was perhaps the first time since then. My serves didn’t really work against him anymore." Even with Ishikawa's diminished service advantage, the women beat the men, 2-1. Despite the loss, Harimoto enjoyed the challenge of playing against his female teammates. "It was a great new experience," he said. "They have more spin on their serves and play with a pace that isn't in the men's game." Japan, like the rest of the world, is still cautiously reestablishing its table tennis practice, leagues and tournaments under the limitations of the ongoing pandemic. Still, Monday's rapturously received exhibition is a major milestone for a country with justifiably high hopes for challenging China in next year's Tokyo Olympics. T. League's Yoshihito Miyazaki made sure that no one forgot who threw the party. "Japanese table tennis had to resume competitions, and we thought it should be us, the T. League," plugged Miyazaki. T. League will start its third season November 17. Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympics next July 23-August 8, followed by the Paralympic Games August 24-September 21. For Kasumi Ishikawa, Tomokazu Harimoto and other contenders, this may represent their best chance to go for the gold. That is, if it truly is their ikigai.

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