When my kids were growing up, we were blessed with who we called “tonari no ojisan” (the old guy next door). My kids being bereft of grandparents in Japan, he fulfilled that roll to such an extent that I rigged a calling system between our houses so that he could just push a button and I’d be there to help. He became family.
He had a fascinating history. A whiz at mathematics, he was dispatched during the war to the commissary division, but eventually found himself outflanked by allied forces. He talked about how he had to survive on an island by eating insects while isolated as the war enveloped all north of him. (My kids are good at the abacus thanks to him.) He later became a guard for the emperor.
As part of that personality trait, he was a compulsive gambler, and I’d oft see him heading for the keirin (競輪、bicycle racing) bus. Along with pachinko and a few other exotic species, keirin is one of the myriad of ways Japanese can gamble.
Kumanichi reports that repairs to the Kumamoto velodrome, located in the Suizenji athletic park area, have commenced, but will cost ¥ 2.9 billion. That’s about ¥ 2.8 billion more than I have. This includes shrinking the veledrome’s stands to add more greenery and parking. This Kumanichi article gives details. Tonari no Ojichan always knew his gambling habit was problematic (when he won, he’d give us a melon, but that was rare). I think he would have approved of this. - William
