Our 4th day started at Niigata City, the capital of Niigata Prefecture. A newspaper reporter enjoyed holding the torch during his pre-ceremony interview.
新潟市で迎えた4日目の朝。セレモニー前にインタビューに現れた新潟日報の記者もトーチを握ります。
Mr. Akira Shinoda, Mayor of Niigata City, welcomed us with a big smile though it was early in the morning on Saturday.
篠田昭新潟市長が土曜の朝早くだったにもかかわらず、駅前広場で笑顔でトーチを受け取って下さいました。
The three 'yuru-chara' cute-sweet mascots of Niigata were present to make the ceremony cheerful.
新潟市のゆるキャラ3人(?)もセレモニーを盛り上げます。
Members from NTT Running Club were also present at the ceremony. They were to run with us till the next city Agano.
これから阿賀野市まで一緒に走ってくださるNTTランニングクラブの皆さん。
We all recognized this one, modeled after the endangered bird toki native to Sado Island, where we ran yesterday.
昨日行ってきた佐渡島の鳥、トキからできたトッキッキ。
Mayor and NTT Running Club members handed the torch to the Peace Run on behalf of the people of Niigata.
Our next stop was at Kyogase Elementary School, meeting children of a mini-basketball team and a soccer team having a practice there. NTT Running Club participated in the program as well.
Let's be really quiet and feel peace inside our heart...we already have it!
すごく静かにして心の中に平和な気持ちを感じよう。
Peace-skit game is fun! Everyone knows what's 'peace' and what's not 'peace'.
平和の寸劇ゲームはみんなすぐ正解。
Making a wish for peace...
願いをこめてトーチをしっかり握ります。
Representative children sign their names on the map that travelled all the way from Russia.
ロシアから渡ってきた世界地図に代表がサイン。これからネパールに行くよ。
We presented Certificate of Appreciation to NTT Running Club, who enthusiastically relayed the torch up to this point.
ずっといい走りでトーチをつなげて下さったNTTランニングクラブのみなさんにも感謝状を贈呈。
Sudasa is one of the 4 drivers...
2台の伴走車の運転とコースの調整をするドライバーは今回4名。スダーシャはその1人。
Here are two STRONG runners running together. Surasa (left) completed twice the world's longest certified race: 3100 Mile Race. Shradda (right) did the 10-day race more than once, too. Both races are organized by Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.
パワフル・ランナー二人が一緒にトーチを運びます。シュラシャ(左)は世界最長の公認レース3100マイル(約5000キロ)を50日半で2回完走した頑強ランナー。シュラダ(右)も10 Day Race (10日でどれだけ走れるか競うレース)に何度も出場してます。(共にシュリチンモイ・マラソンチーム主催)
Usra, who joined us today, happily ran in the drizzling weather.
今日から参加のウスラ。小雨の中の快走です。
Harashita then continued on.
ホロシタも引き続きトーチをつなげます。
Our photo- & video-grapher Ashirvad had a joyful run as well.
ビデオ・カメラ担当のアシルバードも快走。
We entered Fukushima Prefecture, finished the day's run at Nishi-aizu Town.
チームは福島県に入り、ゴールの西会津町まで走りました。
Torch carried by Ashirvad Zaiantchick(Brazil),
Emily Oliver(New Zealand),
Harashita Sunaoshi(Japan),
Josef Sverma(Czech Republic),
Ken-ichi Nobunaga(Japan),
Laksyavedi Munkh-Erdene(Mongolia),
Midori Shimizu(Japan),
Munkh jargal Lkhaasuren(Mongolia),
Pramiti Niwa(Japan),
Shraddha Kurzemniece(Latvia),
Sudasa Yoshida(Japan),
Surasa Mairer(Austria),
Usra Yamada(Japan),
Victor Lusis(New Zealand),
Yahva Hoffmann(Japan),
You Yamada(Japan).
Photographers
Akanda Norov,
Ashirvad Zaiantchick
The torch has travelled
83.0 km
from Niigata 新潟市 to Nishi-aizu 福島県西会津町.