Courtesy of Tokyo Gaijin RFC

Staying in physical shape keeps you mentally on the ball. Genki drinks, despite their great promises, are not the cure for every disease and disorder, from hangovers to attention deficit disorders, that drugstores and amusing commercials make them out to be. If running by yourself through the concrete jungle of Tokyo is not your idea of fun, or if you miss playing team sports, don't worry. There are numerous sports clubs out there where you can get together with like-minded gaijin and Japanese.

The following is a small sampling of what's available in Tokyo. For further clubs and groups, check out section 14 of this magazine's classifieds. The health benefits may not even be most important. Who knows, you just might make the right job contact or kindle a flaming romance.

Courtesy of Namban Rengo

Namban Rengo
Namban-jin (which loosely translates as "southern barbarian") was a term once used to describe gaijin. This "Barbarian Horde" of runners has been in existence since 1989, what might be considered an ancient tradition in Tokyo, where signs over Harajuku storefronts proudly proclaim their existence "Since 1996." Training sessions on Wednesday nights at Yoyogi Park track evoke the Tower of Babel: French, German, Dutch, Spanish, English as well as the local tongue permeate the air during training.

Co-founder Bob Poulson recalls how the club caused quite a stir the first time it participated at an ekiden (relay race) in 1989. "Relay races in Japan are quite popular, so when a team of foreigners showed up, that alone was worthy of attention, but when we finished third out of 187 teams, well, we suddenly made a name for ourselves."

This is no group of weekend warriors. Bob and Don McMillan won their age divisions in the 10,000 meters at the US Masters Meet this August in Orlando, Florida and Siu-Fong Ma also won recently at 10,000 meters at the Hong Kong Championships. Practices are intense, although by no means should the beginning runner feel excluded. Australian Justin Garrett says, "The club offers all levels of competitiveness, and you can compete as seriously as you like or on a fun level." Patricia Yarrow, who simply likes to run, praises the male runners who are "in shape, sweating those hard bodies, [and have] great buns and legs. I'm not too fast so I'm always in the back of the pack. What more could a girl want?" Raymond Campbell, an enterprise manager, adds with half-joking earnestness, "I like the competitive and social aspects. Competitive as there is always a new runner making things a bit more interesting; social because there is always a new lady making things a bit more interesting."

The unique nature of the club brings runners of all ages from the world over. "In most sporting events, people represent their respective countries. However, Namban is the exact opposite. It's a team that consists of people from different countries, and that brings us together," Jurgen Wittstock points out.

Namban is not limited to running. Triathletes and cyclists cross-train with the club and a small tennis circle has formed. If you want to prepare for a full marathon, join in on a 5k race or expand your social calendar with half-rabid long-distance runners, check out a Namban practice.

Contacts: Bob Poulson; Jurgen Wittstock
Practice: Wed after 7pm at the Yoyogi Park track; workout starts between 7:25-7:35pm
Races: Team and individual races practically every week of the year; the race schedule is listed on the homepage
Socials: Dinner after Wed practice, parties frequently after races and occasionally at members' homes

Tokyo Gaijin RFC
If pounding your legs into aching torso extensions is not your idea of fun but pounding an opponent into the ground is, you may want to hook up with the rugby club Tokyo Gaijin RFC. Like Namban Rengo, Tokyo Gaijin is steeped in tradition since 1989.

Garna Dowling, co-owner of the restaurant/bar Clubhouse in Shinjuku Sanchome, has played for Tokyo Gaijin for seven years. He comments that the club brings gaijin and Japanese together and the language barrier is usually little problem since many of the Japanese have lived overseas. "About a quarter of the team is Japanese. The 'us vs. them' mentality must fall by the side if you are going to play for Tokyo Gaijin and this helps in coping with everyday situations."

I dropped by practice one Sunday to see how hard the sport really is. I met Tashiro Hiroshi, a real estate agent, at the Futako-Tamagawaen Shinchi station. He has played rugby since high school and was on the Keio University rugby squad, one of the six elite college teams in Japan. This obviously would not be a Sunday stroll. Since the turnout was light and there would be no tackling, and I would not call myself out of shape, I joined the practice. After 90 minutes of stopping and turning on a dime, spurting into full sprints and tossing a large ball around, the muscles in my back and legs were screaming for mercy and the following week I knew I would run only three times and not the usual five.

If you're familiar with rugby, you also know that rugby players are generally a light-hearted bunch off the field. I met some of the players at the Clubhouse. Sitting around a table with Keil O'Connell, Jerry Brady (both US), David Portas, Matt Carothers, and James Myers (all Australia), I was bombarded with on and off the field stories.

No matter how much fun they may have, they do take the Hong Kong Teams Tournament seriously. This is an invitation-only tournament and in the past six years Tokyo Gaijin RFC has won its division four times (1994, 1996, 1998 and 1999).

If kicking and passing a ball around on a large pitch is a day in the park to you, take the short ride to Futako-Tamagawaen Shinchi (Shin-Tamagawa line) on a Sunday afternoon. You can also find out what the heck hookers and locks are doing on the field during a scrum.

Contacts: Garna Dowling 03-3359-7785; Matt Carothers 0422-53-1498
Practice: Sun afternoons; call Garna or Matt for times
Seasons: Games played in the Tama League Sept-Dec and April-July; annual participation in tournaments in Hong Kong and Beijing
Socials: After Sun practice and frequently Fri nights at the Clubhouse in Shinjuku Sanchome (03-3359-7785)

Sam Arnold's Tennis Academy (S.A.T.A.)
If tennis is your game and you're looking for some help to improve it, Sam Arnold is the man to turn to. This is not just any tennis academy: Sam played professionally on the ATP Tour for five years and even has Davis Cup (Australia) experience under his belt. How did he come to open a tennis school in Tokyo? "My father was living here and I was travelling regularly through Tokyo on trips between Melbourne and Los Angeles, where I first ran tennis academies. The country became more and more attractive to me and in the past decade, tennis has replaced golf as the number one participant sport. The opportunity presented itself to start an international tennis academy here."

Courtesy of S.A.T.A.

S.A.T.A. opened in May and it already has 160 members. The staff includes a bilingual coordinator trained to handle any tennis inquiries plus a team of bilingual assistant coaches who teach all year long. You may be saying to yourself that a good tennis player does not necessarily make a good tennis coach but Sam has worked as an assistant with some of the top coaches in Florida, where future superstars put in brutal training under the tutelage of Nick Bollettieri and John Newcombe. "I have extracted the best methods of these coaches and developed my own unique training system of regular match play, challenge matches for rankings and an annual club championship, similar to the year-end ATP Masters Tournament in Germany."

Beginners at S.A.T.A. will by no means face opponents who are trying to make it onto the pro tour. There are three levels: Beginner sessions are for those with little tennis experience who are learning the game for the first time. Players receive fundamental training in stroke production, hand-eye coordination and footwork. Intermediate sessions are higher intensity, focusing on shot selection and placement. Advanced sessions concentrate on mental toughness, training and physical conditioning for longer endurance.

So, is sticker shock a possibility when you're taking lessons from a former tour professional? Surprisingly not. A one-time membership fee of JY3000 and hourly fees of JY2000 (lessons as well as challenge matches) will chase only the stingiest of potential customers away. Besides the tennis activities at Shinagawa's La Foret Fitness Salon, S.A.T.A. members are allowed to use the spa, sauna, showers and relaxation room.

Though tennis is not a group sport, S.A.T.A. has social parties once a month at Shannon's Pub in Osaki in order for new members to meet current members in the academy.

Contacts: Sam Arnold or Furuya Kyoko 070-5077-3793 or  email to S.A.T.A.
Location: La Foret Fitness Salon in Shinagawa
Socials: Get-togethers every two weeks at T.G.I.Fridays in Shibuya; call for time and date.

Komae Touch Football Club
Actually, we could call this touch rugby so that no one confuses it with their own native variety. Australian Paul Cranch has played on the Komae squad for three years and took over coaching duties a year ago. The team could not have gotten anyone better, for Paul received MVP honors at the 1999 World Cup.

Courtesy of Komae Touch Football Club

Aussie-style touch football has six players on the field at any one time and six substitutes. Fifty members, ten of them making up a recently formed women's squad, have played now for ten years and the 30+ and 40+ male teams are currently All Japan champions. Although Komae had been successful in Japan, since Paul assumed the coaching reins, participation and level of play have increased remarkably. Thirty people at practice is the norm, and assures a constantly rising level of competition. Komae has been invited to tournaments in Fiji and the American Cup in Mexico as well as the World Cup.

Approximately 70% of the team is Japanese; the remaining 30% of foreigners have an expectedly high turnover rate. This is a source of surprise, though. "One of the most improved players is Don Jurries, an American who learned the game in Indonesia. And Adam Marks, an Aussie, played in Chile." If you need proof that the predominantly southern hemisphere game is spreading from down under to up above, Japan will be hosting the next World Cup in 2003.

As is so often the case for foreigners in any country, the sports connection is frequently one of the fondest. "It is the greatest mix of Japanese and non-Japanese people I have met in my ten years in Japan," Paul contentedly remarks.

Contacts: Paul Cranch 03-3469-7368
Homepage: Komae Touch Football Club
Location: Komae-shi on the Odakyu line
Practice: Every Sun, occasional Sats
Membership: Two month trial period free. Women's annual membership JY1000 in order to increase interest, men's annual membership JY7000; amount covers grounds fees and refreshments at practice
Socials: Hanami party; drinks and food provided by Kaneko-san, an izakaya owner