Hisako “Chako” Higuchi, the first Asian to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003, has opened a museum with a treasure trove of memorabilia from her legendary career.
The Chako Higuchi Museum held an opening ceremony on Wednesday, April 15, and about 150 people attended, according to published reports. It is located on the second floor of the clubhouse at the Matsumoto Asama Country Club in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture. Admission is free.
The museum’s establishment comes 60 years after Higuchi launched her professional golf career.
Higuchi, now 80, ended up winning 69 JLPGA Tour titles, more than any other golfer. And in June 1977, she became the first Asian champion of a golf major, capturing the LPGA Championship title with a 9-under 279 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Hisako Higuchi, who won 69 JLPGA Tour titles, competes in the Fujisankei Ladies Classic in September 1991. (©SANKEI)
Celebrating a Golf Career with the Public
Having spent most of her life playing golf and serving in leadership positions for decades, including as JLPGA Tour president from 1996-2011, Higuchi amassed a huge collection of photos, trophies and other mementos.
Which is why the establishment of the new museum is such a happy reality for her.
“I wanted people to see these items rather than have them gathering dust in my home’s storage,” Higuchi was quoted as saying by Sankei Sports.
She then said, “I am delighted that such a splendid museum has been created, and I am deeply grateful. This place is packed with my 60 years as a professional.”
World Golf Hall of Famer Hisako “Chako” Higuchi” stands in front of a display of memorabilia at her new museum. (©SANKEI)
Nearly 600 items, representing various moments and events in Higuchi’s golf career, are on display at the museum.
Milestone wins, of course, are featured prominently in the museum collection.
“I have memories associated with every single item on display. My first overseas victory was in Australia, and winning in the UK was also very difficult,” Higuchi said, according to Sankei Sports. “I was also delighted to win in the US.”
She humbly added, “I would be grateful if people could share the story of someone like me.”
Higuchi is a native of Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture. So, naturally, people may be curious about why her golf museum is located in Nagano Prefecture.
She offered an explanation on Wednesday.
“I’m sure everyone is wondering, ‘Why here?’ My first connection to the club was being invited to the ribbon-cutting ceremony at its opening in 1989,” Higuchi said, according to Sankei Sports.
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New York Mets starter Kodai Senga fires a pitch to a Chicago Cubs batter on April 17 at Wrigley Field. (©GETTY IMAGES/via KYODO)
Baseball
Mets’ Senga Remains Winless in 2026
New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga is still vying for his first victory of the 2026 MLB season.
Senga allowed six hits, including two homers, and seven runs (six earned) in 3⅓ innings against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, April 17. The fourth-year MLB pitcher fell to 0-3 and his ERA ballooned to 8.83.
Chicago, which led 4-0 after the first inning, hammered New York 12-4.
The Mets suffered their ninth straight loss. It’s their longest losing streak since an 11-game skid in 2004, the New York Post reported.
“Today [was] a new day and I wanted to get the team on the right foot,” Senga said after the Mets’ latest loss, according to the tabloid newspaper. “But giving up not just one run, but multiple runs in the early innings certainly doesn’t put the team in a groove. That’s the one thing I didn’t want to do and unfortunately that happened.”
In 2025, Senga had a 7-6 record with a 3.02 ERA.
Masahiro Tanaka (©SANKEI)
Tanaka Collects 202nd Career Victory
Masahiro Tanaka surpassed Hideo Nomo‘s noteworthy total of 201 career victories in NPB and MLB on Thursday, April 16.
The 37-year-old scattered seven hits and gave up three runs in the Yomiuri Giants’ 4-3 win over the Hanshin Tigers at Koshien Stadium. Tanaka struck out four in six innings.
After his 202nd career victory, Tanaka said perseverance helped him against the pesky Tigers.
“It was a tough outing because I couldn’t get the ball where I wanted it, but I managed to hang in there,” Tanaka was quoted as saying by Sports Hochi. “Thanks to the support of my teammates, I was glad to be able to leave the mound with us still in the lead.”
The 37-year-old is already thinking about his next outing.
“I take the mound with the mindset of winning every game I pitch,” Tanaka said after Thursday’s start, according to the sports newspaper. “So I’m going to fully enjoy today’s victory and start preparing properly tomorrow for my next start.”
Tanaka pitched for the New York Yankees from 2014-20, posting a 78-46 win-loss record. He returned to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, his original NPB team, in 2021, then joined the Giants in 2025.
In addition to Nomo and Tanaka, retired hurler Hiroki Kuroda and Yu Darvish have also won a combined total of 201 or more games in NPB and MLB. Darvish is No 1 with 208 victories.
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Retired Olympic gold medalist Natsumi Tsunoda demonstrates a judo technique during a clinic at Yokohama Budokan on April 18. (©KYODO)
Judo
Tsunoda Imparts Wisdom to Elementary School Students
Natsumi Tsunoda, the 2024 Olympic women’s judo 48-kg gold medalist, held a clinic for 20 elementary school students on Saturday, April 18.
At Yokohama Budokan, Tsunoda encouraged the students while demonstrating various techniques, including the Tomoe-nage (circular) throw.
“I hope you’ll never forget the fun memories you made here, and that you’ll keep striving toward your goals without giving up,” Tsunoda told the students, Kyodo News reported.
Tsunoda, who announced her retirement in January 2026, said the weekend clinic was a fun experience for the children.
“Everyone was nervous at first, but I’m happy to see they seemed to enjoy themselves and were smiling by the end,” she said, according to Kyodo News.
Utsunomiya Brex star Makoto Hiejima drives to the basket in the first quarter against the Gunma Crane Thunders on April 18 in Ota, Gunma Prefecture. (©B.LEAGUE)
Basketball
Brex Snap Crane Thunders’ 13-Game Win Streak
The Utsunomiya Brex rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter and outplayed the Gunma Crane Thunders down the stretch in a B.League series opener on Saturday, April 18.
Utsunomiya (41-13) outscored the hosts 31-19 in the final period, earning an 86-82 triumph and ending Gunma’s 13-game winning streak.
For the reigning champion Brex, star guard DJ Newbill, MVP of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 B.League seasons, had a game-high 26 points. Teammate Gavin Edwards scored 21 points and Makoto Hiejima finished with 17. Grant Jerrett had 10 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to complete the double-double. Backup guard Seiji Ikaruga handed out six assists in the Brex’s fourth straight win.
Trey McKinney-Jones led the Crane Thunders (37-17) with 17 points. Yuma Fujii added 14 points.
Gunma’s win streak began with a 92-68 decision over the Kyoto Hannaryz on March 8. Coach Kyle Milling’s club extended the streak to 13 wins with a 91-54 rout of the Sunrockers Shibuya on April 15.
Yokohama B-Corsairs player Damien Inglis shoots a jumper over Sunrockers Shibuya big man Josh Hawkinson on April 18 at Yokohama Buntai. (©B.LEAGUE)
B-Corsairs Rally Past Sunrockers for 5th Straight Win
The Yokohama B-Corsairs trailed 45-30 at the end of the first half against the visiting Sunrockers Shibuya on Saturday, April 18.
Yokohama flipped the script in the second half of the B.League game, holding Shibuya to six third-quarter points and nine in the fourth quarter. The B-Corsairs walked off the court with a 69-60 triumph, picking up their season-best fifth win in a row.
Veteran big man Damien Inglis led Yokohama (25-29) with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Seiya Ando had a 13-point outing for the hosts at Yokohama Buntai.
The B-Corsairs made 14 steals in their comeback victory, turning those takeaways into 22 points.
B-Corsairs head coach Lassi Tuovi (©B.LEAGUE)
“While this kind of turnaround can happen in any game, we were able to win this time because the players fought back strongly and showed their determination to win,” B-Corsairs head coach Lassi Tuovi told reporters after the series opener.
Filipino guard Kiefer Ravena agreed with Tuovi’s assessment of the team’s performance.
“Things didn’t go as planned at the start, but in the second half, we played with good balance as a team,” said Ravena, who joined the B-Corsairs in 2024. “We were able to win because we played with such great energy.”
Shibuya slipped to 22-32.
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Boston Red Sox pinch hitter Masataka Yoshida celebrates after hitting a game-winning single in the 10th inning against the visiting Detroit Tigers on April 17 at Fenway Park. (©REUTERS/via KYODO)
Quotes of the Week
“That was really exciting. As a player, whenever I can help the team win, that’s a great feeling.”
―Pinch hitter Masataka Yoshida, on his walk-off single in the 10th inning to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 1-0 home victory over the Detroit Tigers on April 17.
Japan midfielder Maika Hamano scores a first-half goal against the United States in a women’s soccer international friendly on April 14 in Seattle. (©KYODO)
“For the goal, I initially considered shooting with my right foot, but I was aware of the defender closing in. In the first match, I struggled to judge their reach, but this time I intended to shift the defender before taking the shot. I managed to cut inside, caught a glimpse of the goalkeeper’s position, and placed the ball into the near post.”
―Nadeshiko Japan midfielder Maiko Hamano, on her 27th-minute goal against the United States in a women’s soccer international friendly in Seattle on April 14. Japan beat Team USA 1-0. The US beat Japan 2-1 in the first of three exhibition matches on April 12 in San Jose, California. And on April 17, the teams completed their exhibition series, with the US winning 3-0 in Commerce City, Colorado.
Author: Ed Odeven
Follow Ed’s [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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