[Nippon-Ham] The “lucky charm” that led Yuki Nomura to his first multi-hit game of the season: “I wasn’t looking for it. But according to Kiyo-san, the act of searching for it is what’s valuable.”
Sports Hochi
May 6, 2026 19:22
◆ Pacific League Rakuten Eagles 2-12 Nippon-Ham (June 6th, Rakuten Eagles Mobile)
Nippon-Ham Yuki Nomura infielder starting line-up He hit 3 hit 1 RBI in the 6th inning, including a timely doble to left field, marking the first time this season that he has hit a grand slam.
During the game, he commented through the press, “The RBI hit was on a slider. I was imagining pulling the ball so it wouldn’t be a ground ball. I think going to look for iris bath with the chairman (Kiyomiya) yesterday paid off at a crucial moment.” After the game, he revealed the truth about the iris bath.
On Children’s Day, May 5th, she explained, “Kiyo’s (Kiyomiya’s) mother told me to take an iris bath. I was out to eat with Kiyo, and on the way home, she wanted to buy irises. We searched all over the supermarkets, but couldn’t find any. They weren’t selling irises. So I didn’t take an iris bath. But Kiyo said that the act of searching for irises was worthwhile. I decided to follow her example.”
He was playing for the first time in three days, and starting line-up is far from guaranteed. Nevertheless, he said, “There are a lot of things I need to do, so I’ve decided to use that time to focus on myself. No matter what I do, in the end, it only comes back to me. I feel frustrated, but ultimately, what matters is how much I can contribute to the game. I want to be prepared to give 100% and end the day feeling satisfied.” His self-reflection and diligent preparation led to his best performance.