At the Rugby World Cup in France, Japan faced Samoa in its third match at 4 a.m. Japan time on the 29th and edged out a 28–22 win. Japan just managed to hold on through a late Samoan onslaught. After watching the match on television, we visited the Marunouchi Rugby Shrine that morning to pray for victory in the next game, which will decide a place in the quarterfinals.
We arrived shortly after 7 a.m. Two men who looked like office workers, perhaps having just finished watching the match, took photos of the shrine in succession on their phones. The ema rack beside the shrine building was packed with plaques praying for victory, including some written by players who shone against Samoa. Michael Leitch, who scored a try, wrote "Proof"; Keita Inagaki wrote "Gratitude"; and Kazuki Himeno wrote "Passion."
With two wins and one loss and nine points, Japan will lock in second place on its own with a 3–1 record if it beats Argentina on October 8, and will advance to the knockout stage alongside England, which has already secured first place with three straight wins.
Go, Japan!