Club Activities

Toyohashi Tech Table Tennis Club

According to Daichi Takahashi—a third year student at Toyohashi Tech studying mechanical engineering—table tennis is, “exciting yet not stressful, and energetic enough to provide plenty of excise, but not overly so.” In other words, it’s just right.

Takahashi is the captain of the Toyohashi Tech Table Tennis Club. His role is to organize the fifteen members in practice sessions and to participate in competitions.

“We meet three hours twice a week,” says Takahashi. “Most of our time is spent playing and practicing.” These sessions are held in the gym, where the tables provided by the university are stored and brought out each time.

There are competitions every three months or so, with the most important being the Tokai Regional National University Table Tennis Tournament. “So far, we haven’t won, but we intend do better,” says Takahashi.

His interest in the sport began in junior high school. Given there are no PE classes at university, he was eager to take the sport up again because, “It’s important to exercise and take care of your health.”

All levels of players are welcome. “We don’t have a coach, but our best players will help beginners, as well as give feedback to each other,” he explains.

Toyohashi Tech allocated a day at the beginning of the academic year for the student circles to meet and promote their activities to newcomers. Takahashi likes to point out that table tennis is a sport where you have to use your mind as well as your body. “You have to decide instantly where best to hit the ball and be ready to react to the return.” In other words, it’s a sport that literally demands you having to think on your feet.