Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. He traveled to outer space on Vostok 1 on April 12, 1916, and his first report was: “The sky is dark. The Earth is blue.” From the man’s first view of the planet, the Earth shines blue in space because of its large amounts of water. The planet Earth has water because of its distance from the sun. It is the perfect temperature to have water; not too cold or too hot. Other planets in our solar system have water as well, but it is either too little in amount or they freeze and turn to ice. As far as we know, Earth is the only planet that can support life in the solar system, and water is essential for us to live.

Koichi Wakata, a Japanese astronaut, has been on the International Space Station (ISS) three times. His third time was in 2013 and was asked to be the commander of the ISS. It was his responsibility that all astronauts, including those from the US, Russia, and Latvia live peacefully. Kirobo, the Japanese-speaking robot, was part of them, too. They had to work and talk together, as well as live in a crowded space for 188 days. Koichi had only one rule as the commander: have dinner altogether as much as possible. For Koichi, sharing meals with others is an important way to feel relaxed and talk about their work.

Koichi has one word to describe his experience as an astronaut. Frightening. There are many dangers going to space. But Koichi does not mind. In fact, he enjoys traveling to space because it offers many challenges, and he believes it is important for humanity. Through his experience as an astronaut, he has come to realize that humans are common citizens of the planet Earth.

Koichi Wakata was five years old when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Since then, he had dreamed of becoming an astronaut. It was twenty-seven years later when he made his first trip into space. “Every time I go into space, I discover my love for the earth,” Koichi said. He describes the planet Earth as an “oasis” in space. According to Koichi, one can clearly see the oceans, clouds, mountains, and rivers from space. He can even identify his home country Japan by its shape alone.

Astronauts from different countries join one another in meals every day, giving them the chance to try various space foods. However, eating food without gravity is both difficult and can be a problem. For example, you must use a straw when eating soup. You also cannot take a bath in space: you can only wipe your body with a cloth. Each has his/her own room, but they are very small. Overall, life in space is still comfortable because astronauts can do many scientific experiments.

Habu Yoshiharu is known as the “King of Board,” and he is one of the greatest shogi players in history. He first learned how to play the board game in his first year of elementary school. During his first tries, he had been losing all the games but began to win in a month or so. He also went to a shogi dojo in Hachioji and participated in a children’s tournament. As a child, he was interested in the shogi pieces since each piece has a different move. The game is also simple: you either win or lose. This makes him feel a sense of responsibility in the game.

Although skills are a big factor in the game, luck is also important since there is not enough time to think deeply about a player’s next move. For Habu, one must make a decision every time he/she makes a move in the game of shogi. Confidence is not enough because your opponent might make a move you will not expect. So, instead of confidence, a player must think about doing the correct move. The most important thing for Habu in shogi is a player’s decision-making power.