Lotte's Misho Nishikawa outfielder (22) made a triumphant return to his hometown of Hidakagawa, Wakayama, on January 12. He participated in a PR event to promote his tax return and shook hands with about 30 local residents. Nishikawa, who grew up in an environment rich in nature with tangerine orchards, a local specialty, in many places, said that when he was a student at Yamano Elementary School, he had "six classmates. When I walked around my house, I was approached by almost everyone, and they were all very warm. It's a place where I feel at home when I come home," he said proudly.

It's a way of giving back to his hometown. He has established a new youth baseball tournament called the "N&N Cup" with Rakuten Eagles outfielder Daisuke Nakashima (24), who is also from Hidakagawa Town. The tournament is for elementary school students in the fourth grade and younger, and was launched with the aim of "creating future professional baseball players." "I am who I am today thanks to the support of many people in this town. It's also a way of giving back," he said, expressing his feelings for his hometown.

The final will be held on the 13th, and coincidentally, the Kawabe Winstars, the team Nishikawa once played for, will be competing. Nishikawa plans to attend to see his juniors perform heroically. The "senior" who got off to a great start in the professional world by winning Rookie of the Year, said with a smile, "I'm very happy (about the creation of the tournament), and it's amazing that the team I was on is making it to the final. I'm so excited (about the final) that I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight (laughs)."