Melania Trump enjoys nature-themed Japan cultural experience

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Melania Trump enjoys nature-themed Japan cultural experience

2019-05-27 13:01 Last Updated At：13:10

First lady Melania Trump has had a nature-oriented Japanese cultural experience at Akasaka Palace, where she learned that bamboo trunks can create music and also serve as flower vases.

Mrs. Trump and Japanese first lady Akie Abe were entertained Monday by tunes from a "shakuhachi" bamboo flute, played by flutist Yosuke Irie, with a set of bamboo trunks standing upright like a screen behind him.

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First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing by Yukari Onoe at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump has had a nature-oriented Japanese cultural experience at Akasaka Palace, where she learned that bamboo trunks can create music and also serve as flower vases.

U.S. first lady Melania Trump, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe look at koi carps in a pond at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

Mrs. Trump also learned how to summon carp at a pond: She clapped her hands, and the fish raced to her.

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wave during their visit to Akasaka palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

Children perform a traditional dance for U.S. first lady Melania Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe, both not pictured, during a cultural event at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe watch the play of Japanese traditional musical instrument called "Shakuhachi" at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

U.S. first lady Melania Trump, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe clap as they watch a dancer performing a traditional dance during a cultural event at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe watch the Japanese art of the traditional flower arrangement called Ikebana, at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

U.S. first lady Melania Trump looks at koi carps in a pond at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing by Yukari Onoe at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

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First lady Melania Trump has had a nature-oriented Japanese cultural experience at Akasaka Palace, where she learned that bamboo trunks can create music and also serve as flower vases.

Mrs. Trump also learned how to summon carp at a pond: She clapped her hands, and the fish raced to her.

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wave during their visit to Akasaka palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

Children perform a traditional dance for U.S. first lady Melania Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe, both not pictured, during a cultural event at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe watch the play of Japanese traditional musical instrument called "Shakuhachi" at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

U.S. first lady Melania Trump, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe clap as they watch a dancer performing a traditional dance during a cultural event at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe watch the Japanese art of the traditional flower arrangement called Ikebana, at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

U.S. first lady Melania Trump looks at koi carps in a pond at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing by Yukari Onoe at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

The bamboo installation then turned into a set of vases as flower artist Kumiko Kato build a sculpture out of it while the flutist played background music that included "Amazing Grace."

Mrs. Trump also learned how to summon carp at a pond: She clapped her hands, and the fish raced to her.

She and President Donald Trump arrived in Japan on Saturday.

Athletics express sadness, some relief at moving out of Oakland at the end of the season

2024-04-06 01:24 Last Updated At：01:30

DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.

The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.

“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”

Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.

The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.

Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.

“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”

It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.

“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”

Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.

First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”

Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.

“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”

For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.

“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Melania Trump enjoys nature-themed Japan cultural experience

Melania Trump enjoys nature-themed Japan cultural experience

First lady Melania Trump has had a nature-oriented Japanese cultural experience at Akasaka Palace, where she learned that bamboo trunks can create music and also serve as flower vases.

Mrs. Trump also learned how to summon carp at a pond: She clapped her hands, and the fish raced to her.

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wave during their visit to Akasaka palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

Children perform a traditional dance for U.S. first lady Melania Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe, both not pictured, during a cultural event at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe watch the play of Japanese traditional musical instrument called "Shakuhachi" at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

U.S. first lady Melania Trump, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe clap as they watch a dancer performing a traditional dance during a cultural event at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe watch the Japanese art of the traditional flower arrangement called Ikebana, at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

U.S. first lady Melania Trump looks at koi carps in a pond at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing by Yukari Onoe at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump has had a nature-oriented Japanese cultural experience at Akasaka Palace, where she learned that bamboo trunks can create music and also serve as flower vases.

Mrs. Trump also learned how to summon carp at a pond: She clapped her hands, and the fish raced to her.

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wave during their visit to Akasaka palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

Children perform a traditional dance for U.S. first lady Melania Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe, both not pictured, during a cultural event at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe watch the play of Japanese traditional musical instrument called "Shakuhachi" at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

U.S. first lady Melania Trump, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe clap as they watch a dancer performing a traditional dance during a cultural event at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe watch the Japanese art of the traditional flower arrangement called Ikebana, at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

First lady Melania Trump, left, and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

U.S. first lady Melania Trump looks at koi carps in a pond at the Japanese style annex inside the State Guest House in Tokyo Monday, May 27, 2019. (Tomohiro OhsumiPool Photo via AP)

First lady Melania Trump, left and Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, watch the performance of classical Japanese dancing by Yukari Onoe at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Monday, May 27, 2019. (AP PhotoKoji Sasahara)

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