Cultural Immersion Meets Competition
From August 11 to 21, the Columbia Women's Basketball Lions toured Japan, stepping onto the historic streets of Kyoto, the resilient heart of Hiroshima and the neon pulse of Tokyo.
Their schedule wove together sightseeing and sport, with visits to Kinkaku‑ji, Kiyomizu‑dera and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, as well as a traditional tea ceremony that offered a glimpse into local customs.
In Tokyo they spent three full days, touring the iconic Skytree, gazing at Mount Fuji from its observation deck and playing an exhibition game against Rikkyo University’s Niiza Campus.
The team also hosted a youth clinic at the American School in Japan before facing Ritsumeikan University, a match they won 56‑34, with Riley Weiss opening the scoring with ten points in the first quarter and Mia Broom contributing fourteen points, seven assists and five rebounds.
Beyond the court, the Lions explored Arashiyama’s famous bamboo grove, sampled local cuisine and shared daily updates on GoColumbiaLions.com, giving fans a behind‑the‑scenes look at the journey.