The 29-year-old teacher never imagined she would go on to play cricket for Otago or New Zealand when she got her start in the backyard of the family home as a toddler.
But go on she did, and to do some great things. A punishing middle-order batsman and reliable medium-pacer, arguably, her finest hour was at Carisbrook in December 2006.
She dismantled the Northern Districts with some powerful hitting, whacking 108 from 109 deliveries. The innings featured 11 fours and three sixes and helped Otago reach a formidable total of 296 for eight.
The day only got better when she ran through the batting line-up with five for 13. The only other player to score 100 and take five wickets in a one-day match at the venue was West Indies great Viv Richards. Needless to say, Otago recorded a comfortable win - so did the West Indies, for that matter.
But after 13 seasons at the top level, Tsukigawa knew it was the right time to go when her enjoyment started to fade.
"I knew it was a good time to go because I had lost a bit of enthusiasm," she said.
"When you lose that it is pretty hard to do the training that is needed."
"[Also] my body is getting older and packing up a bit ... and I've started fulltime work at Kavanagh College and am really enjoying it here. And I just wanted to do other things with my summers."
Tsukigawa made the decision about six weeks ago and plans to do some travelling but would like to give back to the sport at some stage in the future.
Whether that is coaching or some administration work, she is unsure.
"We'll have to see what opportunities come up but I'd been keen to do whatever to help out, really.
"This will be the first time since I was about 9 or 10 that I haven't played cricket. I just feel like I've been very fortunate to have the opportunities that I've had. I never dreamed I'd be good enough to play for New Zealand or Otago. So to achieve some of the things I have, and to have travelled to some of the places and met the people I have has been a pretty awesome journey."
In terms of her playing career, the century and five-wicket bag against Northern District was an obvious highlight.
"It was just one of those days where you couldn't do anything wrong. That was the probably the highlight for Otago, and for New Zealand I scored 70-odd off 50 balls a couple of times."
The women's quadrangular series in India in 2007 also stuck in her mind.
"The cricket, the culture, the people, it was just the most amazing trip," she said.
Her toughest opponent was Australian fast bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick. Her speed caused a few nervous moments and the Australians, in general, were tough competitors. Tsukigawa always enjoyed the challenge and the rivalry.
Former international Rachel Pullar had a great influence on Tsukigawa when she first made the Otago team in the late '90s and Emily Drumm and Rebecca Rolls were also a source of inspiration.
The cricket had been great but it was the people she met who left the greatest impression.
The Tsukigawa file
Sarah Tsukigawa (29)
> Right-hand batsman
> Right-arm medium bowler
Teams: New Zealand (2005-06 to 2010-11), Otago (1998-99 to 2010-11)
One-day international record: 42 games, 730 runs at 22.12, 32 wickets at 32.02
International twenty/20 record: 19 games, 122 runs at 9.21, 5 wickets at 34.00
Domestic one-day record: 103 games, 2032 runs at 24.97 including two 100s, 84 wickets at 25.52 including one five-wicket bag
Career twenty/20 record: 43 games, 480 runs at 12.63, 37 wickets at 18.63
