While many Japanese
people enjoy watching and playing sports like soccer and baseball, there are
also many unique and unusual sports in Japan that originated here and can’t be
found anywhere else in the world. Of course, there are many martial arts among
Japan’s original sports, some of which have become popular worldwide, but there
are also sports and games you have probably never heard of before. Let us
introduce you to 10 of Japan’s most unique traditional sports!
1.
Sumo
Sumo, a form of
competitive wrestling that was developed from what was first a religious ritual
and then a way to train an army, is inextricably connected to Japan’s culture
and history. Today, the sumo grand tournaments are still laced with Shinto
rituals and it is a very interesting event to watch. In short, the goal is to
push your opponent out of the ring or let him fall down, and this is often done
using all kinds of sumo-specific techniques. Bouts only last for a short time,
so the excitement reaches fever pitch during a bout and during the down time,
people in the audience enjoy good food and drinks.
Are you interested in
seeing sumo up close and personal in Japan? We have an amazing tour of a sumo
stable where you can see the wrestlers do their morning training routine right
in front of you! It is truly a special experience that you won’t get anywhere
else. Be sure to book soon as this tour tends to sell out quick!
2.
Bo Taoshi
Once a year, elementary,
junior high school, and high school students have an ‘undokai’, or sports day.
On this day, parents, siblings, and sometimes even grandparents come to the
school to witness the kids compete in all kinds of sports and perform a dance
that they rehearse for months. One of the traditional games that is often
played at this undokai is bo taoshi (棒倒し), which is easily one of the most exciting games to
both play and watch. Originally played by cadets of the Japanese National
Defense Army, two large teams fight each other for the control of the other
team’s pole. The goal of the attacking team is to bring the pole lower than 30
degrees, and the first team to do this wins. Watching large groups of players
go against each other is exciting for sure, an excitement similar to what you
feel when you watch rugby!
3.
Kendama
Similar to the classic
‘diabolo’ skill game that many people enjoy all over the world, kendama (けん玉) is also a game that requires dexterity
and a lot of practice if you want to become good at it. The kendama consists of
a ball, a string, and a landing spot for the ball, and the aim of the game is
simple: catching the ball after you let it go up. There are no strict rules as
to how to play kendama, and experienced players like to vary with things like
their grip on the handle or ball. Playing with a kendama is known to improve
your agility and accuracy, and it is even seen as a way to train the ability to
control robotic arms! You can see people play kendama in many parks throughout
Japan in their free time, especially during the New Year holiday season.
4.
Onbashira
Possibly one of the most
dangerous of the Japanese traditional sports is onbashira (御柱), which takes place only once every 6
years in the area of Lake Suwa in Nagano. During a dedicated festival, 16 large
cedar trees are cut and transported down the mountain. This is when local
participants mount these logs down the hills, which surely looks like a very
fun ride but also regularly injures the riders. If you want to watch this
thrilling albeit dangerous event, make sure to be in Japan in the year of the
Tiger or Monkey in April and make your way to the Suwa Grand Shrine complex.
5.
Yukigassen
Who doesn’t like a good
snow ball fight? In Japan they surely do, and it is done in a competitive style
with an activity called yukigassen (雪合戦), which simply means ‘snow battle’. Similarly to
dodge ball, which is by the way also a much-loved activity in schools all over
Japan, there are 2 teams of 7 facing each other where players are eliminated
from the game as they are hit. In order not to lose precious time making the
snow balls while playing, 90 of them are made in advance so once the game has
started, players can go all-in. There are actual matches held that also involve
teams from other snowy countries, with the world championship held in Sobetsu,
Hokkaido.
6.
Park Golf
Many Japanese office
workers like playing golf during work hours as well as in their free time to
improve their swing. But it can feel a bit intimidating, especially for
beginners, to enter the slightly elite world of regular golf. So in Japan, they
invented park golf (パークゴルフ) in the 1980s, a form of golf where
participation is more important than winning and the rules are simpler.
Parkers, as players call themselves, enjoy the natural surroundings at least as
much as the game, and with it being less physically demanding this sport is
very popular amongst pensioners.
7.
Kyudo
Many countries have a
history of archery as a sport, and Japan is no different. The traditional
Japanese sport that uses a very long bow and arrow is kyudo (弓道), which literally means ‘the way of the
bow), and its history goes back to the prehistoric period when people used bows
to hunt. Later, bows were used during the many wars that raged in Japan between
the 12th and 16th century when the samurai ruled Japan. From the Meiji Period,
kyudo became a martial art for the public to learn. Nowadays, kyudo is played
by kids and adults while wearing a traditional hakama. You can often see people
on the streets of Japanese cities who wear tell-tale clothing and equipment
when they are on their way to kyudo practice.
8.
Kendo
Another Japanese martial
art that originated from warfare training is kendo (剣道), or ‘the way of the sword’. Used to train samurai
for one-on-one combat for many centuries, after 1950, kendo became a
competitive sport. Kendo practitioners wear heavy clothing to protect them from
the opponent’s hard blows and use a bamboo sword to attack. Each fighter’s aim
is to hit the opponent at certain spots of the body without being hit
themselves. The one with the most points once the match is over, wins. Just
like in other Japanese martial arts, it is not only the outcome of the match
that is important, but also the way players carry themselves. Not showing
proper concentration and respect leads to point reduction or even suspension,
so practicing kendo is also seen as a great way to build a strong and
disciplined character.
9.
Yabusame
What is more exciting
than regular archery? Archery that’s done from horseback! Yabusame (流鏑馬) was developed in Kamakura in the 12th
century after the Shogun of the time realized that his samurai weren’t skilled
enough at archery, what was first practice for those lacking warriors became an
exciting part of several festivals. One of these matsuri is held every
September 16 at the family temple of the Minamoto clan who founded the sport,
the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine in Kamakura. Aoi matsuri, one of the 3 biggest
Kyoto’s festivals, is also famous for Yabusame. Aoi is the sacred plant used at
Kamigamo shrine and Shimogamo shrine and by the Tokugawa family as their family
crest. Riders shoot a volley of 3 arrows at 3 wooden targets while their horses
go at full speed, which is truly spectacular to watch because of the high level
of skills involved.
10.
Kemari
Kemari (蹴鞠) looks a lot like
a Japanese traditional version of soccer. Probably introduced by the Chinese
around the year 600 who already had their version of football, standardized
rules appeared from the 13th century? The aim of the game is simple, as you all
work together as a team to keep a ball in the air without using your hands or
arms. Kemari is not a competitive sport, and nowadays, you can see people
engage in this ancient sport during festivals at Shinto shrines. In spring and
autumn, the special events held in Kyoto imperial court also have the Kemari
games!