There are many different sports which are enjoyed in Japan. Baseball and soccer are played professionally and by adults and children in school, community and company teams. Today, there are several professional American baseball players who play on Japanese teams as well as Japanese players who play on American Major League Baseball teams. Japan has a very strong Olympic soccer team and the 2002 FIFA World Cup games were held jointly in Japan and Korea. Golf, tennis, skiing and water sports are all popular competitive and recreational activities.

Traditional Japanese sports include Sumo and the martial arts - Aikido, Iaido, Judo, Karate, Kendo, Kyudo and Yabusame.

Sumo
Sumo wrestling is the national sport of Japan and dates back to ancient times. The players are athletes who eat large amounts of food in order to gain mass. Opponents wrestle each other in a ring until one either steps out of the ring or touches the floor with anything other than sole of his feet.



Baseball (yakkyu)
Baseball, introduced in Japan from the United States in 1873, is perhaps the most popular sport in Japan. It was first played by university students and company teams until 1934 when professional baseball made its debut. Today there are two six-team leagues – the Central League and the Pacific League. As in the United States, the season starts at the beginning of April and ends with a playoff game called the Japan Series. Central League teams include the Giants, Carps, Tigers, Swallows, Dragons and Bay Stars. The Pacific League teams are the Buffaloes, Hawks, Lions, Marines, Fighters and Blue Wave. In recent years, Japanese teams have recruited players from other countries including the Dominican Republic, Panama, Mexico, Venezuela, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan and especially the United States. Japanese players are also playing on American teams and are rapidly becoming household names.



GOLF
Over the past 50 years, golf has become a national obsession in Japan. With more than 2,500 golf courses; countless five-story, netted driving ranges packed into suburban neighborhoods; with golf wear and equipment on display everywhere from big department stores to specialty shops; there is nowhere you can go in the country and not see some something relating to golf. In the cities, the signs of golf include the merchandizing of all the golf related products ever made and adds for courses and tours - both domestic and international. On weekends, it is not uncommon to see businessmen traveling with golf bags in tow on the nation’s extensive pubic transportation system – often traveling up to two hours one-way for a day of golf. But the price for playing golf in Japan is very steep and more often than not reserved for the Japanese business elite and ‘salaryman’ as the golf course is where business relationships and deals are made.

Throughout the 1980s, golfing in Japan had reached its zenith with waiting lists to join clubs backed up for years. But since the economic downturn beginning in the early 1990s and corporate expense accounts which once funded golf outings reduced, many golf courses have lowered their prices. The average cost today for a game at a public course is about $100 on weekdays and $300 on the weekend. This price includes caddies, meals and traditional Japanese bathing facilities – no tipping necessary.
Over the past decade, there have been an increasing number of Japanese golfers who play the professional circuit. In 2004, two Japanese players were admitted into the World Golf Hall of Fame – Isao Aoki was elected through the International Ballot and Hisako “Chako” Higuchi was selected in the Lifetime Achievement category.
Golf was first introduced in Japan in 1903 by Arthur H. Groom – an English trader residing in Kobe who built a course on the scenic Mt. Rokko where he had created a vacation resort for foreigners residing in Kobe. The opening ceremony was officiated by Ichizo Hattori, then Governor of Hyogo Prefecture who hit the very first golf ball at the course which is still displayed in the clubhouse.



MARTIAL ARTS
Martial Arts by definition are military arts. For hundreds of years they were part of the regular regimen of samurai to prepare both mind and body for combat. As much spiritual as practical, martial arts are a philosophy that emphasizes discipline, honor and respect. The most widely practiced martial arts today include Aikido, Iaido, Judo, Karate, Kendo, Kyudo and Yabusame.

Aikido
Aikido is a martial art in which an opponent is repulsed by using the force of his attack against him by throws and locks. It was developed early 20th century by Morihei Ueshiba who synthesized a variety of martial arts techniques he had learned by studying with masters of ‘jujitsu’ (unarmed combat), ‘kenjutsu’ (kendo) and ‘sojutsu’ (spear fighting).

Iaido
Iaido is the martial art of engaging in a defense or attack with a sword involving a series of highly disciplined 'waza' or movements. Iaido is practiced with an imaginary opponent and includes drawing the sword (nukitsuke) to instantly repel an enemy or attack, the 'kiritsuke' which includes several blocks, thrusts and cuts, and returning the sword to its scabbard with grace and dignity (noto). Iaido has a ranking or 'dan' system similar to that of many other martial arts which includes three degrees of black belt. Since there is no colored belt ranking system such as in Karate, there are no advancement exams until the student is ready to take his or her first 'dan' or first level black belt exam. The word 'Iaido' is made up of three characters. 'I,' pronounced 'e' as in 'eat,' means to exist; 'ai,' pronounced 'eye' means to meet; and 'do' means the way. So loosely translated, 'iaido' means the way of existing. While the practitioner of Iaido learns posture, movement, grip and swing specific to the sword, the essence of this martial art is self discipline and the development of a peaceful state of mind with the ability to act decisively and well to a variety of life situations. Iaido has been in practice for more than 450 years and was an integral part of traditional samurai training and regiment.



Judo
Judo is a martial art based on jujitsu - the martial art developed and practiced by samurai for centuries. Today, it is a highly disciplined sport in which two wrestlers compete by using grappling and throwing techniques. In 1972, Judo became the first martial art to become an official Olympic sport. Judo, like Karate, is ranked by colored belts with ten degrees of black belts. The uniform consists of the traditional 'gi.'

Karate
The word 'karate' is made up of two characters - 'kara' which means empty, and 'te' which means hand. Karate is a martial art in which a series of hand and feet movements and stances are used in challenging an opponent. It originated in China as a form of self-defense and was introduced to Okinawa, Japan in the late fourteenth century. It was not until the early 20th century when it gained popularity as a martial arts form throughout Japan. Karate, like Judo is ranked by colored belts with ten degrees of black belts. The uniform consists of the traditional ‘gi.’

Kendo
Kendo (the way of the sword) is the art of Japanese fencing which traces its roots to 'kenjutsu' (the art of the sword), practiced by samurai for centuries. With the demise of the samurai class in the late 19th century, Kendo gradually evolved into the martial arts form practiced today. In Kendo, two players spar within a designated area of about 32 square feet and a match is won when one player has made two legal strikes as called by the judge. Advancement takes place in the form of 'kyu' or 'dan' much like in other martial arts and those of higher rank must also exhibit proficiency with the sword such as practiced in Iaido. Kendo swords include the 'bokken' or 'bokuto' and the 'shinai'. The bokken, made from hardwood, is used during 'kata' - sequences of forms and movements performed independently. The shinai, a straight stave of bamboo with a guard, a leather tip and handle, is used for sparring. The Kendo uniform (dogi) consists of a woven cotton top which is belted and a pleated skirt or 'hakama.' The armor (bogu) is based on traditional samurai armor (oyoroi) and consists of a 'men' (face mask with throat protector), a 'doh' (breastplate), 'kote' (gloves and gauntlets) and a 'tare' (heavy apron). Like with other Japanese martial arts, the tenets of Kendo include self discipline, respect for oneself and others, and it is designed to help practitioners cultivate the human spirit.



Kyudo
Kyudo literally means, 'the way of the bow' and is classic Japanese archery. Kyudo or Kyujutsu (the art of the bow) as it was originally called, dates back to prehistoric times (Jomon period) when Japan's first inhabitants used the bow and arrow for hunting. It became a symbol of power and authority and Japan's first emperor, Jimmu, is often portrayed holding a bow and arrow. At the end of the Heian period (794-1195 A.D.), the bow and arrow played a significant role in helping the emerging samurai class establish their power base. For hundreds of years, the bow and arrow and the sword were the primary weapons of war until a decisive battle in 1575 when the feudal army of Oda Nobunaga armed with muskets, defeated the opposing force of archers. Kyudo was first introduced to the West by the German philosopher, Eugene Herrigel in his 1930's classic, 'Zen in the Art of Archery.' The bamboo and wood bows used in Kyudo today are almost identical to those of 400 years ago. Practioners of Kyudo shoot arrows at stationary targets from a standing position and are evaluated not only by accuracy, but by form..



Yabusame
Yabusame, the art of archery (Kyudo) performed on horseback, is one of Japan's oldest traditions. It dates back to the Kamakura Era (12th century) when the shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147-1199) set up his government in Kamakura. Yoritomo and his army defeated the Heike clan which had controlled the central government from the old capital city of Kyoto for almost 400 years. The Kamakura Era marked the beginning of Japan's feudal period during which samurai ruled the land and the 'way of the warrior' (bushido) became their code. In 1187, Yoritomo ordered that the Shinto ritual of yabusame be practiced at Tsurugaoka-hachiman Shrine in Kamakura in order to promote discipline and religious devotion in his army of samurai.

There are several festivals which celebrate yabusame, but the most famous is Tsurugaoka-hachimangu Reitasai which takes place in the historic city of Kamakura on September 14 - 16. The festival opens on the evening of the 14th as participants prepare for the events of the next two days. On the 15th, mikoshi (portable shrines) are paraded through the ancient city streets. Then on the 16th, three archers dressed in medieval hunting attire (karishohzoku) compete by racing their horses down a narrow course and shoot arrows at 3 stationary targets. Arrows which hit their mark are treasured as good luck charms. To read about other Japanese festivals, click here.