Sports in Japan

Sports in Japan

If one looks back into history the earliest sports in Japan were archery and hunting. Sumo fight shows the tradition and religious beliefs of Japan. Some of the ancient sumo fights were purely religious in nature. Some of the sport like the falconry was a Mongolian influence.

Sports in Japan can be sited from he Asuka period and sumo is believed to be even before this period. The budo that started in the 12th century includes the kendo ( Japanese stick fencing), jujutsu (judo), kyudo (archery) and others. It was in the Edo period ( 1600- 1868) these sports became important. Judo and Karate enjoy international repute.

The Kamakura period was a starting period for many martial arts. Kyudo became a popular past time for the samurai. In the Edo period sports became popular. In 1686 , a Samurai made a record of shooting 13,053 arrows and hitting the mark 8, 133 times over a 24-hour period. After the Meiji restoration various kinds of western sports were introduced in Japan. Now sports were included in the school activity and matches between universities became popular. During 1870's track and field events, baseball, soccer, rugby and ice-skating were introduced. Professional sports in Japan started in 1920s but the attitude that sports should remain in the realm of amateur persisted.

Sumo the national sport of Japan originated nearly 200 thousand years ago and initially was associated with religion and rituals. This Japanese sport has become world famous and attract a huge crowd.

Modern sports in Japan started in 1870s when the sports in schools became an activity. The first addition in school and universities were the baseball, track and field events, rowing, baseball and tennis.

After the World War II baseball and professional wrestling were popular along with boxing and sumo. Judo has been recognized as an official event in the Olympic Games of 1964 in Tokyo. Soccer in Japan second most widely practiced sport in Japan amongst the elementary school along with baseball. Motor sport has become quite popular in Japan late 20th century. The reason for its popularity can be seen as motorists use cars as form of personal expression.

Sports in Japan are both native and the western that have been imported. Each year Japan observes second Monday in October as Health and Sports Day. Now playing and watching sports in Japan are popular activities be it the traditional sport like the Judo, a team sport like the baseball or the new sport like the BMX or the motor sports.

The martial arts like the judo, kendo, karate and akido are popular in Japan.

Sports in Japan not only leads to a better physical and mental well being but also sports also adds on to the domestic economy and thereby creating employment.

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