| Playing and watching sports are popular activities in | | | | late 1920s but a persistent rumors of bribes and a |
| Japan whether it is a traditional sport like judo, a | | | | general attitude that sports should be for amateur |
| team sport like baseball, a new sport like BMX or one | | | | players or as a hobby persisted. Until after World |
| of the many motorsports series. | | | | War II when airing of sporting event on radio and |
| The earliest sports in Japan were most likely archery | | | | television became common, matches between |
| and hunting. Kemari is known to have been played in | | | | schools attracted a larger crowd. |
| Asuka period and sumo may be even older, perhaps | | | | Baseball and professional wrestling were staples of |
| used to settle disputes between villages. Falconry | | | | early television, and boxing and sumo were aired |
| also began in the Asuka period, heavily influenced by | | | | periodically. Initially, running live sport games were |
| Mongolian practices. | | | | viewed with skepticism as it was believed that fans |
| Sumo shows an important side of traditional Japanese | | | | would rather stay at home if they could watch for |
| sport, a religious occasion as well as a sporting event. | | | | free. But, as it actually increased interest and sold |
| Many sumo rituals are closely associated with Shinto | | | | more merchandise, airing of sports on TV became |
| belief. It is believed that some of ancient sumo | | | | popular. |
| matches were a purely religious event with a | | | | Judo has been recognized as an official event in the |
| predetermined outcome as an offering to kami. Some | | | | Olympic Games since the 1964 Summer Olympics in |
| matches were done as a divination. For example, if a | | | | Tokyo. It is also one of the four main forms of |
| fisherman and farmer held a match and the fisherman | | | | amateur competitive wrestling practiced internationally |
| won, a good catch was predicted for the year. | | | | today. Keirin racing has also become an Olympic |
| The Kamakura period was a starting point for many | | | | Games event since the 2000 Summer Olympics in |
| martial arts. Kyudo became popular as kyujutsu, | | | | Sydney. |
| literally bow skill, as a pastime for samurai. Yabusame | | | | Motorsport has become quite popular in Japan |
| also started as a sport in this period, but is now | | | | especially during the latter third of the 20th century. |
| considered a sacred ceremony. Hunting also became | | | | Japanese car manufacturers use the many |
| a popular sport and dogs were used to aid a hunt. | | | | motorsports series as a form of marketing; the |
| Hunting was also called Inuoimono, literally dog | | | | classic "race on Sunday sell on Monday" philosophy. |
| chasing. | | | | Another factor that contributes to the popularity of |
| In the Edo period, sports became a popular way to | | | | motorsports is the use of cars as a form of personal |
| spend time. The only problem was that they were | | | | expression. With cars costing less than homes in |
| often accompanied by gambling. A notice to punish | | | | Japan, many youth spend a lot on their cars and |
| playing and betting on sumo without an authorization | | | | consequently get involved in both amateur racing, |
| was repeatedly posted to little effect. Kyudo was | | | | both legal (on track) and illegal (street racing). Many |
| encouraged by shogun and daimyo as a pastime and | | | | Japanese racing drivers come from this background |
| contests as well as record making attempts were | | | | to find success in many racing series both in Japan |
| held. In April 26, 1686, a samurai named Wasa | | | | and around the world. Drifting is a relatively new form |
| Daihachiro made an unsurpassed record of shooting | | | | of motorsport that is distinctly Japanese and is now |
| 13,053 arrows and hitting the mark 8,133 times over | | | | being exported abroad. |
| a 24 hour period. This is even more remarkable when | | | | School and Sport |
| one considers the shooting range for this attempt, a | | | | There are opportunities to play sports for every age |
| 120 meter long corridor with a ceiling of only 2.2 | | | | groups and a school plays an important role in |
| meters. In the Olympic games, archers shoot over a | | | | community. Kindergarten and lower elementary school |
| distance of only 70 meters. Martial arts like jujutsu | | | | students can play in a private sport club that can be |
| were popular but schools avoided inter-school | | | | joined for a moderate fee. Most martial arts can be |
| matches and only internal matches were held. | | | | started as little as 4 or 5 years old. When a student |
| After the Meiji Restoration, various kinds of Western | | | | starts 5th grade, school offers free after-school |
| sports were introduced into Japan. Playing sports was | | | | activities for its students to participate. Middle and |
| adopted as a school activity and matches between | | | | high schools also let its student join school sponsored |
| universities became popular. During the 1870s, track | | | | sports clubs and teams. Like the United States, it is |
| and field events, baseball, soccer, rugby, and ice | | | | rare for a professional athlete to become a pro after |
| skating were introduced. In 1911, an Austrian gave | | | | graduating from a high school. Most advance to a |
| skiing instruction to the Japanese army. In those | | | | university often with a scholarship and become a pro |
| days, Western sports were played by few people, | | | | after graduation. |
| but through the educational system they spread | | | | Prefectural level contests and tournaments are held |
| throughout the country. Western sports were initially | | | | every winter and summer if not more often and for |
| stressed as a form of mental discipline, but Japanese | | | | those sports that does not have a professional |
| have now come to enjoy them as recreational | | | | league, this seasonal contest is the necessary step |
| activities.[1] Professional sports, the most famous | | | | for eventually competing in an Olympic Games |
| being baseball which continues even today, started in | | | | |