Where to Learn Martial Arts in Kobe

Aug 20, 2019 By Justin Hanus

Martial arts activities have long been a staple in Japanese life with both children and adults enrolling in self-defense classes and learning the various different disciplines. Martial arts can be fun to learn and are also a useful way of defending yourself and others in the event of a troublesome...[ Click to read more ]

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Water Sports You Can Try in Kobe

By Justin Hanus

Whether you're looking for an indoor swim or some outdoor action in a boat or on a surfboard, you can find plenty of water-based activities in and around Kobe at reasonable prices. Here's a summary of what is on offer. Swimming and Diving For those after proper swimming and diving...[ Click to read more ]

Japanese Sports You May Not Be Aware Of

By Justin Hanus

Everyone knows the famous Japanese sports like sumo, karate, and judo. However, a number of other traditional sports play an important role in Japanese life, and many of these are almost unknown outside the country. Yabusame Yabusame is a form of archery on horseback. Participants must try to hit targets...[ Click to read more ]

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Get Hooked on Family Fishing in Aichi

By Bert Wishart

It should come as no surprise that, being an island nation crisscrossed with rivers and spotted with freshwater lakes, Japan is a fantastic country in which to go fishing. From large ocean fish to catching ayu with your bare hands, there is something that will interest fisherfolk of all sorts....[ Click to read more ]

Morioka Marathon: Here for the Long Run

By Jade Brischke

Summer in Morioka is officially over which means the weather is starting to cool down and runners everywhere are taking advantage of it. Long winters can make running difficult, not to mention, dangerous, here and late spring and autumn are the perfect time to get outside and explore the city....[ Click to read more ]

A Driving Obsession – Where to Play Golf in Hiroshima

Jul 22, 2019 By Hugh Cann

The history of golf in Japan stretches back more than a century. The country’s first golf club was established in Kobe by a group of British expats way back in 1903, and the Japan Golf Association was set up one hundred years ago in 1924. Japan’s “golf boom” came in...[ Click to read more ]

Blood on the Tracks: See Keirin Cycle Racing in Nagoya

Jul 08, 2019 By Bert Wishart

If you have ever seen track bicycle racing in a velodrome or on TV during the Olympics, you would consider events such as pursuit, omnium and time trials as exhilarating, high-speed, but ultimately combat-free sports. In Japan's favorite cycle event, 'keirin' racing, though high-tempo and exciting, stands out for its...[ Click to read more ]

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Finding an English-speaking Personal Trainer

Mar 29, 2019 By Jason Gatewood

Personal fitness is something that takes dedication, and mental training more than the physical will to push weights or run miles down the road. Moving to another country and embedding oneself into a different culture is hard enough without sacrificing our physical health in the process. Some years ago, I...[ Click to read more ]

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International Festival of Extreme Sports

Mar 26, 2019 By Matt Mangham

For three days in April, downtown Hiroshima will take on a new vibe as crowds of breakdancers, freestyle BMX riders, parkour players and other extreme athletes converge on the site of the former municipal stadium just north of Peace Park for FISE Hiroshima. FISE, which stands for Festival International des...[ Click to read more ]

Planning Your Visit to a Sumo-Beya

Mar 22, 2019 By Justin Hanus

Attending a match at a sumo tournament is just one way to experience real-life sumo. Another is to visit a sumo stable (or sumo-beya) where professional wrestlers live and train. In fact, visiting a sumo-beya will give you a better understanding of the culture of wrestling. Plus, as tournaments are...[ Click to read more ]

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