Kemari

Kemari, is a type of ball sport that is very similar to soccer where the ball is lifted in a circle of eight people. Since the ball is made of deer and horse skin which makes it light and easy to pass, there is no competition between the eight people but more of cooperative game where there are chants when receiving the ball.

According to historical records, in the 11th-12th century, Fujiwara no Narimachi(1097-1162) was a famous figure for his passion for Kemari that he was known as the “God of Kicking.” There were many legendary episodes about him including where he was lifting the ball on a railing of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. Furthermore, according his diaries, Fujiwara no Narimachi successfully lifted the ball for 7000 days straight, and on the 1000th day, there was a celebration where the chants were created. With his passion for Kemari and his great reputation among the public, Kemari became a very popular and beloved sport within the general public at that time.

During the 19th century, the Kemari Preservation Group(Kemari Hozon-kai)was formed in order to prevent the extinction of Kemari and the group is currently active to this day.