JTB, one of Japan’s major travel agencies, will collaborate with the Japan Onigokko Association to hold the “Yukemuri Cup Spo-oni ENJOY Championship,” a national sport tag tournament set in Japanese hot spring resorts, on March 28 and 29.
The tournament will be held at Bandai Atami Onsen in Motomiya City and Koriyama City in Fukushima Prefecture. By encouraging visits from the approximately 200,000 sport onigokko (sport tag) players and related parties across Japan, the event aims to cultivate a new segment of visitors to these hot spring resorts, different from conventional tourist demographics. In addition to the matches, participants will be offered opportunities to experience the local appeal through overnight stays at Bandai Atami Onsen, meals featuring local ingredients, and social gatherings that promote交流 among participants.
During the tournament period, in addition to matches played by teams gathered from all over Japan, there will be sport onigokko trial sessions for elementary and junior high school students and local residents of Motomiya City and Koriyama City, as well as demonstrations and交流 events led by members of the Japan national sport onigokko team. With support from the JTB Ryokan and Hotel Federation, the event will be operated in collaboration with local governments, tourism associations, accommodation facilities, and transportation operators, and is positioned as a regional revitalization model with an eye toward expanding the series to other hot spring resorts in Japan.
Sport onigokko is a competitive sport developed from the traditional children’s game of onigokko (tag) familiar in Japan. Teams of seven players compete to capture as many “treasures” as possible from the opponent’s territory within a set time, with the team securing more treasures declared the winner. Because it cultivates abilities such as explosive power, agility, and decision-making through a variety of movements including chasing, dodging, and escaping, it is increasingly being introduced in school education settings, training for professional soccer junior teams, team-building programs for companies, and local交流 events across Japan.
Information on participation fees, how to apply, and the detailed event schedule is provided on the official tournament website.
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