Home > TV Programs > SPORTS JAPAN
SPORTS JAPAN
- Program Info
- Archives
- Hosted by Ayako Kisa
Sun. 14:10 - 14:40 (UTC) etc.
SPORTS JAPAN features Japanese attitudes to sport, such as pursuing mental and physical prowess, that are often overlapped by the world's view of Japan.
Topics of the week:
*There is no broadcast on May 26.
Jun. 2, Sun. 14:10 - 14:40 (UTC) etc.
Marathon - Yuki Kawauchi, A Different Sort of Runner
[Top Scene]
All-Japan Kendo Enbu Taikai
The 4-day All-Japan Kendo Enbu Taikai for the traditional Japanese swordplay, kendo, was held in Kyoto from May 2-5. This long running event has been going on since 1895 and includes not only kendo but also the jodo arts of naginata, the Japanese glaives where the blade is attached to the end of a pole, and short wooden staves. Only those with 6-dan or higher can participate in this prestigious gathering and about 3,500 come for it. They have recently included an increasing number of foreigners. A 6-dan Italian woman who has been practicing kendo for 27 years was coming for her 6th time and said it was the dream of every European kenshi to be there. Her opponent, 6-dan Yasuo Endo, said, "Practicing with her, I have realized how very strong she is. I must practice more." It is becoming a place for international exchange in the martial arts.
[Frontrunners]
Marathon - Yuki Kawauchi, A Different Sort of Runner
Japan's representatives for the World Athletics Championships in August have already been selected and one of them, Yuki Kawauchi, is drawing very special attention. While most of Japan's top runners are semi-professional with corporate teams, Kawauchi works in a senior high school office and can be called a true amateur. With no coach to direct him, he thinks through his training schedule himself and even arranges his own water bottles. This unusual background has produced an unusual runner. Whereas other top runners race 2 or 3 times a year, Kawauchi has been competing every month. Saying that there is no better training than a race, he has overturned some basic assumptions of the long-distance running community. He had knee problems from hard training in his high school days and says he spent his time at university recovering and learning the fun of running with his team mates. His motto is not only to compete but also to enjoy what he does, and he is still running.
[Science Lens]
Breaking Pitches - The Knuckle Curve
Sharp breaking baseball pitches are a joy in every era. The knuckle curve is a legendary weapon. The camera catches the mechanism.
[Guest]
Thane Camus
TV personality, avid martial arts fan and a regular on this program. Has practiced karate, Ryukyu Kobudo and other martial arts and knows Japanese culture well.
Schedule:
| UTC | ||
|---|---|---|
| NHK WORLD TV | Sun. |
14:10 - 14:40 18:10 - 18:40 22:10 - 22:40 |
| Mon. |
02:30 - 03:00 06:30 - 07:00 10:30 - 11:00 |
|
