Sports & martial arts

Martial arts are a most popular aspect of Japanese culture and thus of Japan Expo. The Budô area includes two spaces of tatami that can be used by clubs to introduce many disciplines to the attendees, and a stage foe demonstrations.  

All day and during the whole of the festival, the attending martial art clubs take turns on the tatami with amazing demonstrations and initiation classes. Many varied disciplines are represented, so everyone can find the best one for themselves.

In 2017, there was 14 martial arts, with famous ones such as aikidô or kendô, and discoveries such as chanbara or naginata. Japan Expo also hosts kyûdô, Japanese traditional archery, with life size demonstrations.

If martial arts are very popular in Japan, they’re not the only sports the Japanese practice. Japan Expo is inviting you to discover Japan still further and to go beyond our own limits!

The ring for puroresu (Japanese pro wrestling) hosts Japanese pro wrestlers who perform with epic fights. The most adventurous attendees are welcome on the ring too and initiations are organized with ICWA and INFC.

Yakyû – baseball – is Japan’s national sport, though it is often little known. From the 1880s, the Japanese fell for this discipline to the point that it became their favorite. Male and female teams have won international competitions many times. Thanks to an inflatable structure, the festival attendees train at hitting the ball.