Kemari
Contributed by Chiaki Oumoto
Kemari
was introduced from China about 1400 years ago during the Asuka
age. After that, kemari declined in popularity in China and Southeast
Asia, so it was only fully developed in Japan.
Kemari
looks like soccer and usually has 6 or 8 people on a team. The one
who kicks the ball is called a "mariashi." The ball is
made of deerskin with the hair facing inside and the hide on the
outside. The ball is stuffed with barley grains to give it shape.
Once the ball has its shape, the grains are removed. It is then
sewn together using the skin of the horse.
Kemari
is played on a flat ground, about 15 meters long. The uniforms are
reminiscent of the clothes of the Asuma age and include a crow hat.
There were no rules for kemari regarding the age or sex of the players.
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