Overseas Topics
Taking Gateball to the Holy Land, a Bridge for Peace
Israelis Open Up to the Sport of Gateball |
With the support of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Israeli Embassy in Japan, the staff of the Japan Gateball Union (JGU) and ten
gateball players visited Israel from June 19 (Sunday) to 27 (Monday). Over those
nine days, the group worked to spread gateball in three cities, including Jerusalem,
the 3,000-year-old capital of the Middle East holy land.
The trigger for the trip was a request sent last summer to the JGU by Eli Cohen,
Israel's ambassador to Japan, asking the JGU to help spread gateball in Israel.
As a country with an aging society, Israel needed, as a welfare policy, a sport
that could give its healthy senior citizens moderate exercise. Mr. Cohen noticed
that gateball, a cross-generational sport in Japan, was becoming more popular,
so the trip to spread it to Israel was organized.
To help promote the sport, demonstrations were held through the domestic Israeli
organization JDC-ESHEL at facilities in three Israeli cities. Also, when the Japanese
promoting gateball visited the Japanese embassy in Israel, they received local
information from the Japanese ambassador, Jun Yokota. Activities to spread gateball
were held in three cities: Jerusalem, Shaar Hanegev, and Raanana. Training sessions
were held in all three cities in community centers and sports grounds, and sets
of gateball equipment, including second-hand sticks gifted by players all over
Japan, were donated to each facility.
At the training sessions, players from Japan introduced gateball to a wide variety
of participants, from children to senior citizens. At first, the local people
didn't know what to make of this unfamiliar sport, but they quickly go used to
it and began to enjoy it. Government sports officials and recreation program organizers
also participated. The consensus was that, as well as a program for older people,
gateball was ideal for children's summer camps.
The efforts to spread gateball to Israel attracted the support of Israel's Embassy
in Japan and Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Nobutaka Machimura, sent a personal message to Israel. The efforts to
take the sport to Israel grew into a substantial effort supported by government
institutions. |
Promoting gateball at a daycare center for the elderly and disabled people of
the area. The older people who attend the center are encouraged to take part in
non-strenuous games. Nearby elementary school pupils also participated. |
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The Japanese visitors communicated easily with the local people. The sport provides
enjoyable intercultural exchange. |
“Super seniors” at the Shaar Hanegev adults center also joined in. |
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Visiting the Japanese Embassy in Israel. Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary Jun Yokota (back row, center) offered strong encouragement.
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Visiting Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A commemorative photograph was
taken with the Deputy Director General of the Asia & Pacific Bureau, Amos Nadai
(back row, center). |
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Jerusalem sports officials play with enthusiasm. |
Players from Japan enjoy viewing historical monuments. |
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