Knowing to seriously enjoy winter sports "snowball fight" originating in Japan

Snowball fight is not a child's play, it is actually a sport that can be considerably hot if you seriously do it. As a matter of fact, conventions are held every year in various places in Japan, and it is known around the world as a winter sports beginning in Japan.

Showa Shinzan International Snowball Fight

Showa-Shinzan International Yukigassen

Yukigassen USA

Clear rules are defined for "snowball fight" of one sport competition. There are seven athletes, two alternate players and one director per team, and if it is below this number it will be impossible to enter the tournament. The configuration of four teams of avant-garde "Forward" and three "back" of rear guards is like a team of football with no fixed midfielder.

And the two teams will proceed in a game. The time limit per game is 3 minutes, 3 sets match. The number of snowballs that one team can use in one set is limited to 90, and it is made with special equipment before the game. Just because you have run out of hand balls, if you make snow collecting around you will be disqualified, you will be sent off immediately. This is the biggest difference from the snowball fight that people think.

We make the snowballs with special equipment (73,500 yen including tax). A machine that can mass produce balls with a diameter of 6.5 - 7 cm, invented in Sobetsu Town with the Japan Snow Battle Federation.AmericaYanew zealand,Australia,Canada,SwedenThe existence of "Yukigassen" is recognized also in various countries of the world, and this special equipment is also used for the game in that country.


With this kind of feeling it will solidly snow and make it. This looks fun. Personal purchase is a difficult item, so if you have an event that can make this snowball, it will make me want to go alone.


There are two conditions of victory, the first being "to take over the flag of the opponent team within the victory time with two sets in advance". Because there is a provision that there are only three people in the position of the opponent, if more than four people have entered the opponent's position, the defeat will be decided on the spot. During one game, this means that you have three chances to win.


The condition of the second victory is "to defeat the opponent team using the snowball". First of all, if you hit a no-bound snowball released from your opponent team, you must leave the court. Also, if a ball of an ally team hits you, or a ball away from your hand hits your body, it will be out. This area is the same as the rule of dodge ball.


Looking at the figure below, you can see the position of the flag that is the condition of the victory and the characteristic field composition. What is drawn in a square is a shelter to save the opponent's snowball.


The actual state of the competition can be seen on YouTube. Instead of swiftly throwing a stubborn ball, strategies are also being heavily used to hit a ball drawn by curbs on the head of an enemy over the shelter. While appearance is modest, the pressure called out immediately when hitting the snowball is considerable.

07 yukigassen final - YouTube


Asics's official websiteThere is a "snowball fight" category, training exercises dedicated to snowball fighting and armor are sold. It is expensive as a player helmet (11,500 yen including tax), but there are competitions that allow participants to rent tools. Therefore, there is no need to forcibly purchase a beginner of "just want to try it for a while".


Because there are many rules of patterns similar to the existing ball game, the official rule of snowball fight unexpectedly familiar. Regardless of not going out for the competition, it is fully possible to enjoy snowball fighting as "sports" based on this content.

With shelter there is a moderate tension that can not be obtained with just throwing. People who have enjoyed snowball fighting so far may also try trying a real snowball fight by collecting their friends this year.


It is probably impossible to introduce it to official games, but it is definitely impossible, but there are cross-bows for snowball fighting that seems to be quite exciting when introduced to the snowball fight. Unfortunately, shipping is possible only in the United States. Ally, everyone of the opponent team wants to try a snowball fight like a survival game with this crossbow equipped.

Crossbow Snow Launcher