The playing styles and transitions of traditional Japanese stick games

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This study aimed to investigate the actual conditions of traditional Japanese stick games and to shed light on their transitions. It considered games such as hamanage (literally, 'disk throw'), practiced only in Kagoshima Prefecture; kiba dakyu (or 'horseback hitting-ball'), practiced only in Hachinohe, Yamagata, and at the Imperial Household Agency ; kachi dakyu (or 'walking hitting-ball') practiced only in Hachinohe and Yamagata: and kiba dakyu in Tokushima Prefecture, which is no longer played. This study discussed the original methods of playing these games and their transitions over time.The sources used in this study include archival documents, pictures and interviews with members of preservation societies, game rule books, and newspaper articles.The results were mainly summarized as follows.1. The Satsuma game of hamanage is played in Kagoshima Prefecture with rules which have been compiled using traditional rules; the methods to popularize this game are currently being developed.2. Following May 1938, kiba dakyu games and drills were often held in Tokushima Prefecture in order to discipline horses, promote horseback riding, and raise people's spirits. The decrease in demand for horses post World War II, however, caused a decline in kiba dakyu.3. Kiba dakyu is still played in Hachinohe and Yamagata because it is associated with shrine festivals; moreover, Hachinohe has established a license system for good players.4. It is possible that people in Tokushima Prefecture stopped playing kiba dakyu because it was not associated with any ceremonial events.