American and Japanese Sports

In America many people enjoy playing sports. It is something fun to do as well as good for you. It is exercise that is fun. Americans play many different sports that have been brought over from many different places and many different people. America is known as a “melting pot”, which means that many different people from all over the world have settled here and spread their culture. This allows America to be introduced to different sports from all over the world as well as to become aware of other cultures and ways of living. Sports are something that can bring people together and give people a similar thing to stand behind and cheer for. Sports have had a positive effect on America and have also helped our economy. Sporting goods are always up for sale in many stores such as Model’s, and The Sports Authority. Some of the many sports that are currently played in America would be ice hockey, roller hockey, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, skiing, diving, swimming, running, soccer, football, lacrosse and many more. Sports encourage competitiveness, sportsmanship, honesty, and good character. Baseball is regarded as Americas past time. It is very popular here. Football is very popular as well especially in the colleges. Sports are something that makes America great because of the number of sports you can play. It has helped this nation get through tough times and has always been something that people enjoy to during their free time.

Japan is also a country that enjoys sports. Sports began in Japan in the early 1870’s. This was the school systems were being established and the physical education in schools were becoming introduced. Among the first sports to be played in the high schools and universities were tennis, track and field events, rowing and baseball. Americans introduced baseball to the Japanese in 1872. Today it has become widely popular and very well liked. In the 1870s rugby, soccer, and ice skating were introduced by means of cultural diffusion. In that time period the western sports were played by very few people in Japan. As time progressed sports gained popularity and support. More and more people where trying these sports out and enjoying them. Although Japan has many sports from the western hemisphere, Japan had many of its own sports before this new ones were introduced. Some of these sports were Kendo which was Japanese stick fencing, jujutsu (known today as judo), and kyudo which was archery. During the Edo period in Japan martial arts were established. Karate which is a form of martial arts has become very popular world wide and has gone international. One of the sports that Japan may be best know for would be sumo wrestling. In sumo wrestling two wrestlers stand on an elevated straw ring, try to push and throw the opponent out of the ring. In Japan almost every city has at least one stadium. Japan also takes part in the Asian Games. Japanese people enjoy to ski in the European Alps andor the Canadian Rockies, and to play golf in Hawaii or California. In addition to sports being good for fitness sports have brought in a lot of money for Japan. Golf equipment brought in 5.1

billion dollars, skiing skating and snowboard equipment brought in 3.6 billion dollars, and tennis baseball and mountaineering sports brought in 919.2 million dollars.

Japan and the America are similar in many ways. Both these countries love sports. Sports have become a large part of the country. Japan and America have both shared sports from one another. These two nations have developed their very own sports that are native to their region. America has benefited from the Japanese sports and America has influenced Japan through baseball and other sports. These sports bring people closer together and allow people to want a common goal. Sports are not only good for ones health but they also benefit the country that accepted them. Sports give people a way to meet others whom they never would have known about. It is good that countries share sport with one another and learn from different cultures and people. Sports allow people form completely different sides of the world to come together and interact with one another and compete against each other. Sports strengthen the bond between others and encourage fair play, atheism, honesty, skill and sportsmanship. Sports can be traced back to have been played thousand and thousand of years ago, and there still around today. In conclusion, this is why sports are so important and a great part of society today.