the WORLD MASTERS GAMES (WMG) 2021 KANSAI is a giant sports festival where if you are a lover of sports over the age of 30 you can participate in various sporting events regardless of past experience. From the 14th to the 30th of May 2021 this event will be held in Japan’s Kansai region for the first time in all of Asia. There are a total of 35 events with 59 different variations including sports such as field and track, badminton, basketball, swimming and many more which will be held throughout areas around the 9 different prefectures of Fukui, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, Tottori and Toksushima over a 17 day period. You can participate in 5 of the 59 total events by paying the basic fee.
Another of the festival's amazing features is the ability to not only participate in the events themselves, but also fully enjoy and experience various sightseeing and cultural exchange activities. We are going to be introducing 5 different themes in this series which are “Enjoying culture and tradition”, “Enjoying nutritional foods”, “Enjoying outdoor experiences”, “Enjoying the comfort of nature” and “Enjoying sightseeing.”
In this article we are going to be exploring and introducing some traditions and cultures that have been around for over 1000 years that can only be experienced In the Kansai region of Japan.
※Depending on the sport/event, there may be additional fees. Furthermore, if you only wish to spectate the event, there is no fee or registration required for entry.
Enjoying Fukui Prefecture’s Traditions and Culture
At the beautiful, blue clear-watered Wakasa Wada Beaches located in Takahama, Fukui Prefecture, lifeguard events are held. When enjoying this route for Fukui Prefecture’s traditions and culture, one of the things you should pay really close attention to is Fukui Prefecture’s designated intangible cultural asset “paper marbling.” It is an art that holds a lot of history and has been around for over 1000 years. When experiencing this, you take the image of the surface of the water and transfer it onto traditional Japanese paper (washi), here you can make a piece of paper that is completely unique with no others like it anywhere else in the world. It is an experience where you can enjoy the beauty of ink. The price for this experience is 3,500 JPY. The required time is estimated at around 2 hours, with multiple start times (9:30, 13:30, 16:00) which you can choose from allowing you to easily schedule this activity to your convenience. Please check the latest information from the site below.
- Enjoying Fukui Prefecture’s Traditions & Culture Page → click here
Fukui Prefecture’s attractions don't end here. It holds the world's largest dinosaur museum as well as the Daihonzaneiheiji temple which is a school of zen Buddhism. There are multiple locations here which hold an abundance of history and culture for you to experience. How about it? Experiencing some of Japan’s oldest culture and traditions alongside the beautiful sea in Fukui Prefecture whilst participating in WMG2021 KANSAI?
- Fukui Prefecture’s Attractions & Events Page→click here
- Fukui Prefecture’s other Experience Plans Page →click here
Enjoying Sakai’s Tradition & Culture
At Osaka’s Sakai City, both football and futsal are being hosted. Sakai is famous as a town for blades made by skilled artisans. The techniques which were acquired from a group of blade artisans that immigrated from the 15th century Kaga Province (now the southern area of the Ishikawa Prefecture) allowed for the creation of extremely sharp blades which have been highly regarded throughout history. As of right now Sakai creates cooking knives and holds over 98% in shares across the country.
As such, one of the activities we want to pay close attention to in this location is the activity of creating your own knife!
You will polish and attach the handle to your own personal knife helped by a veteran artisan. Furthermore, you can even give your personal knife a name. Surely the perfect souvenir and memory of participating in WMG2021 KANSAI? The fee for the personal knife creation starts at 18,000 JPY. The required time is estimated at 1 and a half hours and is planned to be available during WMG2021 KANSAI (14th - 30th of May) on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Weekends. Please check the detailed schedule on the site below.
- Enjoying Osaka, Sakai’s Culture & Traditions Page→click here
※Blades can be prohibited based on country/location. Please only consider participation after checking the rules of your country. Furthermore, you are unable to take purchased knives onto a plane. You must give the item in at check-in for the staff to hold for you until arrival. Rules and regulations regarding this can vary depending on what airline you are flying with, so please ensure to check the details with the airline prior to taking part in this activity.
There is one more spot we think you should definitely not miss in Sakai. Mozu kofungun, which is the world's largest grave site and in 2019 became Osaka’s first ever World Heritage Site. There are many other things here such as old shrines, towns, and tea ceremony culture. Would you enjoy checking out all of the history and culture in this town whilst participating in the WMG2021 KANSAI events?
- Sakai’s Experience Plan Page →click here
- Sakai City’s Attractions & Events Page→click here
In this article we have introduced an itinerary where you can enjoy various traditions and culture from both Fukui Prefecture and Sakai (Osaka). There are various other areas in the Kansai region where you can experience amazing and interesting traditions and culture. You can choose these locations and activities based on the sports events you are planning to participate in. Please try making a schedule whilst confirming the schedules of the various events.
- Check out the plan for enjoying tradition & culture here→click here
In the next article we are going to be introducing the theme of “Enjoying nutritional foods!” Make sure to check it out!
- Details on WMG2021 KANSAI Entry can be found here→click here
- Detailed explanations on how to enter can be found in this article: ：WMG2021 KANSAI’s Registration Process Thoroughly Explained!
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