The course for the IAAF Osaka Championships is the one used for the Osaka International Ladies Marathon

Sumo fascinates spectators with powerful bouts

‘The Osaka International Ladies Marathon’, held at the end of every January, is one of the top marathons in Japan, an event that has produced national and world records.

One of the event’s characteristics is the course, which is plotted past major travel attractions in urban center such as Osaka’s main thoroughfare Midosuji Avenue, Osaka Castle and Nakanoshima Park. The marathon is known for its warm and energetic connection between the athletes and the spectators, with a large number of people turning out to cheer on the runners along the course.

Japan’s national sport, Sumo, also holds its March tournament at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, where heated matches take place.

To Osakans, the annual sight of Sumo wrestlers with their hair in a topknot, walking the streets, has become another sign of spring.

The major sports teams based in Osaka have declared their intention to create an ‘Osaka Sports Kingdom’, an effort aimed at advancing Osaka’s sports culture even further. The teams are conducting activities rooted in the community such as football and rugby schools, in order to expand the fun of making sports a part of the lifestyle.

Osaka has nurtured many strong athletes, who have gone on to make their mark in the world.

Half of the athletes that won the Gold in men’s team gymnastics at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, including Hiroyuki Tomita, trained at Mac Gymnastics Club in Osaka. In swimming, Osaka’s Itoman Swimming School trained Takashi Yamamoto, the silver medalist in men’s 200m Butterfly, as well as a number of other Olympians. Over a third of the medals claimed by Japan in Athens were won by athletes with ties to Osaka.

Masayo Imura, the former national team head coach of synchronized swimming that trained the duet and the team that won silver medals, is also from Osaka. She was invaluable in the popularization of synchronized swimming in Japan and contributed to the country’s medal achievement in 6 consecutive Olympics starting with the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, and will be serving as the head coach of the Chinese national team for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Industry has grown along with the sports culture. The established presence of rubber, leather and sewing in and around Osaka is credited to the evolution of the sporting goods industry. Osaka has a number of companies that support athletes worldwide.

Sporting goods makers based in Osaka
SSK
A Baseball supplier, an official sponsor of the International Baseball Federation

GOSEN
A maker of sporting goods such as fishing equipment and rackets

XANAX
A maker of sporting goods and wear, mostly in the baseball sector

SHIMANO
The largest maker of bicycle parts in the world

ZETT
A maker of sporting goods, mostly in the baseball sector

TSURUYA GOLF
A golf goods maker handling everything from the manufacturing to promotional activities

DESCENTE
A specialist in sportswear such as uniforms and ski wear

MIZUNO
A sporting goods maker, an official supplier of the International Olympic Committee

MontBell
An outdoor goods maker

YAMAMOTO KOGAKU
A maker of goggles and sunglasses, known under the SWANS brand

From: Brand-New Osaka vol.4 (2007.4.)