The Birth of a New Sport
Yukigassen traces its roots to snowball fights: fun ways for kids in snowy areas to pass the time with some friendly combat.…and “Sports Yukigassen was born”. It all started with an effort to energize the community during the winter months, when tourist traffic drops. But finding a unique, original approach proved difficult….…and then, one day…We saw how tourists loved the snow-touching it, balling it up, and throwing snowballs at each other. It was an instant inspiration: a realization that people had a natural instinct to fight with snowballs! So, in 1988, we decided to make Yukigassen a real sport！
“Snowball fight as an official sport? How absurd?!”
That was the common reaction of mostpeople, when first told of the idea. Every sport needs standard rules and equipment: how to play, how to win, how to make the snowballs, what to wear??? There were so many questions, but no easy answers…. By studying other sports, researching games, and conducting numerous simulations, we came up with a set of rules and standard equipment. Finally, in 1989, the first Showa-Shinzan International Yukigassen was held.
History of Yukigassen
| 1988 | The Yukigassen Rules Committee was formed Official set of rules was complete on Dec 6 |
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| 1989 | The snowball maker and helmets were first made The 1st Annual Showa Shinzan International Yukigassen（70 teams participated) |
| 1991 | 1st Ladies Divison tournament |
| 1992 | Australia hosted the first Yukigassen event outside of Japan |
| 1993 | The Japan Yukigassen Alliance was established |
| 1995 | Finland established the first Yukigassen organization outside of Japan |
| 2008 | The Hokkaido Sports Association recognized The Hokkaido Yukigassen Federation as an official competitive sporting body Yamanashi Yukigassen Federation was officially recognized by their area sport association in 2012 |
| 2010 | Yukigassen joined the 65th Winter National Sports Festival as an official event. |
| 2013 | The International Alliance of sports Yukigassen (IAY / Yukigassen International) formally established |
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| 2018 | The 30th annual tournament will be held at 24th-25th Feb. |