{"id":9870,"date":"2025-10-11T19:04:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T10:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shiga-ken.com\/blog\/?p=9870"},"modified":"2025-11-17T19:47:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T10:47:50","slug":"79th-japan-games-2025-shiga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shiga-ken.com\/blog\/2025\/10\/79th-japan-games-2025-shiga\/","title":{"rendered":"79th Japan Games in 2025 in Shiga Prefecture"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Heiwado
Heiwado HATO Stadium<\/strong> (Japan Games main stadium) with a view of Hikone Castle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

by Philbert Ono<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 79th Japan Games<\/a><\/strong> (\u7b2c79\u56de\u56fd\u6c11\u30b9\u30dd\u30fc\u30c4\u5927\u4f1a) were held successfully in Shiga Prefecture for the first time in 44 years from September 28 to October 8, 2025. They were coupled with the 24th Japan Para-Athlete Games<\/strong> (\u7b2c24\u56de\u5168\u56fd\u969c\u5bb3\u8005\u30b9\u30dd\u30fc\u30c4\u5927\u4f1a) also in Shiga on October 25th\u201327th, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formerly called the National Sports Festival of Japan<\/strong> (\u56fd\u6c11\u4f53\u80b2\u5927\u4f1a) or Kokutai<\/strong><\/em> (\u56fd\u4f53) for short, the Japan Games is a national sports competition held annually mainly in September-October with athletes representing all 47 prefectures competing in over 30 sports held in the host prefecture. Winter sports are also held in January\u2013February in a supplemental prefecture with enough snow if the host prefecture doesn’t have enough snow and ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The host prefecture changes every year to different regions in no specific order. Last year, it was held in Saga Prefecture<\/a>, and next year it will be in Aomori Prefecture<\/a>. Each prefecture has held the Japan Games only once or twice in the past 79 years. So it’s a very rare event to be held in your prefecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had never seen the Japan Games (nor Kokutai<\/em>), so it was time to finally see it right here in Shiga. I was able to see and photograph six Japan Games sports (photos below). Had to miss the para-athlete games though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was all free, no reservations required except for the Opening\/Closing Ceremonies attended by Imperial family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contents<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n