Kites have been around in the world for quite some time now, having purportedly been invented in China during the 5th century. This statement is disputed by historians who insist that flying kites is something people have done for at least two millennia.
Initially, the Chinese used a fine article like silk (which is plentiful around that region), lined with bamboo. The men who supposedly invented it are named Lu Ban (or Gongshu Ban) and Mozi (sometimes pronounced Mo Di). Others say that a kite was used by a Chinese General named Han Hsin in 200 B.C., to aid him to surprise attacking an oppressive Emperor in a rebel raid.
As time went on, and ancient civilizations traded with each other, the invention of kites made their way to different nations - initially those in Asia. Thailand, Korea, Japan, and India among other Asian nations, established their own styles of kites, as western countries caught on with the trend as well.
The Use of Kites
Ever-progressing technology has aided in developing the kite to fly more efficiently and to be used for purposes both important and recreational. Kites have so far been used as a lift to carry people off the ground, signals for the military, tools to test winds, a means of rescuing people, as a distance measurer, and so much more.
As for recreational purposes, aside from the fun that comes with simply stringing a kite along, there are several competitions that involve the creation of kites, and the mastery of manipulating kites. There’s aerial ballet, for example, where sports kites are made to follow certain patterns of movement simultaneously to put up a show. A more aggressive, recreational kite sport that is famous in different countries and is often celebrated is kite fighting.
Kites in Japan
China heavily influenced Japan during Japan’s infant years, so that’s how kites were introduced to Japan. Buddhist monks who would travel from China to Japan would bring all sorts of cultural factors that would play major roles in Japan’s society, such as language, religion, and inventions – and one of those was the kite. In Japanese, "kite" is written as “凧”, pronounced as “tako”.
Kites were made to aid in the construction of buildings, lifting carpentry materials up to rooftops. They were also used in religious practices and were incorporated in many mythological legends. Some of these legends are very grandiose, telling stories of men who would ride kites to visit their lonely sons in faraway islands, while others spoke of a thief who flew up to the roof of Nagoya Castle to steal the golden scales of the statue of a dolphin perched on top. That last story does not have a happy conclusion - he was caught because he had been boasting about this act, and his entire family was boiled in oil.
The History of Japanese Kite Fighting
The kite fighting sport did not originate from Japan. In fact, its history begins in India, after India borrowed the invention of the kite from Chinese influence. In India, these fighter kites are called “patang” and are used in competitions during festivals such as the Indian Independence Day, Basant, and Makar Sankranti.
Indian kite fighting made its way to other Asian countries, but Indonesia played a special part in how Japan took to adapting the sport. Dutch traders were one of the western nations mingling with Japan during earlier times, and the Dutch had also been to Indonesia, so it is assumed that Dutch traders brought in special fighter kites (thus the sport as well) despite the kite already existing in Japan.
How to Go Kite Fighting
Unlike the usual, traditional Japanese kites which can be large, graceful, and colorful, kites used for fighting are lightweight, volatile, and quick to follow each calculated tug. The point of this competition is for one kite to successfully wrap around the other, and cut the off the opponent’s kite. The strings that hoist the flags up have glass that coats their lines, making it easier to slice the opponent’s string off compared to normal kites.
Aside from cutting the string itself, another kite-fighting competition involves dragging the entire kite down with yours. The kites used here are much bigger, though, with each large kite being maneuvered by an entire team of people.
The Different Kinds of Japanese Fighter Kites
- One Japanese fighter kite, traditionally formed, constructed with washi paper and bamboo, and possesses 6 sides is the Rokkaku Dako; written as “六角凧”. The rokkaku Dako is shaped as a hexagon, vertically upright, that bends with the wind. Its bridle has four points, while a spar runs down vertically, crossed by two more spars; somewhat forming the letter I. There are 3 strings that hold each end (amounting to 6 in total), shortly joining together to form the tail. The kite usually has designs of paintings on them, usually that of a well-known Samurai.
- The Nagasaki Hata kite resembles the more popular idea of what a kite looks like. It is diamond-shaped and easy to fly. This is the kite that historians suspect was influenced to the Japanese by Dutch traders. These kites come in many different colors, illustrations, and patterns.
- The Buka kite, which is less popular than the rokkaku Dako, is also made from bamboo spars and lightweight washi, has a two-point bridle and is rectangularly shaped. There is no design that is traditionally native to the Buka kite.
The Japanese Festival Pair All About Kite Fighting
There are three major kite fighting festivals that occur in Japan every year. One of them happens in Shirone, which is a city found in the Prefecture of Niigata. Another happens in Ikizaki village, which is in the Ehime Prefecture. The last one happens in Hamamatsu, which is in the western part of the Shizuoka Prefecture.
The Takomatsuri in Shirone
The takomatsuri (literally kite festival) that happens in Shirone around June lasts an entire week. Residents of the village prepare for this exciting event long beforehand by making their own kites and designing them themselves. They then form teams and battle head-to-head by the Nakanoguchi River. There are technicalities when it comes to the size of the kite, and the specifications call for each kite to measure thereabouts of 7 meters by 3 meters (23 x 10 foot) large.
These teams take themselves very seriously, and usually already have a mascot or symbol to represent their group. This is what is most often painted on their kite; typically, a local figure or famous samurai. Because of the weather that accompanies June (and the flow of the Nakanoguchi river), the direction that the wind blows aids in the heated entanglement of the kite strings. The tug of war thus ensues, as the winner of this competition is the team that successfully yanks the other kite towards a certain mark in their direction.
Odako Gassen in Ikazaki
Odako Gassen is the name of the Kite Fighting Festival held in Ikazaki on Children’s Day for boys. This occurs every 5th of May. Playing and competing with kites is usually associated with the male sex. 10 A.M. is when the festival begins. You’ll see musical performances, as well as youngsters from high school practicing kite fighting. There is a giant kite filled with inscriptions of names of those who were newly born, which in turn blesses them and for the coming years. The townspeople then try (their hardest) to launch this large kite.
A festival is not complete without stalls of food that you can pick from for snacks or lunch; karaage and udon are usually served. Later, registered teams get ready for the official battle between kites. Kites must measure 1.65 meters by 1.35 meters, and have a “gagari” (sharp metal) on their kite string to aid in cutting off the opponents’ kite.
The battlegrounds are located right beside the Oda River. If you can understand Japanese, you may enjoy the commentator who gives the blow-by-blow of the attacks among the kites. During heated moments between participants in the competition, you might even see some of them walk into the river just to regain control of their kite, and steer it away from the other player – or let it dive straight into theirs.
The Hamamatsu Kite Festival
Just like the last festival, this one also occurs during Children’s day but starts a bit earlier; from May 3 to May 5. Here, flying kites, in general, is celebrated (so you can bring and fly your own kite), and the fighting part of it is just an additional segment.
The Nakatajima Dunes – one of the biggest in Japan – is where the festival is held. It’s right by the Enshunada Sea, which can get windy. Kites that are flown in this festival measure around 3.5 meters by 3.5 meters. In the Nakatajima Dunes, the competition begins at the loud horn of a trumpet. Here, it’s a test of wire strength, as they rub against each other, trying to cut one another with friction.
This celebration has roots to pre-Tokugawa period Japan, as the birth of the male child of Hamamatsu Castle’s Lord was celebrated. This sparked a kite-flying tradition called “Hatsukado”, that would be repeated every time a male child is born.
During the Hamamatsu Kite Festival, not only are their kite fights and competitions, it is also important and customary to hoist carp steamers, known in Japanese as “koinobori”. They symbolize the strength that the carp fish portray when they swim against the current in their day-to-day lives; a representation of how ideally strong and progressive a Japanese man should grow to be in all aspects of his life, according to their culture. It is in this period that 10-meter poles hold huge koinobori in honor of all the little boys, blessing them to grow to their full potential.
Aside from holding kite competitions, this festival also has different performances and attractions that any person would enjoy, such as a parade of 100 “yatai” or floats. Traditional music that is always played during festivals is also audible, and people from all over the city march with gusto around the streets.
Go to A Museum About Kites in Tokyo, Japan
If you are a kite fanatic, you may want to visit the Kite Museum in Tokyo – also called “Tako-no-hakubutsukan”. It’s rated 84 out of the 327 things to do in Chuo, and from 26 reviews, it garnered a rating of 3.5.
For those lucky enough to catch this elusive museum open, they were enthralled by the win of finally finding the museum and were put in awe by the old, traditional, and authentic kites it displayed. You must pay an entrance fee of 200 yen. The designs are incredibly intricate, and its quirkiness of tightly packing all the kites together endears some of the customers.
The museum also holds The Japan Kite Association’s head office. For those who want to visit, it is open from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, from Monday to Saturday. It is usually closed on national holidays. It is found inside a restaurant called “Taimeiken” on the 5th floor. That restaurant is in an unnamed corner building that has the address of 1-12-10 Nihonbashi, Chuo 103-0027, Tokyo Prefecture. It’s very near the subway Nihonbashi station, Ginza line.
Have A Hand At Kite Fighting
There are many websites online that teach you how to build a kite if you really want to get into it and create one yourself. It’s easy to order the parts online, and get digital instruction sheets on how to go about them, depending on which kind of kite style you choose.
Most seasons are ideal for flying kites – perhaps the season that is most difficult to do is Spring (around April), because of the many rain showers. Summer; usually July, August, and September, makes for great visibility and clear sky and air. December and January hold freezing winter temperatures, but if you can brave the cold when the sun is out, it’s a cool experience. Kite fighting can be fun and is a great cultural sport to bond with friends and family.