What is Kemari, the ancestor of Japanese football?

When we think about the origins of football, we often imagine grand European narratives or famous quotes, like this one from Cantona:

"The English invented football, the French organized it, the Italians staged it."

However, long before the era of modern sport, Japan already practiced a ball game dating back approximately 1,400 years: Kemari. Inherited from Chinese influence, this codified ritual became a court art, to the point of still being practiced today during traditional ceremonies and demonstrations.

What is Kemari?

Kemari is an ancient Japanese kickball game. Unlike modern football, it does not involve two opposing teams and does not seek to determine a winner. The goal is collective: players cooperate to keep the ball in the air as long as possible without it touching the ground. In its classic form, eight participants stand in a circle and pass the ball to each other with control, flexibility, and precision.

The game takes place in a square area called a mariniwa. Tradition dictates that four trees mark the corners of the field: a pine, a cherry, a willow, and a maple. Players, called mariashi, wear clothing inspired by the imperial court and sometimes accompany their movements with ritual exclamations such as "Ari," "Yaa," or "Ou."

When did Kemari originate?

The Japanese Imperial Household Agency states that Kemari arrived in Japan from China during the Yamato period, approximately 1,400 years ago. Japanese academic sources also note a mention of a Kemari-like game as early as 701 AD, while court documents from the mid-Heian period (794-1185) show that this practice was already well-established in aristocratic culture.

In other words, Kemari belongs to a very ancient past. It is not a contemporary invention reconstructed afterward, but a tradition whose written memory, rules, and staging have spanned centuries. The FIFA Museum even highlights that Kemari is one of the very rare ancient games known to have been played exclusively with the feet.

Is Kemari still played today?

Yes, Kemari still exists! It is obviously no longer practiced as a popular everyday sport, but as a living cultural heritage. It is still presented to the public during special exhibitions at the Imperial Palace in Kyoto or other temples.

⭢ For example, every January 4th, the Shimogamo-jinja shrine organizes the official Kemari ceremony.

Can we say that Japan invented football?

Let's be clear: no, Kemari is not modern football in the strict sense.

However, we can definitely say something more profound and interesting: Japan already possessed, over a millennium ago, a refined kickball game, ritualized, codified, and deeply rooted in its culture. It is precisely for this reason that Kemari gives the impression of seeing, in another world and according to another logic, a very ancient form of Japanese football.