J-Arena

Over the past 2 decades, the world of competitive video-gaming has transformed from niche amateur hobby to a multi-billion dollar spectator sport with global reach. We take the pulse on Japan's rapidly evolving esports scene and meet the legendary Umehara Daigo, known as "The Beast" for his unrivaled mastery of 2D arcade fighting games. As he turns 40 this year, we look back over Daigo's record-breaking career so far, and explore the secrets of his enduring success after decades in the sport.

Ekiden is a hugely popular form of long-distance relay race in Japan, dating back to 1917. Key races are typically held in winter, with televised races over New Year's drawing audiences in the tens of millions. The team relay format makes for a distinct atmosphere and appeal that sets Ekiden apart from individual long-distance events. In this episode we feature the inter-high school Ekiden held in Kyoto at the end of 2020. We also explore the relationship between Ekiden events and local communities, and learn about the key role played by overseas students from East Africa.

With no divisions by weight class, the All Japan Judo Championships is a unique event said to determine Japan's overall top judoka. Held yearly since 1948, the tournament stands out for its memorable scenes of smaller wrestlers attempting to topple larger opponents, including a valiant effort by 75kg judoka Koga Toshihiko, who made it all the way to the final in 1990 only to lose to a rival weighing over 50kg more. Through the lens of the tournament's 2020 edition as well as past historic bouts, we examine the spirit of judo and the core principle of "softness overcomes hardness."

In Japan, some college-level sports have as dedicated a following as the professional leagues. A baseball league contested by 6 Tokyo universities has a proud history stretching right back to a match between the universities of Keio and Waseda in 1903. The 2 teams' century-spanning rivalry includes a particularly dramatic series from 1960 that remains etched in the national memory. We also learn about the student sumo wrestlers who later turn pro, as well as the student football teams giving top J.League sides a run for their money in a unique open tournament.

Shorinji Kempo is a dynamic martial art that combines both hard and soft techniques while developing mind and body as one. Previously, we followed British practitioner Paul King as he trained intensively for his 4th dan exam at the head dojo in Shikoku, Japan. In this episode we catch up with Paul, who returned home to the Netherlands to fulfill his long-held dream of opening his own dojo. Not long after he started, the pandemic hit, yet Paul is applying Shorinji Kempo's philosophy to help him be there for his students and ensure their continued progress amid the challenges of lockdown.

With growing international success and a new domestic pro league, table tennis enjoys a huge fan base in Japan. The continually improving standard of play, combined with a supportive environment for raising young players, has allowed Japan to edge closer to posing a realistic threat to traditional titans of the sport, China. But in the past, table tennis wasn't always so popular in Japan. It was actually the pioneering efforts of certain star female players and their coverage in the media that helped take the sport to new levels and inspire a new generation of athletes.

Moguls is a freestyle skiing event where competitors negotiate a steep slope covered in bumps of compacted snow known as moguls. Events are contested not simply on speed, but also on the technical mastery of turns and acrobatic aerial maneuvers. Veteran mogul skier Uemura Aiko is renowned for the elegance of her carved turns, a core skill employing the very edge of the skis, bending them into an arc. Together with rising star of the sport Kawamura Anri, Uemura reveals the secrets to the perfect carved turn.

In ski jumping, competitors charge down a nail-bitingly steep ramp as they launch themselves to soar eagle-like through the air. Japan has a strong tradition in this truly unique winter sport, with past Olympic successes in both individual and team events including a podium sweep at the 1972 Sapporo Games. Changes to the sport in the 1990s gave Japan's squadron of ski jumpers new technical challenges to contend with, but by the time the Winter Olympics returned to Japan in 1998, they were ready to shine once again. We uncover the dramatic story of their 1998 team gold in Nagano Prefecture.

Freestyle Football, the expressive sport of performing tricks with a football, has exploded over the past 2 decades, with video uploads of "ballers" from around the world showing off their skills clocking millions of views. The one-on-one battles at big global tournaments really get the crowd fired up, as competitors seek to outdo each other on technique, creativity and style. We meet 2 internationally renowned rivals from Japan as they polish their dynamic, contrasting styles and gear up for the fight to become Japan's latest number one.

Two accomplished martial artists reveal the diverse ways ancient knowledge of the human body can be applied in today's world. Classical martial artist Kono Yoshinori helps actors harness martial arts principles to take their performances to the next level. The techniques can even be used to protect caregivers from work-related injury. Chinese martial arts specialist Ichikizaki Daisuke teaches Tai Chi to young football and basketball players. He explains how Tai Chi's relaxation techniques can allow athletes to use their bodies more efficiently.

We feature 2 remarkable para badminton stars, both of them wheelchair players. Nagashima Osamu is not only a multiple medalist in international competition, he's also an acclaimed sanitation-tech researcher, equally devoted to his work as his sport. Satomi Sarina, a flexible player with great reach and skillful chair-work, made waves when she became World Champion just 2 years into her career. She's also been playing an active role in helping her hometown recover in the aftermath of a typhoon that hit in 2019. The 2 pioneering players share what they love about their sport.

Men's marathon in Japan has seen 4 new national records in just the last 3 years. We take a look back over Japan's strong history of performance in the sport, and assess how developments in running shoe technology, most notably thicker soles, are impacting finishing times in the marathon. 2018 Boston Marathon champion Kawauchi Yuki discusses how athletes have been adapting their running styles and training methods to take advantage of the evolution in footwear.

In Parkour, extreme athletes known as "tracers," run, vault, jump and climb over virtually any feature of the urban landscape. Moving with jaw-dropping fluidity and speed, the discipline is often likened to martial arts, developing mind and body together. In recent years, Parkour has also emerged as a competitive sport with 2 events - the Speed Run and Freestyle. In Freestyle, tracers are judged on who can produce the wildest trick combos, all seamlessly linked. We follow Japan's current Freestyle champion, a young tracer with artistic flair looking to make his mark on the world stage.

The Chiba Jets are Japan's newest basketball champions, clinching their first-ever B.League title in June. Based in the city of Funabashi, in Chiba Prefecture, the club was founded to help put a spark into the local community, but soon hit financial troubles, with its future looking uncertain before a local businessman with no previous experience in the sports industry stepped in to save the day. The Jets went on to win the prestigious Emperor's Cup 3 years in a row, and now their B.League crown represents the culmination of a remarkable comeback story.

Freestyle Skateboarding, one of the sport's oldest styles, has been making a comeback in recent years. Using basically just a skateboard and a flat open area, Freestyle pushes the limits of technique and creativity in ways that seamlessly blend artful expression and logic-defying skills. Japan boasts some of the planet's top Freestylers and in this week's show we meet 2 teenage innovators with contrasting styles who regularly compete for the world title. Both are heavily influenced by their dads, one a Freestyle pioneer himself, the other an award-winning calligraphy artist.

We explore the world of "Superhuman Sports," a movement started in Japan employing the latest tech to create fully immersive, barrier-free sporting experiences that can transcend all physical limitations. The engineers developing these futuristic sports not only come up with the equipment - typically an innovative blend of robotics and virtual reality - they also invent the rules of the game from scratch, with some 29 new sports under their belts already. We turn our lens on how technology and imagination are unlocking new realms of possibility for the future of sports.

Elite athletes are not immune to psychological stress. In recent months top sports professionals have begun speaking out on the issue of mental health. Some prominent figures have even been taking a break from competition, citing the importance of protecting their mental well-being in the face of the colossal pressure placed upon them as athletes, a phenomenon greatly amplified in the era of social media. We explore efforts in Japan to protect mental health using specialist coaches who help athletes fulfill their potential without sacrificing their well-being.

Judo legend Koga Toshihiko, renowned for his supreme mastery of the Ippon-seoi-nage throwing technique, passed away in March aged just 53. Koga made a name for himself in the judo world with his precise, controlled technique and beautifully executed throws. Smaller than many of his international opponents, Koga won fans with a bold, aggressive approach that brought him huge success. On retiring from competition, he went into coaching, becoming a major influence on new generations of Japanese judoka. We examine his remarkable skills, his passion for judo, and the legacy he has left behind.

Murakami Mai made history for Japan at Tokyo 2020 with her bronze in the women's floor exercise, becoming the country's first female medalist in Olympic gymnastics in 57 years. We explore the unique appeal of the flamboyant and energetic event, one that in the past has been defined by the legendary performances of gymnastic greats such as Vera Caslavska, Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton. We explore the key differences between the men's and the women's versions of the floor exercise and how they impact the style and flavor of the event.

Tokyo 2020 marked the first time for Japan to field female boxers in the Olympics. Young flyweight Namiki Tsukimi claimed a hard-fought bronze following several years of specialist training and impressive performances. At only 1 meter 53 tall, the short-statured fighter has gained a reputation for lightning speed and powerful punching. A high-octane dynamo in the ring, her ability to dictate a fight's tempo often overwhelms her opponents. We catch up with Namiki as she reflects on her medal-winning performance in Tokyo and the road she traveled to get there.

The top women's curling teams in Japan recently did battle for the chance to represent their country at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. A nail-biting showdown saw PyeongChang 2018 bronze medalists Loco Solare take on national champions Hokkaido Bank. The quality of curling competition in Japan has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with even former Olympic medalists now struggling to beat their rivals. Four-time Japan women's team champion Ichikawa Miyo joins us as we explore the impact of new technology and the wealth of detailed performance data it's providing players with.

Japan's stunning mountain scenery provides the backdrop to the fast-growing sport of trail running. With some 3 quarters of the country designated mountainous terrain, it's perhaps little surprise that Japan hosts numerous mountain-based running events, including a race to the top of Mt. Fuji, and a grueling 415km test of endurance including several peaks of over 3,000m. We report on one adventure racer's remarkable journey covering 301 Japanese peaks, as well as a globally connected event bringing trail running enthusiasts across the world together virtually amid the pandemic.

September 2021 saw the WE League, Japan's all-new pro women's football league, kick off its inaugural season. The opening match threw together 2 contenders for the title, Tokyo Verdy Beleza and Urawa Reds. Urawa secured a tantalizing comeback victory with a last-minute goal from Tokyo Olympic star Shiokoshi Yuzuho in what proved a hugely entertaining game attended by a capacity crowd. We speak to WE League chair Okajima Kikuko who shares her plans for bolstering the popularity and profile of women's football in Japan.

The unique sport of Nordic Combined brings together ski jumping and cross-country skiing in the ultimate test of both explosive power and sheer stamina on skis. In the 1990s, before a rule change prioritized the cross-country section, Japanese competitors enjoyed a strong record in the sport. For the past decade, Watabe Akito has been leading the charge to lift Japan back up among the sport's top-performing nations. We explore the two-time Olympic silver medalist's exceptional career, and examine Japan's past and present record in Nordic Combined events.