About IOA

International Onigokko Association was founded in Japan on June 18, 2010. Onigokko is a traditional Japanese culture that has been introduced in Japan since 1300 years. Onigokko is the most popular recreational sports & physical sports  that everyone was playing in Japan since childhood.

We utilize such Onigokko to improve the health of children and adults, improve physical fitness, improve communication skills and strengthen teamwork.

Also, as Onigokko can be easily addressed by everyone, we are making use of it for revitalizing local communities as a tool that allows people and people to communicate happily in local communities.

And, we have recreational sports and physical sports, which are likewise familiar to children from around the world, like cultural content like Onigokko in Japan, so that such multicultural I also want to contribute to exchanges.


Greeting from the CEO

“Sports Onigokko” and “Building-town where there is Onigokko” -Needily things that many people can share with.

It’s only “Onigokko”, but it’s surely “Onigokko”.

It is a sentence that I always think a great deal of. Everybody knows, and readily can play, and it is an familiar existence. It unfolds in certain value and possibility.


There are even less what Japanese people can “share”. That is “Onigokko”.


Common possession that connects people, that is the origin of communication and dynamics of creating something.


Children, parents, and great parents get together around Onigokko.
Why don’t we go back to the original concept of making a man and towns.


I often get asked what “Onigokko” is, about the origin of it.
The answer could be meaningless if human being’s form was naturally just chasing a game, or chased, or fighting around in life. However, it loses the historical romance of beloved “Onigokko”, if it’s true.


Wherein, I’d like to go “chase” the historical background of Japan.
Don’t worry, history will not go away...


In the beginning of Heian period, Housoushi who appears and runs around at new year eve’s court function “Oni-yarai” in the greater palace is considered the origin of any stories about “Oni”, which stands for a devil. His manner reminds us familiar “Onigokko” that the “Oni” chases children, while “Oni” is emphasized with objection, it is overlapped as one of the old “Onigokko” named “Kakure- Oni”(Hidden Oni).


By the contrast, in the Edo period, there was “Hifukume” who appears in Kottoshuu, Santokyo-den (an old literature). In the middle of Heian period,
when a buddhist monk called Eshinsouzu Genshin preaches people, he used a format that JIzo-Bosatsu protects against “Oni” who chases children.
Whether or no, these three elements of “Parent”, “Children”, “Oni” hold important fact in the game, and it is easy to imagine that the game was spread around for the children naturally.


And now, “Hifukume” comes down to “Kotorokotoro” more than it was expected. Here is a picture of a swallow playing “Kotorokotoro”, drawn by Hiroshige Ando, from late Edo period when Ukiyoe (Japanese woodblock prints) established one culture. It is a surprising fact that Ukiyoe artist Hiroshige drew it, but fresh looking swallow’s faces are attractive.


There is almost none children who know about “Kotorokotoro” as a game nowadays. I have a sense of crisis about the situation that “Onigokko” which came down from Heian period and which parents protect children, or “Onigokko” that is a tool to know community and the way of contacting people to people is getting disappeared even though it is a most well-known one.


It is not easy to carry on the tradition of culture. Many factors of development by generations stop it.
Many games disappear at the bare mention of soil turning to concrete. However, it is impossible to make the asphalt on the road turns back to soil.
In order to remain what is needed, things of times must be captured, even if in an objective way, it is needed to use the power of changing.
“Sports Onigokkko” was born in such thoughts. A just sports-approach, games/ virtual space, easy, simple... on the other hands, Making an arrangement is possible considering for the children who are actually eager to analog-touch communication and to hang around in modern age.
Territorial types of game that are getting disappeared is the origin of sports and the origin of “Sports Onigokko”.


Children from years ago obviously bult up their physical strength and learned about basic order of the society.
As a sports, “Sports Onigokko” has attracted children with catching factors such as “toughness”, “generosity”, and “juvenile boss and the kids” that bring back memories.


Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11th in 2011 gave us opportunities to take a look back many things. Involvement, what is important, how a town should be... “Building-town where there is Onigokko” includes the answer.
Someone said “concrete to the people” which expresses the future form of Japan. Before anyone knows, it disappeared but looking around sports industry means the same. Many sports facilities has a smell of silence and coldness. If a sports takes a roll of building a town, it should gives influence to the fact.


How can we make the “Sports Onigokko” enjoyable for everyone... Given all that, when I can see in this light, but only vaguely there is a town with a feel of touch and warmth.
Adding elements of “Onigokko” such as parents who protect their children, and concerted effort between children make it more clear.
“Onigokko”, “Sports Onigokko”, and “A town where there is Onigokko” We would like to grow this series of sentences strongly.


General incorporated association Onigokko association
Chairman, Yasuo Hazaki