Japan - An Okinawan Bullfight Written and photographed by Michael Lynch
This Bullfight in Uruma Okinawa, Japan was part of the festivities
associated with the Lunar, or Chinese New Year on the 1st of February
2009. According to the Asian calendars it is the Year of the Ox.
Bullfighting is a traditional Sunday pastime in Okinawa and earliest
records show it has been a spectator sport since at least the
17th century.
Unlike bullfighting in Spanish speaking cultures, there is no
Matador to face the bull; it is one bull challenging another and
neither will be seriously injured or die in the event.
The arena where this took place was a dome-shaped structure with
open sides providing air circulation. A circular area covered
with a mixture of sand and clay, about 18 meters in diameter is
where the bulls face each other. It is surrounded by an earthen
mound and topped with an iron fence railing. Completely around
and above the bullfighting ring are concrete bleachers with enough
seating for a few thousand spectators. A tunnel, under the bleachers,
is the only way for bulls and their handlers to enter and exit
the ring.
There may be a team of handlers in the ring for each bull but,
only one member at a time is permitted to physically handle their
bull. The rest of the team stays back at a distance, ready to
relieve a handler as required. The less experienced bulls are
led on a line tethered through their nose. Bulls with the most
experience are untethered, do not need to be led and actually,
look forward to the fight.
Judges, seated above the arena, determine the winner and looser
of each bout when a decision needs to be made, but usually, the
bulls decide for themselves. Normally whichever bull runs away
from the fight is the looser. However, sometimes a bull will break
free and run, only to gain enough momentum to turn around and
charge his opponent and win the match.
The normal bout lasts around ten minutes with the bulls locking
horns and trying to muscle their opponent into quitting. They
get tired much as a couple of arm-wrestlers would and usually
one bull will just give up, turn and run; ending the match. Sometimes
a bull will be intimidated when he first sees his opponent and
just run for the exit without ever starting to fight and the hecklers
in the crowd go wild! Then, there are the bouts that last twenty
to thirty minutes. The unpredictability of each match is what
the crowds come to see.
With their heads and horns as their only weapons one would think
this might be a bloody sport, but it isn't. The judges and handlers
would quickly end any match where serious injury might occur.
The handlers actually treat their bulls as family pets. Some of
them go through the bout barefooted while standing right next
to their bull, patting a shoulder and speaking encouraging words
while it’s locking horns with another ton of snorting, earth-pawing
bull!
At the end of each bout the loosing bull is quickly escorted to
the exit by its team of handlers. The winner has a colorful cape
placed on its back and bright colored ribbons and towels tied
to its horns and tail by celebrating fans and team members. Then
he is paraded around the ring stopping only for children, family
members and handlers to jump on his back for a victory photo.
Loud, Okinawan traditional music is played until the victor leaves
the ring. The crowd cheers and applauds until the bull is out
of sight
The music stops, the announcer calls for the next teams and the
crowd becomes silent waiting for the next match…
Getting There:
The Ishikawa Dome, where these events take place, sheltered from
the weather is about a 45 minute drive from Naha International
Airport. The quickest route is north on HWY 58, or north on the
Okinawa Expressway, following road signs for Exit #6 of the Expressway.
The arena is a large concrete, dome-shaped building visible from
the entrance/exit of the Toll Road.
More Info:
Bullfights are events held on Sunday and the tickets are sold
at the entrance for 2,500-3,000 Yen. Most Google searches for
Okinawa Bullfight will lead to travel agencies (some in English;
most in Japanese). A good Link to try is: http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=9503
An excellent link to the culture and history behind Okinawan bullfighting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dgy%C5%AB
Michael Lynch
is a wildlife photographer living in Okinawa, Japan. His photography
has been published in a quarterly Okinawan magazine and his
travel articles are published in various online magazines.
Click here
to see more of his work.
