What is the Most Popular Sports in Japan?

DO HOUSE conducted a survey of 1,198 people above age 20 at the end of February, in which it asked people which sport they wanted their children to engage in. The three most popular responses were 1) swimming (replied by both sexes); 2) soccer replied by males and martial arts (such as karate, judo, kendo or Japanese fencing, etc.) replied by females; and 3) martial arts (male respondents) and dancing (female respondents). The research company explains the unexpectedly high popularity of martial arts by saying, “It is assumed that parents think children benefit mentally by acquiring decorum and physical forbearance.”

The top responses by the survey subjects themselves as to what sports activities they do were 1) walking; 2) golf for males and yoga for females; and jogging for males and dancing for females. Those less strenuous sports are popular.