After the Summer Olympics and soccer's World Cup, the next-biggest sporting event on the global stage is the Rugby World Cup. The tournament in France finally kicks off on the 8th (the 9th, Japan time). Four years ago, hosting the event at home, Japan reached the quarterfinals for the first time and set the whole country abuzz — how will the national team fare this time?
On the morning of the 7th, ahead of the opening, we ventured one station over to pay our respects at the Marunouchi Rugby Shrine, back on the grounds of the Marunouchi Building for the first time in four years. It enshrines the deity of Sawatasha, a small shrine within the World Heritage-listed Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward. In 1910, students of the former Third Higher School (now Kyoto University) and Keio Gijuku played the Kansai region's first rugby match on the Shimogamo Shrine grounds, and a stone monument marking the "site of the first kick" stands beside Sawatasha, making it a sacred spot for rugby.
The shrine features an H-shaped torii gate modeled on rugby goalposts and an oval bell, and beside the shrine visitors can make wishes on rugby ball-shaped ema plaques. We offered a modest few coins, solemnly pressed our palms together and prayed for the Japanese team's success. Japan's opening match, against Chile this weekend on the 10th, is one to watch.