Bobsled Day

What Is Bobsled Day?

Every February 12th is "Bobsled Day" (ボブスレーの日, Bobusurē no Hi) in Japan. On February 12, 1938, Japan's first bobsled competition was held on an ice track at Maruyama in Sapporo, Hokkaido — introducing the winter sport of bobsled to Japan and beginning the country's participation in a sport it would continue to develop through its two Winter Olympics as host city (Sapporo 1972, Nagano 1998) and beyond.

Bobsled in Japan

Bobsled (ボブスレー, bobusurē) — the sport in which teams of two or four athletes slide down iced tracks in gravity-powered sleds at speeds exceeding 130 km/h — arrived in Japan from Europe, where the sport originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland in the 1880s. Japan's cold-climate regions in Hokkaido and northern Honshu provided natural conditions for winter sports, and the development of Japanese competitive winter sports accelerated through Japan's participation in the Winter Olympics from 1928 onward.

Japan and the Winter Olympics

Japan has hosted two Winter Olympics: Sapporo (1972) — Japan's first Winter Olympics — and Nagano (1998). The Sapporo Games introduced millions of Japanese to competitive winter sports through television coverage, and Japanese athletes achieved notable success in ski jumping (Yukio Kasaya winning Japan's first Winter Olympics gold medal at Sapporo). The Nagano Games featured broader Japanese participation and success across multiple disciplines, and the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies reflected Japan's cultural pride as host.

Winter Sports and Japanese Culture

Japan's mountainous terrain and cold winters have made winter sports a significant part of the country's recreational culture. Skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, and speed skating all have large participant bases and competitive traditions. Japan's ski resorts — particularly in Hokkaido, Nagano, and Niigata — attract both domestic and international visitors, and Japanese skiers and snowboarders compete at the highest international levels. Bobsled has remained a specialist sport within this winter sports culture, with dedicated training facilities and competitive programs.

Fun Facts

• Yukio Kasaya's triple: At the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics, Japanese ski jumpers won gold, silver, and bronze in the normal hill event — a sweep that made ski jumping one of Japan's most beloved Winter Olympics sports and established a tradition of Japanese ski jumping excellence that continues with athletes like Ryōyū Kobayashi.
• Niseko's global fame: Hokkaido's Niseko ski resort has become internationally famous for its exceptional powder snow quality — attracting skiers from Australia, North America, and Asia who have made it one of Asia's premier ski destinations and significantly internationalizing Japan's winter sports tourism economy.