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, is a capture-the-flag-like game, played on sports days at schools in Japan. The game, traditionally played by cadets at the National Defense Academy (NDA) of Japan on its anniversary, is famous for its size, wherein two teams, totaling 150 individuals, each vie for control of the opposition's pole. Each team is split into two groups of 75 attackers and 75 defenders. The defenders begin in a defensive orientation respective to their pole, while the attackers assume position some measure away from the other team's pole. When the defending team has their pole brought lower than 30° to the horizontal (beginning
perpendicular In elementary geometry, two geometric objects are perpendicular if they intersect at a right angle (90 degrees or π/2 radians). The condition of perpendicularity may be represented graphically using the ''perpendicular symbol'', ⟂. It can ...
, or 90°, to the horizontal), they lose. Until a rule change in 1973, the pole had only to be brought lower than 45° to the horizontal.


Rules and player positions

The National Defense Academy of Japan explains the rules and positions as follows:


Rules

* A match lasts two minutes. * A team loses when their pole is tilted to a 30° angle. A referee will indicate this using a flag, then declare the winner. * If no team's pole is lowered within the match time, the match remains undecided and will be repeated. * A team consists of 150 players, divided into attackers and defenders. Offense players wear shirts in their team's color, defense players wear white shirts. * Punching, kicking, strangling, pulling heads, and similarly dangerous roughness are prohibited.


Defense positions

* rider on top (上乗り, "rider on top"), a single player sitting or clinging to the top of the pole * circle (サークル, "circle"), players surrounding the pole in a circle * pole support (棒持ち, "pole support"), players inside the circle supporting the base of the pole * interference (キラー, "killer"), players interfering with attackers


Offense positions

* attackers (遊撃, "attack"), individual offensive players * scrum (スクラム, "scrum"), formations of players plunging into the defensive circle, becoming springboards for attackers charging at the pole * chargers (突攻, "sudden attack"), players charging at the pole


References


Further reading

* Bodlak, Tyler. '' The Scribe'' 12 November 2011
Obscure Sports: Bo-Taoshi
This article on bo-toashi describes the rules, objectives, and some history of the sport. * National Defense Academy of Japan official website

This source is the National Defense Academy of Japan's official website. It contains schedules, classes, professors, activities, traditions, and sporting events. Bo-taoshi is traditionally played on 1 November which is also Self Defense Forces Day.


External links

{{Commonscat-inline, Bo-taoshi Outdoor games Tag variants Japanese games Japan Self-Defense Forces Athletic sports