On his 67th trip to Japan, retired robotics and aerospace teacher and retired Hawaii Air National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Art Kimura brought back an unexpected gift – gateball.
Kimura visited Ogimi, a village in Okinawa with the highest number of centenarians in the world. This was his third visit to Okinawa, having been stationed there with the U.S. Air Force from 1970-72 and returning in 2017 to help introduce robotics to schools in Okinawa.
Art Kimura
When he asked residents why they lived so long, he said, “Though it is known that diet, exercise, and social interactions are the reason, they would smile and say, ‘gateball, gateball.’”
In Japan, during the postwar era, when there was a rubber shortage to make balls for most sports, lumber worker Suzuki Kazunobu realized that the abundance of wood could be used to shape balls and mallets. Suddenly, a new sport was born.
Gateball, similar to croquet, is played on a rectangular field with two teams of five players and 10 balls. Teams must work together and combine strategic touches to move the balls through various gates.
Kimura, who’d never heard of gateball before his 67th trip, had the sport on his mind when he returned to Hawaii. He learned that gateball was initially popular with children, and gradually garnered elder and international interest, likely for its universal appeal – it doesn’t involve running or jumping and could be played by anyone, young or old.
During its peak in Hawaii, there were 12 gateball clubs with over 500 players. The islands even hosted a world championship game in 1998 at Ala Moana Beach Park, inviting thousands of players from over 13 countries.
But what got Kimura’s attention was the research studies that documented the health benefits for seniors.
“Physical health benefits of playing gateball are numerous,” says Jason Kaneshige, M.D., an orthopedic traumatologist and assistant clinical professor at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. “Movements such as swinging the mallet improve strength, balance, and flexibility. Weight-bearing exercises are crucial to maintaining bone health, reducing the risk of fracture. Building muscle strength and tone also contribute to injury and fall prevention. Continuous movements provide cardiovascular benefits as well as calorie expenditure leading to weight loss.”
Kimura’s gateball quest led him to a small group of gateball players who had been playing for years and invited him to learn and play.
“Gateball is an easy game to learn,” says Kimura, who enjoys the sport’s mental and physical exercise and incorporates his science background to find ways to minimize errors and improve his striking strategy. “After a few minutes of instruction and practice, you could start playing.”
An unofficial gateball ambassador, Kimura shares gateball’s benefits with senior centers, schools, and gyms all while coordinating his own Ohana Gateball group. Reviving gateball tournaments in Hawaii, he helped organize two contests last fall with plans to host more. This year, he and a group of gateball players are scheduled to visit Ogimi to thank the villagers for introducing them to gateball and play a game.
“Everyone can play gateball together,” says Kimura, who now helps host two out of the four gateball clubs throughout the Hawaii.
“The social benefits are very important,” says Dr. Kaneshige. “Since gateball is enjoyable to people of all ages, it promotes interaction between people of different age groups.”
While Kimura attributes his health and well-being to his love and passion for gateball, he also believes in finding your ikigai, your life’s purpose. He says, “Whether it’s gateball, pickleball, bon dance, or volunteering, I believe that finding an activity that one can be passionate about, one that brings you to meet and make friends while reducing isolation, will add quality years to your life.”
For more information, email Art Kimura at ohanagateball@gmail.com.
Art Kimura taught biology at McKinley High School, then became an aerospace education specialist after the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger accident. He worked for the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism; the Department of Education (DOE); NASA; and the University of Hawaii Space Grant Consortium. Kimura retired from the DOE after becoming a vice principal at Keaau Elementary School and Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School.
See gateball in action and hear from Art Kimura and Jason Kaneshige, M.D., about the sport's positive effects on health and well-being.
Photos by Earl Yoshii
SP26
