Among the oldest literary works of Japan are the four thousand five hundred poems in The Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves, contributed in the eighth century by men and women from all parts of society. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, written in the ninth century was Japan's first novel but the most famous early work, written in the eleventh century, is the fifty-four volume The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki. In recent years Japanese writers have become successful world wide. Kenzaburo Oe won Japan's second Nobel Prize for Literature. Sumo wrestling is the most popular traditional sport, drawing huge crowds and large television audiences.
Baseball is the most popular modern sport.
The Yakult Swallows are one of Japan's top teams. National baseball stars include Sadaharu Oh and Sachio Kinugasa. Soccer and rugby are growing in popularity. The Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo in 1964 and the Winter Olympics were held in Sapporo in 1972. The 1998 Winter Olympics were in Nagano.