The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-11
JAPANESE POLO.
The Game as Played in that
Asiatio Country.
A FINE EXHIBITION IN THE CITY OF YUKEl.
Description Of the Tournament by
an American.

70 I'm EDsroR TIE HERALD
The reading Of paragraph in the Home Journal OF
last week. 10 the effect that Polo Club had been
formed In this city, recalled pleasant memories OF
that game which have so often witnessed In Japan.
believe this manly SPORT s the best calculated to
educate eye, nerve and muscles has been introduced
into the United States from England. II has. how
sve been ono OF the standard outdoorsports Japan
for centuries past Instead Of borrowing It from the
East might have transferred II from now near
est Western neighbors, the Japanese
The name dA-ku "a pronounced IS . in arm, kiu Is
kes-oo) applied by the Japanese means game Of ball
horseback This game IL played in of the large
eties scrub matches being frequent; but II obtained
It's full dignity and deserts only In the old daimos
capitals when on specified annual days. after months
Of practice, the daku tournament witnessed by
thousands Of spectators amid all the pomp and circum
stance Of Japanese feuda display.
Tho finest exhibition OF polo ever witnessed in
tho city Of Fukui, in tho province Of Echizen city
lying 400 miles west Of Toxic formerly edo where
Was then living having been engaged by the Daimio
and ieudal government to establish scientific school
% the American principle. On the occasion Of the
1akiu tournament was given seat the Prince
and judgea The ground selected In front OF the
Princes stables in which there were afly thorough
space, about 600 feet long, planted the sides with
rows Of cryptomenla and FIR trees The width was
about 90 feot The stables occupied half the space
north OF and parallel to the course Tho southern
was long covered building, with Q Of Aled
with the damios, LADIES' and gentlemen In waiting. the
judges and scorers, &C On the opposite side
hundreds II not thousands of spectators among
were about 100 shaver. pated monks, priests and
students, all in monastic robes collars, from tho
Buddhist monastery by. Everybody dressed
tn his and especially in her BEST for the female spec
ators were very numerous Black aud oblique-eyed
beauties with wondrous glossy capillary architecture
aud silk gowns and glrdlcs and gay fans rained in
mense influence on The handsome young contestants.
Most Of the players my students. young
fellows of tho samurai gentry class Of from
teen 70 twenty-five, whose eye, hand and nerve had
been trained At fencing wrestling, archery and spear
exercise as we'll as with bride and Saddle
At the signal, two hammer taps tho clappcrlcss
bell, shaped like Columbus egg after he had made 1t
stand. tho twelve players mounted. Another tap
and they rodo into the lists saued thor Prince and
the judges Another and dividing into two files of six
EACH the horses faced to the extreme end, either
AIDE OF tho course, each horseman holding up his sa
Or spoon made OF bamboo Ave feet long, with crook
or scoop at the end, netted with cord saw that it
was game OF shiny horseback.
The Two parties were named respectively Genj and
Heke AFTER the two renowned rival military families
WHO struggled for supremacy in japan during tho
tenth, eleventh and twelfth centuries, giving japan .
War OF the Roses which ended in the annihila-
hon Of the Heike in 1lS4 at Shmonosekl The flag OF
tho CENT was WHITE that OF the Hcikc was red In
the game six players wore red lacquercd helmets,
while those OF the other white. All had bound
their flowing sleeves tightly under the armpits and
their grdles TO their lons for the work in hand
40 girls play.
Two old supes now entered, each with q basket of
what appeared to DO red and white eggs These were
lee. apart the white balls In front Of the rod heme.es
players and the white before the red hats Two
Di thirtysix balls each thus lay alongside Of each
player and extending before the leaders distance of
some yards At the end whence they had entered
two wickets Of bamboo poles he wicksts stood
about twenty feet from each other The poles OF each
wicket four feet apart and the cord Joining them
three feet from the ground By the rules Of the
each ball must 60 the cord and between the
wicket pools falling do which the balls falling outside
tossed back into the Tho CENT whites
were 70 scoop up and toss the red balls over and the
Al the given signal both parties rode up the lists,
slowly ut first, picking and hurting the balls forward
toward the goal. When within throwing distance they
attempted 10 fling them the wckets In few
several balls had gone over, and the upper
end Of the course now pied field, looking some
thing like rregulary picked paper OF mint drops
longer dress parade but pitched battle and
horse gear and bamboo spoons There a red flaps his
saddle with his heavy metal strrups lspurs being
known and his stced flashes toward white ball. He
Is just about to scoop II up when click goes white
spoon under his and tho ball goes whirling back There
goes victor whose defiant white helmet CLEANS like
lheplume OF King Henry OF Navarro Hc has already
nuog seven red balls clear the wckets, he
dashing for an eighth Who can stop him He 10 al
ready shouting his triumph, when like an arrow n
young red dashes before him. The red spoon missed
The mark the horses shoulder, striking ais white
rivals flank, sends stced and rider rolling over the
sand Quick lightning white hat leaps nmbly OF
tho saddle and before his horse Is his boots again.
scoops up tho ball and whrIs 1t over the wicket
tempest OF cappIng hands from the ladies and shouts
from the greet the victor, who, without pausnQ
10 acknowledge The applause, is in saddle again, the
white lacquer Of his helmet as the sun strikes It daz
cling HIS admirers
number Of lively episodes and passes and some
splendid ieats Of Craftsmanship Ill up the game toward
The last IL Is evident that IN spite Of the fine playing
OF two Of the reds the whites have the advantage
Of GOODNESS and One Of the reds has been put
hors du combat with bruised right arm and broken
spoon. Nevertheless, the tilt for the last ball is at
hand. All tho balls over and oui-onc alone
the nrst NOW for the final tug / Eleven men and
horses after one tiny ball Now backward for
ward now in midair tossed on tho top Of the ne.ed
dozen horse lengths See how they dash to i'll What
clash aud OF horse legs, names, heads gilt sad
spoons II reminds Of tho battle OF the centaurs
with the LapishG, at tho marriage OF Hppodamia ard
often in the old roiunda Of the Philadelphia Acad
envy OF Fine Arts Snap-a spoon has been crushed by
Hal hail hail shouts red hat, and the ball is thrown
BY a back stroke far toward the goal Out dashcs
another rsd IRON the mass Of ccntaurs. His helmet
his shoulders his topknos all awry, his hair loose his
face streaming with pcrspiraton, his flashing, yet
cool and sure or triumph he dchantly awaits his
the spoon OF one is within a loot Of the priA when
with yell he lifis It and sends flying through and
any feet beyond tho ckcts Tho applause Is lumul-
Iuous.
The red helmets have won. The riders now pass by
The Judges salute and stall their horses The copper
brown colorcd gentlemen adjust dress, ha and toilet
aud soon reappcar spectators. The leading white
says 10 me- .iou like, teacher2 You have 80 play
your country" Then hal 10 say NO" Next year
by the Illustrated London Nescs that Il had been
introduced into England
several other games OF dakiu followed. After the
6nx score the prizes were presented or the thtcc
played the crack contestants the white hats, or
Ecnj won two The Damio presented with his own
hands roll Of figured white silk, gold emoiazoped
helmet with the armbria bearing Of the Cent? upon IT,
nnrceiain Vac ol Kana ware and the siburdi.