There are plenty of strange sports in this world. People running from bulls. People running after cheese. Power Slap. 

But of course few places do weird quite like Japan. Introducing to you: Bo-taoshi. 

The name means 'topple the pole', and that's exactly the name of the game. Except of course its never quite so simple. 

You want teams? Oh, you get teams. 150 players, split into 75 offensive and 75 defensive - one holding your pole up, the other attacking another team to topple their pole. And you thought American Football teams were big. 

It's utter chaos. Literally people leaping onto one another, springboarding off bodies on the ground, clinging on to the pole (and other people) for dear life. It's a utterly wild combination of tug-of-war, rugby, capture-the-flag, sumo, and unleashed testosterone. Apparently played in schools (but increasingly rare), it's said that "the game promotes teamwork, toughness and sportsmanship". 

Here, see it for yourself: 

I wonder if people complaining about Uni orientation games being "too risque" would rather Bo-taoshi be played instead. 

Stay weird, Japan. 

~ Desmond