Japan has a comparatively high level of participation in rugby: according to the International Rugby Board’s statistics, Japan is sixth in the world for registered players, with 122,598. Japan’s senior team has risen to the rank of 13th in the world, after beating Canada in two test matches recently. This combination of increased participation and international success has led some commentators to describe rugby’s future in Japan as “extremely promising”.

IRB Toshiba Junior World Championship Japan 2009

By Stephen Packer

Touch rugby is an amazing way to get in shape while making friends with Japanese people and other foreigners. I’ve been playing touch in Hiroshima for the past year. Besides the camaraderie I’ve found on the field, I’ve also enjoyed many unforgettable times with players off the field on road trips, camping excursions, nights drinking and more.