This study aims to identify phenomenologically the embodiment of soccer in order to analyze soccer games. For this aim, this paper the authors focused on the embodiment of sports and the embodiment of the goal type ball games of team sports.

The authors revealed that the embodiment of match type sports is represented by ʻbiporal bodyʼ. It is possible for this ʻstructureʼ (body scheme) of intercorporeality of match type sports to be compared to the symbolic figure of Uroboros which is a monster connected the tails of two snakes.

The embodiment of the goal type ball games of team sports has dependency on the situation and complexity. In the goal type ball games of team sports, meanings of each situation are emotionally recognized through the variety of facial expressions and gestures that all of the ʻotherʼ including allies, enemies, ball, goals, pitch and so on shows. In doing this, it revealed that it is sensitive and emotional sports. The training the ability of emotional recognition is required in soccer and the other goal type ball games of team sports.

The future topic is to clarify the embodiment of soccer based on the results considered in this papers.

Sato et al. (2019) evaluated serve velocity and number of ball rotations among Japanese male Paralympic wheelchair tennis players and found that on a regression line, the values for players at higher competition levels were closer to the values at the upper-right corner of the graph in speed (X axis) and rpm (Y axis) (fig 2). However, there are no studies on serve velocity and ball rotations among Japanese female Paralympic wheelchair tennis players. Therefore, the present study aimed to quantify the serve velocity and ball rotations among Japanese female Paralympic wheelchair tennis players who compete at high levels worldwide. We also investigated whether these values could help Japanese female wheelchair tennis players (FP) in improving their serve performance.

The results were as follows:

1. The serve velocities and ball rotations for FP were 104.2 ± 4.9 km/h and 1741.1 ± 272.9 rpm with a flat serve, 101.8 ± 3.0 km/h and 1774.2 ± 196.6 rpm with a slice serve, and 91.9 ± 4.2 km/h and 2468.8 ± 157.3 rpm with a kick serve, respectively.

2. Of the 3 types of serves performed by FP, the serve velocity and number of rotations did not differ significantly between the flat and slice serves, although significant differences were observed between the flat and kick serves or between the slice and kick serves.

3. In the regression formulae for the subjects' serve velocities and ball rotations calculated using TRACKMAN, the correlation coefficients for FP and female university top tennis players (FUT) were -0.96 and -0.68, respectively, with all values showing a significant negative correlation (trade-off relationship). On analyzing the data recorded for FP and FUT, we found that the values for FUT, who competed at a higher level, tended to be closer to the values in the upper-right corner compared to those for FP of the graphs in speed (X axis) and rpm (Y axis) (fig 2).

4. FP reflected, “After I hit balls, the feeling I had hitting them was very close to the serve velocities and ball rotations I got as feedback" and “As immediate feedback, the measurements helped me regulate my hitting skills." These statements suggest that such measurements can contribute towards improving the serve performance of wheelchair tennis players.

Budo refers to Japanese traditional physical activities that have been developed under unique Japanese natural, cultural, and historical circumstances. It has characteristics as a cultural body that is able to pass traditions down to the next generations. In recent years, gender equality has become a common social attitude in the sporting world, even in Japan, and it influences the traditional budo world. National budo federations have tried to follow this trend; however, the kendo federations in particular struggle to find a proper balance between tradition and gender equality. To address this struggle, it would be helpful to clarify the traditional ideology toward women in kendo. The purpose of this research is to analyze the descriptions in modern kendo literature to reveal the traditional ideologies toward women. The descriptions were cited from 43 pieces of kendo literature that were published between 1884 and 1981 and that were involved in “Kindai kendo meicho taikei. " The descriptions were categorized into ten genres including Families or general women, Interpretation of “tae 妙, " Ethics of Confucianism and Buddhism, Ideal mother and wife, Strong-minded women, Rejection of women, Female budo practices, Women in PE and gymnastics, Promotion of kendo, and Promotion of kendo to women. Nakabayashi (1973) noted that the contents that were discussed in female budo studies were limited to two topics, such as Ideal wives or mothers at home and Self-protection, in his previous research; however, this present research reveals that there are broader discussions related to women in modern kendo literatures. Although most of the ten topics appeared as simple short descriptions in the modern kendo literature, Teru Kagawa (1862 – 1923) and Tadao Nawata (1895 – 1974) in particular encouraged women to practice kendo, devoting much space to the topic in their works. It is interesting to note that, even though both encouraged women to practice kendo, the foundations behind their ideas were completely different. Kagawa insisted that women should be independent through kendo, and Nawata insisted they should follow traditional ideologies through kendo.

Originating in Japan, budo has become immensely popular throughout the world. People outside Japan view the techniques of Japanese budo as being somewhat “cool". Furthermore, non-Japanese have demonstrated a strong interest in the cultural characteristics that underpin budo techniques, and often wonder why it is that budo is treated as a form of education. In other words, they question how techniques originally intended to maim and kill can possibly be an effective means for educating people.

With this in mind, this paper investigates the martial art text Neko no Myōjutsu (The Cat's Eerie Skills) written by Issai Chozan (1659 –1741) in the middle of the Edo period. It will illustrate aspects of budo's representative technical sensibilities that seem “cool" and how it can be regarded as a vehicle for education.

The following themes are elucidated:

- Strong recognition of the notion “shōgai budō" (training as a lifelong pursuit).

- Recognition of the process of incremental refinement starting with “technique" → “mind" → “harmony" → “no mind" → “nothingness".

- The technical viewpoints espoused in Neko no Myōjutsu are modelled on “Mokkei" (wooden cock) explained in the Chinese classic Zhuangzi. Issai Chozan was influenced by the ideals recorded in Zhuangzi. Nevertheless, the perception of “shōgai budō" in Neko no Myōjutsu is more pronounced than in Mokkei and provide clues into the distinctive mindset of Japanese budo.

- In kenjutsu theory, the ultimate state of mind is demonstrated by the ideal “Because there is Self, there is the enemy; when there is no Self, there is no enemy." The state where there is no Self is expressed as “nothingness" (mubutsu), and this is thought to be the condition in which there is absolutely no desire or needs residing in the mind.

- As has long been pointed out, this technical notion was influenced by Taoist ideology (Lao-tse), but divination is also clearly a fundamental element.

- This text ultimately concludes as an educational model. It develops a distinctive theory of “conveying without teaching". Simply put, overall it is a textbook where an old cat teaches technical theory to other cats and to the swordsman Shōken.

- This educational model is noticeably influenced by Zen ideals.

Finally, it should be noted that this book is representative of kenjutsu theory in a time of peace, and espouses an educational process leading to cultivation of the required mindset in a peaceful era. Rather than concluding with points of technical mastery, the text opines the importance of seeking self-improvement by aspiring to reach a state of “nothingness" in which the mind is completely uncluttered. Essentially championing a Way of self-perfection (ningen keisei), Neko no Myōjutsu provides a window into how the techniques budo, originally used in conflicts to kill, have evolved to the point where they are posited as a vehicle for education in modern society.

This is where it is possible to discover elements of originality in Japanese budo.

*This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP16H03223, JP16 K12977, a grant from Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), and the Research Group of the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences of the University of Tsukuba.