"Kemari" and the Japanese ancient football are the ball game of the Chinese origin.

"Kemari-no-zu (=drawings of football)" of the founder of the Tang dynasty has been preserved till today.

As for the Japanese football, the "Kemari-no-e (=football meeting)" which was held on on the May 5th in the first year of Taiho (701A.D) is described in the "Honcho-getsurei (=Imperial Court Monthly)".

The football became popular in the Heian era and the game rule was established.

In the last stage of Heian era, the two instructor houses of the Asukai and Namba were made; in the early stage of Kamakura era , the two instructor houses of Mikohidari and Minase were also made.

A play-court is called a "mari-no-kakari (=attack of the game of go)" or " mari-no-niwa" (=court of ball).

It was the principle to plant a willow at the southeast corner, a cherry tree at the northeast, a pine tree at the northwest corner, a maple tree at southwest corner, in the space of 2-joh [=about 6 meters] four quarters.

The number of players was made four persons or six persons one set, and limited to eight persons by the most.

The ball players shouted "yaa" or " arii" or " oh", and kick a ball with a diameter of 7 or 8 suns [=about 24 cm.].

As for the player's costume, a "ikan" dress or a "nohshi" dress, a "kariginu" jacket, a monk's "donjiki" coat were worn; there was no particular dresscode.

Then, afterwards, "mari-suikan" (=ball suikan) dress, which was similar to "hitatare" dress, was determined as the constant watch of player's costume.

As for "mari-bakama (=hakama for ballgame)" trousers, a purple "kuzu-bakama (=arrowroot hakama)" trousers with "tsuyu-kawa (=dewdrop leather)" strings with family crests‚Ì, which was actually used by Terasawa Izuminokami in the 5th year of Bunsei[1822].

As regard to "eboshi" formal headgear, a "oh-sabidate-eboshi" headgear and "konote-gaeshi (=this hand is turned over)" attachment strings of the "Asukai-ryu (=Asuka school)" in purple color.

As for the "mari-ohgi" fan, a senior-type "kohtaritohshi" fan with ten flat bones and two main frames, which are m

ade of paulownia tree, is used for the figure in the photo.

A pair of "kamo-gutsu (=goose shoes)" shoes are made of "momi-kawa (=rubbed leather)" leather of deer, which is died in indigo blue outside and white inside, with leather attachement strings.

The "tatohshi" paper is the thin type; the ball was actually made in the autumn of 6th year of Tenpoh which has been a collection of the Matsuura family.