The quick and the damp.
Since the dawn of humanity, whenever we have been blessed with lightly frozen flakes of precipitation, we have been filled with the urge to gather up this natural wonder into our hands, and then throw it at friends and family, laughing extra hard if we had hit them in the butt.
It’s a tradition that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries, weather permitting, and one that is celebrated each year in the town of Uonuma in Niigata Prefecture at the Uonuma International Snowball Fight Competition. This year will be the 36th such event, and it welcomes teams from around the world to prove their mettle at snow warfare.
The way it works is fairly simple. A field measuring 22 by 10 meters (72 by 33 feet) is established, and five meters in from each side is designated as the team’s home zone, which the other team cannot enter, though launching balls in and out of them is permitted. The center section is the battle zone, where contestants may move about freely and make use of the four defensive walls set up.
Teams are made up of five people. It’s possible but not advisable to be in a team of fewer than five, and also possible to have up to three subs. There are adult and children divisions, but children are also allowed to participate in adult matches. Each team starts with a certain number of points, and when a member of that team is hit with a snowball, points are deducted. If a team hits zero points, then the opposing team wins. Otherwise, after two minutes of play, the team with the most points remaining is the winner.
Penalties involving points deductions or ejections from the game may be carried out in the event of deliberately hitting people in the face or head, verbal abuse, bad sportsmanship, or just being boring for the spectators. A team of umpires will supervise the match, and buttering them up with a gift is advised in the official rules.
▼ A promotional video for the competition. It’s called the Koide International Snowball Fight Competition here, but Koide is a part of Uonuma, and it’s the same event.
Uonuma prides itself on being the “birthplace of the snowball fight” during Japan’s Warring States period in 1535. At that time, there was a fierce and chaotic battle for control of the region between warlords Nagao Tamekage and Uesugi Sadanori, and at the Battle of Ipponsugi, the fighting grew so intense that both sides exhausted all of their arrows and broke all of their swords. With nothing left, they began hurling balls of snow at each other.
Officials at Uonuma also ask that you do not fact-check the whole part about the snowball fighting, and just take their word for it.
Regardless of how it started, there is no disputing that this is the place where the world’s best snowball fighters are crowned. In addition to the prestigious title, winners will also receive Uonuma-grown Koshihikari rice, considered among the best in Japan, and locally brewed sake, which is also considered among the nation’s finest.
▼ In addition to the competition, there’s also a cosplay photo contest, snow treasure hunt for kids, and all-you-can-eat Koshihikari rice.
Unfortunately, it’s too late to register for this year’s competition, but you can still go to scope out the competition or just have fun at the 36th Uonuma International Snowball Fight on 8 February. It truly is a celebration of the human spirit.
Event information
36th Uonuma International Snowball Fight / 第３６回魚沼国際雪合戦大会
Uonuma City Hibiki no Mori Cultural Center, Hibiki no Mori Park, Snow Colosseum
魚沼市響きの森文化会館 響きの森公園 雪のコロシアム
Niigata-ken, Uonuma-shi, Himizo 1848-1
新潟県魚沼市干溝1848‐1
8 February, 2026
Opening Ceremony starts at 8:40 a.m.
Website
Images: Press release (©Uonuma City)
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