"Come Together, Snow Warriors!" - March 6, 2008

Sometimes it seems like the Japanese just have more fun than Americans. Their game shows are crazier -- or more vicious, depending on your point of view. Their vending machines offer far more variety than those in the States. Their baseball games are more colorful and frenzied, and their other team sports are -- well, let's just say, who else but the Japanese would think of competitive snowball fighting? Yukigassen, as it's known, combines the Japanese words for "snow" and "battle" into what may be the world's coldest team sport. And while the wintry sport originated in the Land of the Rising Sun, it isn't limited to Asia: The Finns and Norwegians have had a lock on the medals awarded in annual competitions since 2005. The rules of Yukigassen are simple: two teams of seven (armed with 90 snowballs for each of three 3-minute periods) face off on a 40- by 10-meter court (about 130 by 30 feet) and try to either capture a flag or hit every member of the other team with snowballs. The tournament has snowballed (sorry) since its humble beginnings in 1988, and 155 teams now compete annually to see who will bring home the gold. Truly, for these athletes, there's no business like snow business. Suggested Sites... Yukigassen International - information about rules, championships, and more. How to Make the Perfect Snowball - forewarned is forearmed. You Tube: Yukigassen Championship - watch all the action. Weirdest Japanese Game Shows - in case you didn't think snowball teams were weird enough. Canadian Yukigassen Championship - okay, it's from 2011, but, still; you'd think the Canadians had more common sense.