Pickling Stone Curling Tournament Shizuoka Higashiizu-cho January 20 15:33
A unique curling tournament was held in Higashiizu-cho, Shizuoka Prefecture, in which pickled stones were used on a trolley with a small car instead of stones.
The curling of pickled stones was devised seven years ago by Masako Kitagawa, a former employee of Higashiizu Town, who has been involved in the health promotion of townspeople, to enjoy sports in areas where ice is difficult to form in winter. 30 men and women participated, from elementary school students to the elderly in their 80s.
Instead of stone, pickled stones on a trolley, weighing 1 kg, 3.5 kg, and 5.5 kg are used.
A team of three will form a team and throw one at a time, 7 meters away from the target, leaving a stone in the target to score.
The stones could fall or change direction on the way, and cheers were coming from the participants.
A woman in her 80's said, "It's fun because everyone can do it."
Higashiizu-cho is planning to hold a tournament on the 1st of next month, inviting tourists.