[Sports Day] Pole Toppling: Tips, Strategies, and Winning Practice Methods

Last updated:2025/5/13

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
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A person from the melodic hardcore boom generation who loves music, photography, and eating. I’ve been going to live houses for over 20 years. I’m at the age where summer festivals are starting to feel tough physically. I sometimes try shooting live photos and videos for MVs. I’m not great at English, so I often listen to straightforward Japanese rock that hits directly, but if someone recommends something, I’ll listen to anything—Western or Japanese—broadly and casually. I like cooking while listening to music; it’s a nice way to relieve stress.

Alongside cavalry battles, pole toppling is known as one of the star events of school sports festivals.

Did you know that places like the National Defense Academy are famous for their pole toppling, and many people visit every year just to see it?

The event is won by knocking down a tall pole set up in the center of the opposing team, but it also mixes elements reminiscent of rugby, American football, sumo, and martial arts, making it a main attraction for highly charged boys’ competitions.

In this article, we introduce tips for winning at pole toppling, divided into defense and offense.

Pole toppling is a contest of both stamina and strategy—plan carefully and fight with a solid game plan!

What is Bōtaoshi (1–10)

[Fierce Battle! Bo-taoshi] The intensely brutal traditional NDA battalion competition – All three matches of the preliminary and final rounds – “Bo-taoshi,” one of the most dangerous games in Japan

Bō-taoshi, to put it simply, is a sport in which teams are divided into those who defend a pole and those who try to knock it down.

Like cavalry battles and group gymnastics, it’s seen as a marquee event where the boys really shine.

Some schools are famous for their bō-taoshi, drawing large crowds of spectators every year.

It’s “just” about toppling a pole, but the intensity of the matches fires up the students—and even the parents watching—making it a track-and-field event that gets everyone heated.

Basic rules

In bo-taoshi, each team is given a single pole over 3 meters tall.

Team members surround it: some support the pole, while others form a defensive ring to prevent it from being toppled.

The attacking team breaks through the multiple layers of defenders around the pole, and wins by toppling the pole itself, which is the core objective.

The pole is thick enough to climb, and several attackers will climb it to bring it down.

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A match is decided when the pole is brought down, but there are various standards for what counts as bringing it down.

It could be when it falls completely, when it tilts beyond a certain angle, or when an attached flag is torn off.

Set the rules with safety in mind, considering factors like the number of participants and their ages.

Competition notes

Of course, violence is prohibited.

Since scuffles can occur, participants usually don’t wear items like headbands for safety, and the sport is often done barefoot.

To ensure safety during the event, make sure to assign a sufficient number of referees and support staff.

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Tips for Team Formation and Positions (1–10)

It’s a simple sport where you win by toppling the pole and lose if yours is toppled, but in fact success depends on carefully crafted plans—formations are key.

Because offense and defense switch, you have to consider formations for both.

Basic positions of the defensive team

On defense, first there’s the pole side: the people facing inward who support the pole, and the people facing outward who firmly protect the area around the pole, forming a wall against the offense.

The outward-facing defenders encircling the pole split into two groups: those who guard the pole supporters, and those whose role is to keep attackers at bay.

Make sure to understand each role and position.

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Key Points for the Defense Team

To win, solid positioning and team composition are crucial above all.

Place big, well-built players on the outermost positions to repel the attackers.

For the inner group that protects the pole, taller players who can firmly support the pole and pull down opponents trying to climb it are best suited.

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Basic positions of the attacking team

An attacking group can’t win by just charging in blindly.

The attackers are divided into roles: people with the power to break through the defending wall, positions that create a path to let those who push into the center advance, a team with agile builds that heads for the pole and climbs it, supporters who back up that agile team, and positions that pull up the climbers to topple the pole.

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Key points for the offense team

Positions and role-sharing are also key points for the attacking team.

The team is divided into three positions: one group breaks through and topples the defensive wall, another pushes forward through the breached wall to open a path to the pole, and the last group attacks and climbs the pole.

It’s best for the pole attackers to be agile and quick.

A role that pulls at the feet of the climber to tilt and topple the pole is also important.

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Practice methods for certain victory (1–10)

As expected, team composition and positioning are important for winning, but practice is the most important.

By attacking, you’ll learn the keys to defense, and conversely, by focusing on defense, you’ll grasp the keys to offense.

From here, I’ll explain in detail the practice methods to help you win.

Defense team / exterior wall

As the cornerstone of defense, strengthening your legs and core is crucial.

In the outer wall position, you’ll take the attackers’ tackles head-on.

Therefore, you must keep a low center of gravity, absorb the tackles solidly, and prevent the wall from being broken.

It’s important not only to stop breakthroughs and block paths, but also to practice fending off attackers so they don’t climb over the wall.

Additionally, it’s vital to read the opposing team’s lineup and mount attacks while maintaining your defense.

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