Women to compete for 1st time in Nagasaki peiron meet

Japan Policy & Politics, July 26, 1999

NAGASAKI, July 22 Kyodo

Women will compete for the first time in Nagasaki's traditional peiron dragon-boat racing contest this weekend at the Matsugae pier in the southwestern Japanese city, event organizers said Thursday. City government employees, local housewives and other women will make up seven teams of 20 rowers, who will compete for the fastest finish over a distance of 1,200 meters, the Nagasaki International Tourism and Convention Association said. The association decided to invite women's teams to increase awareness of peiron in preparation for an international racing meet scheduled in Nagasaki next year -- the 400th anniversary of friendly relations between Japan and the Netherlands. "It's a lot harder than I first thought, but I want to have fun doing it and, as long as we're participating, we'll go for victory," said Yukie Yamaguchi, who captains the women's Nagasaki prefectural transportation bureau team comprising bus tour guides. This weekend's two-day contest features a total of 64 teams, or about 2,000 participants, including male junior high school students, organizers said. In peiron, which is believed to have been introduced to Japan from China around 300 years ago, contestants on a long, narrow dragon-boat row to the rhythm of drum beats.