Long before becoming an international sport, lacrosse was played for centuries by Native American communities in North America. It was often a ritual game, staged on vast fields with large teams, carrying spiritual and social meanings linked to warfare, celebration, or conflict resolution. The name “lacrosse” was coined by seventeenth-century French missionaries, who noted the resemblance between the curved stick used in the game and a bishop’s crozier. Over time, this ancient practice evolved into a modern, codified sport, spreading widely in the United States and Canada and gradually gaining ground in Europe and Asia. Fast-paced, physical yet regulated, and driven by the continuous movement of a small ball passed and caught with sticks, lacrosse is one of the most dynamic sports to watch. Its inclusion as an Olympic sport marks a significant milestone for a discipline that for a long time remained outside the global spotlight. From 24 July to 2 August 2026, Tokyo will host the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship, one of the leading events on the international calendar. The Japanese capital will welcome the world’s top teams in a tournament that highlights both elite competition and the rapid growth of women’s lacrosse, one of the most energetic and forward-looking sectors of the sport today. For Japan, the championship also represents a strategic opportunity to strengthen the sport’s presence in Asia and introduce new audiences to a discipline that is still relatively unknown but highly engaging. With lightning-fast passes, aerial plays and an intense rhythm that leaves little room for pause, the Tokyo championship promises to be not just a major sporting event, but an ideal gateway into a sport that blends ancient tradition with contemporary excitement.
The New National Theatre Tokyo presents a new production of Richard Strauss’s Elektra. The opera condenses a tragedy of obsession and violence into a single, intense act, driven by an extreme orchestral language. The performance is sung in German with surtitles and supported by audience-focused services.
The National Art Center in Tokyo presents an exhibition on British art of the 1990s and the Young British Artists. The show reconstructs a decade of experimentation and cultural change. A complex portrait of a scene that reshaped contemporary art.
Deep Purple return to Tokyo with a concert at the Nippon Budokan as part of the Mad in Japan Tour 2026. The show celebrates a career that shaped the history of hard rock and a long-standing bond with Japanese audiences. A live event spanning decades of iconic music.
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