“For example. even if we did kabuki or sumo wrestling, the people of the world wouldn’t understand them,” Mori expanded.
That’s a connection Yoshiro Mori, chairman of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, wants to tap into for the 2020 opening ceremony.
In the 50-plus years since then, Japanese video games, music, and animation have built up passionate fanbases around the world.
In all fairness, it’s true that you’ll have an easier time finding passionate anime fans than active kabuki or sumo enthusiasts in countries outside Japan.