The Japanese word for badminton is ukyū, which translates to feather ball. The English loanword badominton is also commonly used throughout Japan.
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| Romanji | Kanji | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Badminton うきゅう | Ukyū | 羽球 | |
| Badminton (English loanword) バドミントン | Badominton | None | |
| Japanese badminton はねつき | Hanetsuki | 羽根つき | |
| Badminton club バドミントンぶ | Badominton-bu | バドミントン部 |
Interesting facts about badminton in Japan
In case you were wondering, yes, badminton is a very popular sport in Japan. It’s estimated that around 6% of the Japanese population actively plays badminton, with most of them playing at either educational institutions or sports clubs. The yearly held Japan Badminton Open offers an impressive US$750,000 in prize money to the winner.
There is also a Japanese version of badminton, known as hanetsuki. The rules are a little different and it’s played without a net. Read more about it here.