Kobe City: 62nd Kobe City Sports Festival for the Disabled Begins – First, Table Tennis! Center

Press Release (April 12, 2023)
Disability Welfare Division, Welfare Bureau
Sports for the disabled play a major role in promoting the welfare of people with disabilities, not only for their health, but also for finding a sense of purpose in life through sports, expanding friendship and exchange, and deepening public understanding of disabilities. Anyone is welcome to watch the games. Please come and cheer on the athletes and enjoy sports for the disabled together!

Date and Time

Sunday, April 16, 2023
Opening Ceremony from 9:30 a.m. Games start from 10:00 a.m.

2. Location

Kobe Municipal Central Gymnasium (4-1-1 Kusunokucho, Chuo-ku, Kobe / TEL: 078-341-7971, FAX: 078-341-7974)

3. Participating athletes

Participants must be residents or workers in the city with a disability certificate (any type of disability is acceptable).
Physical disability: 48 Intellectual disability: 111 Mental disability: 8 Total: 167

About the Kobe City Sports Festival for the Disabled

The Kobe City Sports Festival for the Disabled started in 1961 as the Kobe City Sports Festival for the Disabled, and has a history of 62 years. Currently, the city holds table tennis, boccia, flying disc, swimming, and track and field events for all types of disabilities. Before the Corona disaster, a total of 1,400 people participated annually in this event, making it a festival of sports for the disabled in Kobe City.
This event also serves as a selection event for the Kobe City athletic team for the special National Sports Festival for the Disabled “Burning Emotions in Kagoshima” to be held in October.

5. About STT (Sound Table Tennis)

On the day of the event, the visually impaired will also compete in the event of STT (Sound Table Tennis). Unlike ordinary table tennis, sound balls are rolled under a net that floats from a table tennis table and played against each other. The server says “I’m going” and the receiver says “yes” before serving. Because the game relies on sound, the competition is played in silence.

6. Sponsor

Kobe City / Kobe City Council of Social Welfare
Kobe City Federation of Physical Disability Organizations / Kobe City Hand in Hand Nurturing Association / Kobe City Federation of Family Associations for the Mentally Disabled / Kobe City Federation of Facilities for Persons with Physical Disabilities / Kobe City Federation of Facilities for the Mentally Disabled /
Kobe City Federation of Social Rehabilitation Facilities for Persons with Mental Disabilities

7. Main organizer

Kobe Table Tennis Association

The 62nd Kobe City Sports Festival for the Disabled Schedule

Boccia Sunday, April 30, Oji Sports Center
Flying Disc Sunday, May 21, Oji Stadium
Swimming Sunday, May 28, Shimin Fukushi Sports Center
Athletics Sunday, June 4, Univers Memorial Stadium

9. For inquiries, please contact

Kobe City Council of Social Welfare, Sports Promotion Center for Persons with Disabilities, Tanimizu
TEL: 078-271-5330 FAX: 078-521-5367