The Christmas Bowl (クリスマスボウル, Kurisumasu Bōru?) is the annual Japanese high-school American football championship game. In a way similar to the Super Bowl, the top two teams from throughout Japan come together in Tokyo Stadium to play against each other for the championship. As with most American Football leagues, the league setup is split into two regions — Kantō and Kansai — and the champions of each region play in the Christmas Bowl. It takes place on even years in Kansai and on odd years in Kantō. Since 2001, the Kantō match takes place in Ajinomoto Stadium.
Surprising as it may seem, the competition has been going on almost as long as the Super Bowl, being only four contests behind.
The Christmas Bowl in the manga and anime series Eyeshield 21 is based on this competition.
Famous quotes containing the words christmas and/or bowl:
“He asked if I would sell my Christmas trees;
My woods the young fir balsams like a place
Where houses all are churches and have spires.
I hadn’t thought of them as Christmas trees.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“It seemed a long way from 143rd Street. Shaking hands with the Queen of England was a long way from being forced to sit in the colored section of the bus going into downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. Dancing with the Duke of Devonshire was a long way from not being allowed to bowl in Jefferson City, Missouri, because the white customers complained about it.”
—Althea Gibson (b. 1927)