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SANJO ROKKAKU Fighter Kite Competition - Our event for the Sponsors

What is it?
A 'Rok' fight is a competition between flyers and their kites using the traditional Japanese Sanjo Rokkaku 'Fighter' kite.

How is it done?
The idea of the competition is simple, Kite and ground must not meet. You can do this by either making your opponents kite tip over so that it flys into the ground, or, you use your kite's line to cut your opponents line so that it falls to the ground.

Sounds simple?
Well, yes it is when put like that, but these competitions can last for over 15 minutes and during this time, the competitors will be running around the arena and more precisely, around each other, to try and get the best position so that they can 'control' the competition. The opponents all start off flying their kites 'like normal' - no touching and no line tangles.

Once the competition starts and the opponents will then try to make their opponent kites an wrap their line around the other lines and the either pull in or let out line, this will have two effects, it will either allow the fighter to tip or weigh down the opponents kite and force it to the ground, or the movement of the line against other lines will generate heat. If the other line is in a tangle and cannot be moved, the heat will build up in one place on that line, eventually casuing it to melt and so 'cut' the line. At this point, the kite is uncontrollable but, as long as it doesn't touch the ground, it is still effectively in the competition.

Nearing the end of the competition, many of the kites will have had their lines cut and fallen to the ground. Others will be tangles and remain 'tied' to the still flying kites. The skill now is for the remaining flyers to lower their kite close to the ground so that the kites with cut lines touch first. If a competitior can rescue the line of their kite before the kite touches the ground, they remain in the competition and carry on flying. The last remaining kite flying is the winner.

There are many other forms of Fighter Kite, alnog with many resources on the Internet should you want to look further.