Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling festival lives on - in Japan
THE world famous cheese rolling festival lives on - in Japan.
This year's Gloucestershire festival was shelved after organisers tried to make it a two day event with corporate sponsorship and a £20 entrance fee.
But in Tokyo a dedicated team of students are set to stage their own version of cheese rolling on May 11 in tribute to the county festival which has a big following in Japan.
The Japanese festival will take place on a hill in Fuchu, Tokyo and will be staged by students at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT).
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The students staged their first event last year making a "cheese" from cardboard and stuffing it full of real cheese before chasing it down a hill.
Satoshi Tonooka, a Mechanical System Engineering student, said he wanted to show the true spirit of Samurai to the people of Britain.
"We actually did “Cheese-Rolling Festival in Japan” with 6 members at Sunset Hill in Seiseki- Sakuragaoka, Fuchu, Tokyo on 23th October 2010," said Satoshi in an email to TiG.
"I am writing this E-mail to let you know this plan and ask you for some supports for us somehow if possible."
He added how touched the Japanese people had been in support from Britain following the earthquake on March 11.
"In this one month and half, we have received support from all over the world including Britain. We really appreciate you all in Britain helping us and also praying for Japan. Thank you."
Comments
by Mr T, Glos
Thursday, May 05 2011, 1:58PM
“Those Japanese in the pics seem to have missed the point. The cheese rolling isn't supoed to be like bowling”
by Memories of The Flying Machine, Brockie
Thursday, May 05 2011, 12:26PM
“Whoops that should have read "NO" broken windows at Coopers Hill.
I think we can be safe with a large box of 16x Dairylea cheese triangles, 'Dairylea Light' of course!”
by Memories of The Flying Machine, Brockie
Thursday, May 05 2011, 12:20PM
“Road Wombat, there is NO organiser, the locals will just make it happen.
Yes everyone will be aware "participating is at our own risk" but if you think about it it ALWAYS was, no-one had taken out insurance specifically for the previous years nor did the organising committee.
There will be no ambulance crews standing by (unless they turn up) or rugby players to catch the contestants (unless they turn up) but everyone who decides to go up will know that BEFORE they run after the cheese (it will probably be a large circular box of Dairylea traingles - so broken windows at Coopers Hill)
The great thing about the 'unofficial event' on BH Monday is that parking & congestion will not be a problem (it wasn't last year as most folks walked up, didn't need a car park) The Cross Hands carvery, the Vic, Subway, Tesco and the Shell garage will all do well out of it.
See ya all there.”
by RoadWombat, Gloucester
Thursday, May 05 2011, 11:40AM
“Such an event doesn't need to be commercialised and the self-styled "organisers" have learned the lesson that if you try to take it over you run into all sorts of elf 'n safety and insurance problems. So long as the people involved do it at their own risk, and there is no "organiser" who can be identified, then no-one can be held accountable when someone breaks their neck, except the people who decided to fling himself down the slope of their own volition. Good luck to them in keeping a tradition alive, but you wouldn't catch me doing it!”
by norman, Tongcheng.China
Thursday, May 05 2011, 11:10AM
“Glad to hear the cheese rolling is back on,and has not been sold on.There never was any need for seeing how much could be made from people who do it for free.Good luck to all competitors I hope you all have a great day,as I know you will.”
by Cheese Roller, Moorfield Road, Brockworth
Thursday, May 05 2011, 10:25AM
“The cheese roll in Brockworth lives on too!
See you up Coopers Hill on bank holiday Monday 30th May 12.00 noon start as always.
Sorry, no entrance fee will be charged, no overpriced junk food available but booze welcome as always.
Having seen off the ill thought out commercialisation of the event - let's not see this tradition die out.
Sky TV film crews welcome as last year.”