Born in Japan, spogomi is now going global. As competitors like to say: ‘the real winner is the environment’
It’s one sport where playing dirty is positively encouraged – and sweeping to victory means a win for the planet as well as the competitors. Born in Japan, spogomi turns the humble act of litter-picking into a high-octane contest with a side order of civic pride.
“It’s not just about participants enjoying themselves, it isn’t simply about getting exercise – spogomi has a positive social impact that benefits society at large,” says Spogomi UK representative Chris Roaf. “Ultimately, the real winner is the environment.”
Some 53 million tonnes of plastic waste and 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded on streets and landscapes globally each year. Japanese runner Kenichi Mamitsuka began scooping up some of them on his morning jogs in 2008, and soon hit on the idea of gamifying his public-spirited act to raise awareness of littering.
He christened his new creation by splicing ‘spo’ from sport with gomi, the Japanese word for rubbish. Fast forward 15 years and spogomi is now played across Japan and in dozens of countries worldwide. To date, more than 165,000 people have taken part in official contests, collecting almost 200,000 tonnes of trash between them.
In Tokyo, the dust settled on the second Spogomi World Cup last week. Bella Spencer and teammates Hannah Hunter and Hannah Terrell won an all-expenses-paid trip to represent the UK after litter-picking their way to victory at a qualifier in London over the summer.
Ultimately, the trio were denied a podium spot, losing to hosts Japan and placing 13th out of 34. For Spencer, though, it was the taking part that really mattered.
“We met people from all walks of life who are passionate about looking after their neighbourhood and the planet,” she told Positive News. “What struck me most was the scale of the litter problem, and the global and local action needed to protect our planet and marine life. I’ll never walk past a crisp packet again without scooping it into the bin.”
Spogomi is typically played in teams of three, armed with bin bags and litter-picking tongs. The rules allow fast walking, but running with sacks full of glass or metal is deemed hazardous, so attracts a point penalty.
Teams have a time limit – usually 45 minutes – to collect as much rubbish as possible from a designated area. At the whistle, they have another 20 minutes to sort their haul into categories for the final weigh-in.
Some 165,000 competitors have taken part, collecting almost 200,000 tonnes of rubbish. Image: Chris Roaf
Points are awarded by rubbish type: lighter waste such as aluminium cans trumps glass bottles. Cigarette butts barely register on the scales, but their toxic footprint – and the fact that they’re so hard to recycle – makes them top scorers.
“There’s a lot of strategy involved, but it’s a very inclusive sport,” says Roaf. “You have everyone from little kids to grandparents – I’ve seen competitors in wheelchairs. You never know who’s going to come home with the highest score. You might be surprised at who does well – it’s not always the fittest and sportiest who win.”
In a world where everything from brushing our teeth to grocery shopping has been gamified, it’s refreshing to see community action get the same treatment. And beneath the fun, spogomi might even spark a shift in how we view our surroundings.
Spogomi has a positive social impact that benefits society at large. Ultimately, the real winner is the environment
The litter clogging our streets is like background static – so woven into daily life that it barely registers. Sarah Parry, the 2023 world champion and an NHS critical care doctor, says the sport helps people tune back into the muck hidden in plain sight.
“My eyes were completely closed to the fact that we even had litter in the UK,” says Parry. “Now I just see it absolutely everywhere – not just in the UK, but everywhere I go.
“It would be fantastic if we could get spogomi rolled out more across the UK. You can only tackle a problem that you know exists. If you have your eyes closed, or you’re immune to it, then you don’t even know you have a litter problem.”
Sarah Parry, a critical care doctor, was the 2023 world champion. Image: Maya Forcione
For now, it remains a niche sport in the UK, with official contests largely confined to the biennial qualifier. But Parry says she’s aware of one local authority putting in a bid with Japan’s Spogomi Federation to host a competition.
Roaf, meanwhile, is actively seeking partnerships with councils and other organisations keen to host events. Looking ahead, he believes the sport could offer companies a playful new spin on corporate social responsibility.
“If a firm wants to clean up the local area and give their employees a fun, team-building event, spogomi is an excellent fit,” he suggests. “The most important thing is that we get the litter off the streets – if we can encourage people to do that, have fun and move their bodies a little into the bargain, that’s got to be a good thing.”
Main image: PattyPhoto
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