Airsoft Action July 2020 | Page 19

feature AIRSOFT IN JAPAN • Fields are much more CQB • Usually games have few or no respawns • Tokyo Marui`s are cheap! • People are exceptionally honest, polite, and friendly • Traditionally games are MilSim style, but Speedsoft is gaining ground quickly Now before we go into depth with these different points, let me first say while some may seem like huge cons or negatives, they actually cause for a more pleasant or different playing experience. Another common rule calls for only 1 or no respawns, hailing from the name of the game “Survival Game”. In Japan, airsoft is more about survival and strategy and less about running and gunning with unlimited respawns (still fun though). One rule that is understandable with most field being more CQB is the semi-auto only rule, but I do sometimes miss my full auto. Fields are much more CQB and small in general due to the country being small and land is much more expensive than in the US or Europe. While there are outdoor fields, the scale is nowhere near like that of the US, Canada or Europe. Last few random differences, but being the land of Tokyo Marui’s, they are plentiful and comparatively cheap, so if you are a TM fan, it’s the place to be! Finally, Japan started airsoft as an alternative to those looking for that military simulation experience, but in recent years, the official UAB League or Japan`s SpeedQB league club is gaining ground at a rapid pace. Stay tuned for more news on airsoft in Japan and next time you’re in town, let’s hit up a local field and plink. Shout out to “Feeling of Peach” indoor hotel airsoft field in Nara next to Osaka, one of the best fields around! AA SABAGE In Japan Airsoft is known as “Sabage”, short for “Survival Game”. Currently Japan has a 1 joule limit or 98 m/s/320 FPS limit nationally and limits vary between 89-98 m/s depending on the field. Some may think, “How does one have fun with such low FPS!?” Well due to Japanese law, the FPS regulation is unfortunately something that must be followed strictly. However, being part of the “1 joule club” is not all that bad, having played in the US, I don`t feel that one country or another is better or more fun, rather they are different and great in their own ways. This low FPS limit results in no need for minimum engagement distances (MED) and no surrender/mercy calls, so this means that you just shoot everyone, all the time! It’s tons of fun and leads to the next big positive. Cheating is not common! Yes, in Japan cheating in airsoft does exist just like anywhere else, but perhaps due partially to Japanese culture, most people call their hits. GAME TYPES Game-mode wise, it’s pretty run of the mill TDM, CTF, VIP escort, Domination but some fields have a mode where killing enemies and reviving them forces them onto your team, for a sort of “tug of war” type of game. www.airsoftaction.net 19