Sports Day

Mix one part Super Bowl halftime show with two parts Olympics and add a dash of military regalia and you've got the perfect recipe for Japanese Sports Day. It is an epic day of sprinting, relays, tug o' war, kindergarten marching band, dancing, cheering, martial arts, three-legged races, and all things sports.


Each year in the fall, Sports Day happens at schools all across Japan. I could tell you more, but I'd rather let the pictures speak for themselves.

Just before my big race at Miki Kita, the 4X100 meter relay!

Swim Club boys passing the baton in the club relay at Miki Kita.

The first few pictures above are from Miki Kita (Kita) which is my "visit school" I go to twice a week.  It just so happened that Kita's Sports Day was on the day that I visit.  My "base school" is Miki Senior High (Miki), and their Sports Day was the very next day.  I ran 100 meters each day as part of the teacher's relay team and couldn't walk on Friday.  I told one of the teachers at Miki that I was getting old.  His reply, "If you are old, then I am dead."  I lol'd a little.  I have no idea how old he is, but he looks young to me.  Japanese people age well so he could be something like 70 for all I know.

The girls play a game similar to chicken fighting where you steal that hat of your opponent.  It gets craaaazzzy!

This has got to be my favorite shot of the day.  The kindergarden marching band was cute overload!

One of the students wanted a picture.  She is so cute!  How could I say no?

The students did a cheer competition that they choreographed themselves.   I was pretty partial to the blue team...  must have been the cowboy hats and the bandanas!

B...  L.... U....

There was no match for the yellow team in tug o' war.  This student was cracking me up throwing up peace signs for the camera while his teammates pulled them to victory.

Sports Day was a great day, and I am so happy I had a chance to be a part of it!