Sports Day Preparation

These past few weeks have been very busy at school! We are preparing for the annual Sports Day Festival, something that happens at every school in Japan. The students are put through rigoruos, sometimes dangerous, always trying, training. In the hot sun, they train themselves for weeks to compete in teams in the "Undokai". It always gives me new respect for the Japanese. Their patience and endurance is tested begining at an early age.

getting ready for sports day

Sports Day is an important part of Japanese school life. The school faculty and students prepare for about two months in advance, practicing how each team will make an intrance, what activities they will do, preparing the grounds by weeding the field, practicing the dances, beautifying the school, and practicing the activities. Schools are divided into 2 or three teams. Each team has a color. This year, the teams are red and white. Students are randomly assigned a team. The elementary and JHS students are treated as one school, but the activities will be different. The elementary school students will dance the Kagura. JHS students will play the horse game, leg ties, etc.
Today we weeded the field together.