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Undoukai: Celebrating Japan's Vibrant Sports Day Tradition
The Japanese sports day or undoukai, is a lot more than an opportunity for students to take a break from schoolwork and compete with their peers. This holiday is nothing short of a sports festival that commemorates nearly 60 years of tradition and encourages citizens to take care of their physical and mental health.
In this post, we’ll cover all of the key facts and details about the undoukai or sports festival in Japan.
Introduction to Undoukai
Also known as Japanese Sports Day, undoukai is a public holiday and traditional sports festival mainly observed by schools, organizations, and communities. It takes place on the second Monday of October every year, and the next one falls on October 14, 2024.
As a celebration of health, sportsmanship, and community spirit, undoukai is an essential part of the country’s school system. Elementary schools usually organize their major sporting events on that day. Their pupils get to compete with one another in a variety of individual and group activities, such as sprint races, gymnastics, relay races, and long jumps.
Local communities also organize similar sporting events but on a much larger scale. They often include activities like the ball toss, tug of war, and a special version of the relay. The sports festival might feature parades and performances by local marching bands. These events and ceremonies follow a format that resembles some kind of mini-Olympics, which should come as no surprise if you consider undoukai’s historic link to the actual Olympics.
The History of Undoukai in Japan
The first sports festival in Japan took place in 1874 at the Imperial Navy Academy, located in Tokyo. Over 200 students gathered at this location, which was the country’s major sports hub in the Meiji Era (1868–1912). News of the festival spread to primary schools, leading to a flurry of 32 sports festivals in elementary schools from 1884 to 1892. The Meiji government, keen to develop sports in Japan, constructed sports fields in different schools across the country. They also made sports festivals a mandatory part of the domestic curriculum, with the goal of promoting patriotism and an active lifestyle in the next generation.
After the Meiji era ended in 1912, undoukai began to lose its patriotic ideals and became more focused on local culture and team spirit. On October 10, 1966, Japan had its first official undoukai holiday, known at the time as Health and Sports Day. The date was chosen in remembrance of the unusually late Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 1964, which opened exactly two years prior. In 2000, the second Monday in October became the new official date of the holiday.
Undoukai in modern times is no longer exclusive to schools and academies. Communities and companies organize sporting events among their members to commemorate the holiday. In 2020, the holiday was permanently renamed Sports Day, following a similar pattern with major bodies like the Japan Sports Association.
Typical Events and Activities
In a bid to foster teamwork and physical fitness, certain games and activities have become common at undoukai. Check them out below.
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Relay race: Sports festivals in Japan often feature a wide variety of relay races, which range from the standard 4 × 100 m relay to a special type of obstacle course relay.
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Tug-of-war (tsunahiki): This contest helps to build strength and teamwork. Two teams pull a rope from either end, with the goal of pulling the opposing team past a specific line.
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Rugby-ball dribbling race: This race consists of two to three teams. The first player on each team takes a rugby ball and dribbles around a path lined with cones. The player then dribbles back and passes the ball to the next teammate. The winning team is the first one to have all its players finish the race.
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Three-legged race (mukade Kyoso): This is a type of running event in which players pair up to compete against others. It’s like a regular race with a twist. The right leg of one teammate is strapped to the left leg of the other teammate, making it harder for both to run.
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Sack race: Runners place both legs in a sack and hop towards the finish line as fast as possible. There’s a lot of falling over, but it’s fun to watch.
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Ball-tossing contest: The rules for this event can vary depending on the organizers. It typically involves passing the ball around a circle of participants while under certain constraints, and it can improve both verbal and cognitive skills.
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Track and field: Undoukai includes regular track and field events like long jumps, high jumps, and 100-meter sprint races.
Undoukai in Japanese Schools
Undoukai is a part of the physical education curriculum in Japanese elementary schools. Hence, these institutions are mandated to hold a sports festival every year in October. All pupils participate in the event.
Preparation may take several weeks, even though the actual games are condensed into one day. During the preparation, both pupils and their teachers spend time setting up the sports field with markings, flags, and decorations. They may also help arrange the chairs and canopies that the parents, teachers, and other visitors will need on the day.
A typical school Sports Day features an opening ceremony, the main sporting events, an award ceremony, and a closing ceremony. It may also include music and physical events, ranging from band performances to games for teachers and parents. After the closing ceremony, most people stay back to help with the clean-up, as is the tradition in Japan. Overall, the main priority of the festival is for the kids to have fun, exercise, and learn key values.
Community and Family Involvement
The local communities in Japan often organize sporting festivals on the October holiday. These festivals include competitions between teams from different neighborhoods, companies, or schools. The organizers and participants are often volunteers with an interest in promoting sports and enhancing bonds in their local area.
The event typically starts with a street parade and marching band performance before the major games begin at the local stadium. People often attend the festival as a family or a group of friends.
Recently, Japanese communities and corporate companies in diaspora have been organizing undoukai in foreign countries. The aim is to foster teamwork among employees and bring Japanese people closer to each other in foreign lands.
Health and Sports Day: A National Celebration
Although it goes by a shorter label now, Health and Sports Day has always been a national holiday that promotes physical exercise and positive health practices. Every organization, from businesses to non-profits, is expected to participate either by giving their employees the day off or by organizing sports competitions themselves.
Scheduled for the second Monday of October, the holiday is only a few weeks after Respect for the Aged Day, another popular Japanese national holiday. The national sports festival often features the use of the Japanese flag in school and community events, fostering a sense of patriotism amidst the celebrations.
Cultural Significance of Sports in Japanese Society
Thanks to the changes made in the Meiji era, sports have become a vital part of the life of the average Japanese. Baseball, sumo wrestling, martial arts, and football are very popular in Japan.
Students often join school teams from a tender age, and some of them develop into professional athletes when they get older. Schools also have teams for track and field, gymnastics, skiing, and other sports. These traditions don’t just help with healthy development; they also instill values such as respect, perseverance, and cooperation.
Modern Trends and Changes in Undoukai
Health-sports day in Japan has come a long way since the Meiji era. It now features the use of high-end cameras and drones to capture the athletes better. Games are no longer focused on physical events and now include elements that improve the mind. Some festivals now include events for disabled athletes, which is a vital step as we strive for an all-inclusive new world.
Conclusion:
Undoukai may only last for one day, but its impact lasts for a lifetime. By fostering good health practices, national pride, and positive societal values, it has proven to be one of the most beneficial traditions in Japan. We hope to see more holidays like this established in the future.
You can make the next Sports Day even more special by offering fantastic gifts to your family and loved ones. Visit Bokksu Boutique and choose from our wide array of gift boxes and items.
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