In fall, having a sports day, undokai (運動会), at kindergartens and schools is very popular here in Japan. There is even a special holiday on the second Monday in October called Sports Day. Beginning of autumn, outdoor activities make a big part of children’s daily life and as soon as the summer heat starts to leave you can see and hear children practicing for their sports day. When I open the windows at home I can hear the music and drums from a nearby nursery when they are practicing their team endeavors, and on the grounds of our son’s kindergarten there are white lines in the sand used for the daily practice routines.
While my wife has grown up having sports days all through here childhood, this year was the first time for both me and my son to experience one (I believe I was more nervous than he was, by the prospect of doing child-parent running and dancing in front of everyone). When we arrived at the kindergarten early Saturday morning, it was a beautifully decorated and arranged playground that met us. Flags with each student’s face cut out from paper were hanging on strings over the filed, a tent for the children was set up, as well as benches for all the parents. I keep being so impressed by the creativity and warmth of our kindergarten, always having time for a smile and emphasizing the importance of using arts and crafts as an integral part of the kindergarten learning experience.
When the event started all the students were introduced while running onto the field, and then a program of different performances and events followed. For our boy it meant having a 10 meters race running with his classmates from the starting line to the arms of his mother, followed by an obstacle course that my son and I made our way through. Halfway through the program there was a tug of war between the parents of each class, and the day was concluded by parents dancing with their kids to the instructions of the teachers before our son and the other students was awarded a gold medal for job well done.
It was a happy but tired and hungry boy that came home to a late lunch that day. And a relieved dad who can look forward to many more sports days now that the first appearance is over.
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