Japanese Culture Episode5: Sports day たいいくのひ（体育の日）

Did you know we have 16 public holidays in a year in Japan?

Comparing to Australia, you will think that’s a lot.

As you might know, we have a ‘Golden week’ which we combine a few public holidays and add close Saturday and Sunday, then make it 5-7 days day off.

I would like to introduce たいいくのひ, Sports Day coming on Monday.

たいいくのひ is on the second Monday of October since 2000.

It was on 10th October as it was the day we held the opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympics.

Why we changed it to the second Monday of October?

Becaurse….  it becomes a long weekend!!!

（↑True. The government moved some other holidays to Monday to make some long weekends.）

By the way, たいいく is known as one of the school subjects in Japan, Physical Education.

Same like other countries, physical development is very important for children to grow.

Through たいいく, we also learn the importance of teamwork, hardworking, and achieving a goal.

たいいく becomes a school event as たいいくさい or うんどうかい.

たいいくさい is generally used in secondary school（ちゅうがっこう・こうこう） and うんどうかい is in primary school（しょうがっこう）.

Well, たいいくさい／うんどうかい is a sports competition if I try to explain in a simple word in Japanese.

We divide children into two or a several teams and compete in some games:

– Sprint,

– Assembly gymnastics,

– Ball tossing,

– Tug of war,

– Relay, etc

The students need to organise/help to organise たいいくさい／うんどうかい so that they learn to cooperate with each other and how they act in a particular role.

Many of たいいくさい／うんどうかい are held on たいいくのひ.

It is said that, on たいいくのひ, it mostly becomes clear weather.

Also, it is not too hot and not too cold.

So the best season for sports！

Some Japanese school in Japan organise たいいくさい.

It is a great opportunity to experience Japanese culture through a different activity from ‘traditional’ activities such as Calligraphy, Kimono, Tea ceremony, etc.

Let’s find out Japanese school in Japan!!

Or inquiry about Japanese school in Japan to get more information.