WHEN EAST MEETS WEST
Commentary by Hank F. Miller Jr.
October 10 in most areas of Japan schools prefer to hold their sports day, but some areas hold this event in May. Around this time of the year sports festival are held in schools, but sometimes other places such as companies and neighborhood groups hold the sports day festival also.
For example, entire families joins the school sports festival and enjoy as well,and the parents seem take so many photos and videos of their children.There used to be a TV program of sports festivals it in which TV stars participated in the festival.
Usually participants are divided into 2 groups or teams of red and white colors either, head bands or caps are worn to compete, and a variety of games are played at the festival, some are common worldwide such as 100 meter sprint race, relay race and tug of war, a potato Sack race and others and some others rather unique only to Japan.
The unique ones to Japan which are many are the \”Tamaire\”(ball games):
During a defined time, participants throw bean bags of their team colors into their team\’s basket as many as they can, the baskets are at the top suspend on a pole about 8\’ feet off the growing, after all the bags are thrown into the white or red baskets they are counted aloud by a teacher until the looser is surpased in the count.
There is an obstacle race: participants compete while running at top speed through the various obstacles such as jumping over hurdles, and under mats etc.There are so many more events to long to mention everyone has quite a lot of fun with a lot of cheering going on. At lunch time the wonderful \”(obento\’s) meaning lunch boxes,\” are brough out and everyone enjoys traditional Japanese food. The morning before the mother rises early to prepare the wonderful food and treats, she spend hours preparing everything, and making everything just right.The women of Japan take great pains tin preparing delicious Japanese dishes.
In addition, there is team work gymnastics. Children practice very hard for every event in preporation for the festival, under the guidance of their teachers and on the day.
All the students perform to show their families their hard effort in preparation for the festival, there is quite a lot of cheering going on from everybody in attendance.
The spectators are led by a group of cheerleaders, usually a male student is choosen as the leader of the group. National Sports Day is the timing in which body strengths of the citizens will be focused upon.
Every year the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports,and Culture execute a survey of the body strength including stamina and agility. Approximately 70,000 citizens aged from 6 to 75 are parametic models,this servey will be held in either May or October.
The results are are analyzed according to age groups and reported on National Sports Day. According to the results they are reported via the mass media, the overall result for children started to improve although it had been on the decline in recent years and therefore has been an issue,I believe that the decline is primarely due to diet of the students as a lack of exercise.
Promoting health and well being, as well as improving body strength requires daily ![\"6a00d8341bf7d953ef0133f3d2f7dc970b-800wi\"](\"https://www.gloucestercitynews.net/.a/6a00d8341bf7d953ef0133f4d27f0c970b-200wi\" "\\"6a00d8341bf7d953ef0133f3d2f7dc970b-800wi\\"/")
exercise and an improved diet, thus sports is the key,everyone should enjoy playing sports.
It is very important stay fit no matter what your age. Remember one thing sports is not all about winning. So get with the program it\’ll do you all a lot of good, here\’s hoping that you all are enjoying a very healthy life style.
Warm Regards from Kitakyushu City, Japan.
Hank F. Miller Jr.
Note: Hank, (photo), is a former resident of Gloucester City who resides in Kitakyushu City, Japan.
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