Sports Day

Due to heavy rain caused by a passing typhoon which got downgraded to a tropical depression, this year's Sports Day was held in the gym instead. Many students made teru teru bozu (a ball wrapped with white paper or cloth that is hung up like a doll) to wish for good weather but alas, they didn't work.

Nevertheless, the students' spirits were not dampened. Most of them decorated their hair with accessories and flowers of their teams' colour (even guys!)

Students took part in all the events and the cheering competition with great enthusiasm. Most of the events were the same as last year's, although some were modified due to the venue. One of my favourite events. Snatching as many pipes as they can. It's an all-girls event. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZoVgEzkHvc

My deepest impression of Japanese Sports Days is the amount of effort put into it. A month before, students start preparing for their events, cheerleading routines and props. They actually got the whole of Friday afternoon off to rehearse their cheerleading routines (cos every team consists of a class from each of the 3 grades). On the day itself, emotional levels are very high. Students who lose, and even those who win, cry. Two of the four team captains were crying on stage when they made their thank you speeches to their teams. The red team captain was crying cos his team won and the black team captain cried when he apologised to his team for not being able to win anything. When students sing the school song at the closing ceremony, it is the loudest and liveliest rendition of the school song I've ever heard. Many students were clapping along or putting their arms around their friends and swaying with the music as they sang.