Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

Songs that hype up the athlete entrance at school sports festivals

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
DancerFukkun:)Tatsuki Fukuda
Primarily active in Tokyo, I have experience as a backup dancer for artists, a music video dancer, and a commercial dancer. I continue to work as a dancer while also engaging in article production. After discovering Michael Jackson in junior high school, I began dancing in my second year of high school. Since starting dance, in addition to the J-Pop and Japanese rock I had been listening to, I began exploring Western R&B, rap, alternative music, and other tracks commonly used for dance. In elementary school, I spent three years in a choir, and because I love singing, I often go to karaoke for fun. These days, I enjoy a wide range of music, from Japanese rock and rap to K-pop.

For entrance BGM at sports days and athletic festivals, you want tracks that ignite your fighting spirit and instantly boost the excitement.

Having a different entrance song for each event definitely amps up the atmosphere.

For your picks, the classic marching tunes that are staples at sports days are great, of course, but recent J-pop hits are also highly recommended.

In this article, we’ll introduce songs that light a fire in your heart and get you motivated—perfect for entrances!

We’ve gathered tracks with a variety of vibes, so choose the ones that best match the participants’ ages and the feel of each event.

[Sports Day/Athletic Festival] Songs that hype up the athletes’ parade (41–50)

LokiMikito P

Mikito-P "Roki" MV

LokiMikito P

A song by Mikito-P, a singer-songwriter who mainly produces music using VOCALOID.

The call-and-response-style vocals between VOCALOID Kagamine Rin and Mikito-P himself blur the line between reality and the virtual—quite rare for a Vocaloid track.

Its catchy melody and danceable beat are sure to crank your hype to the max before a competition.

The video posted on YouTube has racked up 40 million views, and it consistently ranks high on karaoke charts, making it a popular Vocaloid song that’s perfect for school sports days and athletic festivals, especially among students.

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Hoshino Takashi

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[Sports Day / Athletic Festival] Songs that hype up the athlete parade (51–60)

summer squallarashi

Natsu Hayate / Arashi — 2018 ABC Summer High School Baseball Support Song / “Netto Koshien” Theme Song

summer squallarashi

The intro, like a refreshing breeze blowing through, is perfectly suited for an entrance scene, isn’t it? This is a single released in 2018 by the nationally beloved group Arashi, written and composed by Yuzu’s Yujin Kitagawa.

It’s also known as the theme song for the high school baseball program “Netto Koshien.” Its message—about connecting through cooperation alongside the journey of practice—will resonate with each person’s feelings.

It has a bracing freshness that resets your mood and helps you find your composure right from the moment you enter.

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strollInoue Azumi

Eng sub My Neighbor Totoro “Stroll” with lyrics — covered by Miho Kuroda

strollInoue Azumi

Azumi Inoue’s “Sanpo” keeps the entrance march moving right along.

Famous as the opening theme of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro, this song helps you step forward with a rhythmic beat.

The marching “one, two, one, two” fits perfectly, doesn’t it? Above all, it’s so full of energy that it brightens up the whole sports day atmosphere.

The lyrics also encourage cheerful, lively walking, so the song as a whole is perfect for a march.

It’s recommended for athlete entrances for kindergarten, nursery school, and lower elementary school children!

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The Washington PostJohn Philip Sousa

March: The Washington Post

The Washington PostJohn Philip Sousa

A work beloved as one of John Philip Sousa’s most famous marches.

In 1889, twelve years after the founding of The Washington Post newspaper in 1877, the then-owners, Hatton and Wilkins, commissioned Sousa—who was the leader of the United States Marine Band—to compose music for an awards ceremony of a writing contest.

The piece premiered at the ceremony, which was attended by the 23rd President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison, and it received enthusiastic applause and widespread acclaim.

Its bright and majestic melody, perfectly suited to an awards ceremony, leaves a strong impression!

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majestic and dignifiedEdward Elgar

E. Elgar / Pomp and Circumstance Marches, Op. 39: No. 1 in D major

majestic and dignifiedEdward Elgar

A representative work by the British composer Edward Elgar.

It consists of six pieces in total, but the first march is especially often performed at various ceremonies and events.

The middle section of March No.

1 is particularly famous, and in Japan, when people refer to “Pomp and Circumstance,” they usually mean either March No.

1 or the melody of its middle section.

The phrase “Pomp and Circumstance” in the original title, “Pomp and Circumstance Military Marches,” is taken from a line in Act 3, Scene 3 of Shakespeare’s play Othello.

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A view I’ve never seen beforeSuda Masaki

Masaki Suda’s “Oni-chan” belts it out! Web-exclusive MV “Mita Koto mo Nai Keshiki” Oni-chan ver. released

A view I've never seen beforeSuda Masaki

Just from the title Alone in an Unseen Scenery, the sense of drama suddenly swells—a song passionately sung by Masaki Suda, an actor who also shines in many other fields.

The dynamic, expressive band arrangement gives it a vivid presence, making it a perfect theme song for a heart-pounding day that’s different from the usual, like a school sports day or athletic festival.

The message embedded in the lyrics is intensely passionate, too, so it’s likely to be the greatest cheer for the athletes about to compete.

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Murakami Shinpei

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The world is smiling at you.Little Glee Monster

Little Glee Monster 'The World Is Smiling at You' Short Ver.

The world is smiling at you.Little Glee Monster

We recommend “Sekai wa Anata ni Waraikaketeiru” as a song that makes for a bright, celebratory entrance.

Released in 2018 during Little Glee Monster’s five-member era, this showcase of their exceptional vocals and harmonies has become one of the group’s signature tracks, sung in a variety of settings.

It’s even used as a dance song at school sports days and athletic festivals.

The members’ richly colored vocal work and positive message are sure to get you excited! It’ll boost your energy and help you slide smoothly into the main event.

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