Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

[Eisa] A roundup of classic and popular songs—perfect for sports day!

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.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

Eisa is sometimes performed as one of the group events at elementary and junior high school sports festivals.

Originally a traditional performing art of Okinawa, the powerful sight of performers beating drums of various sizes and dancing is truly breathtaking!

The music used traditionally includes folk songs passed down through the ages, and in recent years, pop music has also been adopted.

In this article, we’ll introduce a comprehensive selection of songs perfect for Eisa—from classic staples and popular tracks in Okinawa itself to J-pop numbers that are sometimes used for Eisa performances at sports festivals.

We hope this helps you choose music for your sports day!

[Eisa] A roundup of classic and popular songs perfect for sports festivals! (11–20)

Festival of the Seventh Month

Eisa, Eisa, Hiyaruga Eisa [July Festival] ~ End Roll (Ryukyu Dance Troupe Shoryu Festival Taiko PV)

Festival of the Seventh Month

An energetic track by Ryukyu Mendan Shoryu Matsuri Daiko that preserves Okinawa’s traditional melodies and rhythms while adding a modern arrangement.

The powerful beat of the taiko drums blends beautifully with the plaintive tones of the sanshin, stirring the listener’s heart.

The promotional video, filmed across Okinawa’s main island in October 2013, captures dynamic performances set against Naha City, the area around Shurijo Castle, and stunning coastlines—showcasing Okinawa’s captivating scenery.

It’s an ideal piece for group routines at school sports festivals and dance performances incorporating Eisa.

The commanding drum rhythms and distinctive melodic lines will unite the entire venue and captivate the audience.

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Beyond the seaPāshakurabu

Pasha Club: Beyond the Sea

Beyond the seaPāshakurabu

Parsha Club’s song is a heartwarming piece packed with the charms of Okinawa.

The lyrics gently depict Okinawa’s nature and the lives of its people, and the beautiful melody woven by the sanshin leaves a strong impression.

Released in July 2013, the song captured the hearts of many, including those living in Okinawa.

It is included on the album “nada nada” and showcases Parsha Club’s musicality to the fullest.

It’s also perfect as background music for performing Eisa at school sports festivals.

It’s a song that lets everyone dance energetically while feeling the Okinawan breeze.

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Pa-pa PineappleNagopainappurupāku

Papa Pineapple Dance Eisa Full Version (3 minutes)

Pa-pa PineappleNagopainappurupāku

This song from Nago Pineapple Park, featuring a bright melody packed with tropical cheer and a pop rhythm, is a refreshing track that seems to capture the sparkle of the Okinawan sun in music.

Released in 2013, it was recorded in four languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.

In December 2024, it evolved even further with a new music video featuring FC Ryukyu’s dance team, “Gyakushū no BOMBERZ.” It’s a perfect fit for school sports festivals, Eisa performances, and group routines, with energetic choreography and an addictive chorus that make it ideal for everyone to have fun moving together.

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ParadiseMiyagi Mamoru

"Paradise" by Mamoru Miyagi with Gen Hirakata & Ryota @ Tameike Usagi-ya

ParadiseMiyagi Mamoru

This is a thrilling, up-tempo track that brilliantly fuses traditional Okinawan music with pop.

The sound of the sanshin blends exquisitely with modern arrangements, evoking the refreshing breeze of the tropics.

Featured on the album “Minamikaze” (“Southern Wind”), this song celebrates Okinawa’s beautiful nature and the warmth of its people, and its melody is sure to bring both comfort and energy to listeners.

You can almost see the smiling children at a school sports day, dancing with all their might and beating the drums with powerful rhythms.

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Mami and Toma styleYaeyama min’yō

“Kohama-bushi / Mami Toma-bushi” by Isamu Asato <Okinawa Izakaya Kodama> (2018)

Mami and Toma styleYaeyama min'yō

With the sanshin’s richly expressive melody and graceful rhythms, Yaeyama folk songs soothe the soul.

Woven from the island’s unhurried flow of time, its abundant nature, and the lives of its people, these beautiful melodies evoke a quiet sense of wonder.

Interlacing emotive sounds with dynamic drum rhythms, this piece is sure to add extra brilliance to the children’s Eisa performance at a school sports day.

Through performing Eisa together as one, everyone can truly experience the splendor of Okinawa’s traditional culture.

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Ryukyuan HymnKaisegatou Yutaka

Ryukyuan Hymn

Ryukyuan HymnKaisegatou Yutaka

Hosei Toyo’s music, where traditional Okinawan sounds and modern elements blend beautifully, captivates with the powerful rhythms of the sanshin and drums and melodies that resonate in the heart.

This piece celebrates the charms of Okinawa and is a familiar tune among locals, used for the prefecture’s tourism promotions and as a theme song for local TV programs.

Incorporating it into a school sports day program will let the energetic drum beats and the dynamic tones of the sanshin further elevate the children’s performance.

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[Eisa] A roundup of classic and popular songs perfect for sports day! (21–30)

Katami-bushi

Lyric Commentary: Introduction to Eisa Songs – 'Katami (Katami-bushi)' [Tokyo Nakano Ward Shimpū Eisa]

Katami-bushi

Katami-bushi—sometimes written with the characters meaning “solid/steadfast” (固み節)—is a traditional folk song centered on Okinawa’s main island.

It has been passed down as a celebratory song that expresses the bond between a man and a woman and the vows of marriage, and it is often performed at festive occasions such as weddings.

The lyrics convey congratulatory words for auspicious events and speak of the couple’s ties, offering gentle blessings for their new beginning.

It is also a staple piece for Eisa performances; the steady, unhurried rhythm accompanied by drums conveys the lively atmosphere of a joyous celebration.

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