[2026] Curated J-POP to Energize Sports Days and Athletic Festivals! Also Great as Entrance Music
Music is essential for staging a successful sports day or school athletics festival.
You might find yourself thinking, “I want to pick songs that will hype up this once-a-year sports celebration!” or “What tracks will boost participants’ motivation and get the audience excited too?”
In this article, we’ve gathered the perfect songs for background music and entrance scenes at sports days and athletics festivals.
From tracks that fire you up to songs that gently encourage, you’ll find plenty of pieces that work in all kinds of moments.
Let moving music set the stage for an unforgettable event.
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[2026] Carefully selected J-POP to energize sports days and athletic festivals! Also recommended as entrance songs (111–120)
Kokoro-eroodo obu mejyaa
This is the song that served as the opening theme for both the first and final seasons of the baseball anime Major.
As a track from an anime that inspired many young baseball players, it has had a large, long-standing fanbase.
It gives the impression of classic, straight-ahead rock, conjuring the image of a boy single-mindedly chasing his dreams and friendships.
Opening DeclarationNovelbright
Novelbright’s Declaration of Opening is a song whose fusion of band performance and orchestral elements evokes a grand, expansive image.
It was used as the theme song for Nippon TV’s information program Sukkiri in its nationwide high school dance club support project, so some of the choreography the students actually danced has been incorporated into the flag routine as well.
If you want to try more challenging moves, check out the original video and give it a shot!
hundreds of millions of light-yearsOmoinotake
A gem of a mid-tempo tune from Omoinotake that sings of a powerful feeling transcending time and distance.
Riding on a melodious horn section and an exhilarating groove, it passionately declares a love that will never fade.
Released in February 2024 as the theme song for the TBS Tuesday drama “Eye Love You,” this track was also chosen as the entry march for the 97th National High School Baseball Championship.
It’s a perfect fit both for a dignified procession and for a gentle, supportive exit scene.
Is there still anything that love can do?RADWIMPS
It’s RADWIMPS’ “Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?”, which many people heard on music programs and in commercials as the theme song of director Makoto Shinkai’s blockbuster film Weathering with You.
Although the song has a gentle, mellow tone, it’s well-known and seems like a track everyone can get into and get excited about as BGM for events like school sports days.
Despite its philosophical-sounding title and lyrics, it’s also a refreshing, uplifting song that encourages a positive outlook.
TRAIN-TRAINTHE BLUE HEARTS
This is a work by the Japanese rock group The Blue Hearts.
It’s a song characterized by its brisk tempo.
For some reason, their music has always seemed oddly easy to relate to children.
Perhaps the teachers who choose the songs sense that quality.
Maybe it’s also selected from the standpoint of wanting them to charge straight ahead.
winding roadNovelbright
An uplifting coming-of-age anthem that depicts the journey from boyhood to adulthood along the winding road of life, set to a sweeping melody.
The track brings out Novelbright’s appeal to the fullest, portraying the anxieties and inner conflicts of everyday life, as well as the strength to overcome them.
Yudai Takenaka’s expansive vocals and the invigorating sound unique to a rock band resonate deeply.
Released for streaming in January 2025, the song was chosen as the theme for the TV Tokyo drama “Courtroom Dragon,” and its music video—directed by Hiroshi Tamaki—also became a hot topic.
It’s the perfect song for those moments when you strive to achieve something together with friends, like in club activities, cultural festivals, or school festivals.
Maru Maru Mori MoriKaoru to Tomoki, tama ni Mukku.
This catchy song, sprinkled with bright, upbeat wordplay and rhythmic onomatopoeia, is a heartwarming track that gently embraces children’s growth and everyday joys.
Its simple, easy-to-remember melody and lyrics depicting familiar happiness resonate honestly with listeners.
Released in May 2011 as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Marumo no Okite,” it marked the debut of Kaoru to Tomoki, Tamani Mook.
It reached No.
3 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and also earned a spot in that year’s NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
With choreography everyone can enjoy and adorable vocals, it’s the perfect song not only as a cheer tune for sports days and athletic meets, but also for school events and any occasion where people want to get energized together.