Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

Carefully selected J-pop to liven up sports days and athletic festivals! Also great as entrance songs.

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.

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.

Carefully selected J-pop to energize your sports day and athletic festival! Also great as entrance songs (121–130)

Kokoro-eroodo obu mejyaa

Road of Major / Kokoro-e

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.

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Our Futureieiri reo

Leo Ieiri – Our Future (Theme song for the Saturday drama “Omukae Desu.”)

Our Futureieiri reo

This song, with its refreshing vocals that resonate in your chest and conjure up a clear blue sky, is by the singer-songwriter Leo Ieiri.

It was released in 2016.

The way the arrangement gradually builds toward the chorus makes it perfect for school sports days and athletic festivals.

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Opening DeclarationNovelbright

[For Sports Day] Novelbright “Opening Declaration” <Refreshing> Akane Project Easy Version (Dance ONE Project ’22) Flag & Dance for Elementary and Middle School Students

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!

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dance hallMrs. GREEN APPLE

Dance you can do at sports day or at home! “Dance Hall” by Mrs. GREEN APPLE – Easy dance choreography & hats for preschool and elementary school kids

dance hallMrs. GREEN APPLE

A pop tune that brightens up the morning with full energy.

An up-tempo dance number by Mrs.

GREEN APPLE that also became the theme song for Fuji TV’s “Mezamashi 8.” Released in May 2022, it was included on the mini-album “Unity.” Its glittering vibe and positive message are captivating.

The phrase “This world is a dance hall” leaves a strong impression, reminding us of the importance of enjoying life.

Perfect as an entrance song for sports days and school festivals! A wonderful track that gets everyone dancing and smiling.

Its hope-filled lyrics give you the courage to take a new step forward!

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Carefully selected J‑Pop to energize your sports day and athletic festival! Also great as entrance songs (131–140)

Everyone is free.Half time Old

Minnajiyuda

Everyone is free.Half time Old

Half time Old’s “Minna Jiyuu da” (Everyone Is Free), released in 2020, features a rock sound arranged from Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer.” Its lyrics, themed around “freedom,” leave a strong impression and fit scenes from school sports days—where people give their all to win and deepen bonds with friends.

The passionate yet refreshing band performance is sure to elevate the atmosphere of the venue.

It’s a rock number that fires up a wide range of events, from individual to team competitions, including ball toss and tug-of-war.

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Messenger from SundayPUFFY

Messenger from Sunday – THE HIGH-LOWS (Full)

Messenger from SundayPUFFY

A classic by the rock band THE HIGH-LOWS, formed around Hiroto Kōmoto and Masatoshi Mashima, covered by the female duo PUFFY! It’s included on their 2009 cover album “PUFFY AMIYUMI×PUFFY.” Perhaps thanks to the two members’ vocals, the result overflows with freshness.

Combined with the light, catchy arrangement, it’s truly a pleasure to listen to.

If you play it after all the events at a school sports day or athletic festival have finished, it might bring a sense of unity to the whole venue.

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paprikaFoorin

[Paprika] Dance Music Video | Foorin × Kenshi Yonezu | NHK

paprikaFoorin

This is the well-known masterpiece “Paprika” by Kenshi Yonezu.

I’ve also listened to the version sung by Yonezu himself, and it’s rare to find a song whose impression changes this much depending on the singer.

This song is said to be used a lot for kindergarten playtime, and it’s perfect as a dance piece for lower elementary grades too! With its cute lyrics and comical choreography, kids trained through eurhythmics could probably master it in about an hour! In the latter half of the song, where the clapping comes in, it would be great to have all the students clap together.

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