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 hype up your sports day/athletic festival! Also great as entrance songs (141–150)

life-formHoshino Gen

Gen Hoshino – Living Being (Official Video)

life-formHoshino Gen

An upbeat, high-energy track whose lyrics brim with encouragement and vitality for people living today.

Released by Gen Hoshino in August 2023, the song was also chosen as the theme for the World Athletics Championships and the Asian Games.

Carrying a message about finding yourself amid competition and choices, it affirms one’s own way of life and existence.

It sings of a free feeling like blending into the wind, and the importance of living your once-in-a-lifetime life to the fullest.

It’s perfect for the running exit scene of kids at a school sports day, too! A highly recommended song for sports festivals that gives listeners energy and power.

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Rikuoh – Main Theme –Takayuki Hattori

Rikuo Soundtrack: Main Theme

Rikuoh - Main Theme - Takayuki Hattori

Perfect for sports days and athletic festivals! An indispensable, moving piece is none other than the main theme from RIKUOH by Takayuki Hattori.

Featured on the soundtrack for TBS’s Sunday drama RIKUOH and released in December 2017, this work is distinguished by its weighty orchestration and quietly played piano melody.

Its dramatic development and warm harmonies speak deeply to the listener’s heart.

It’s a masterpiece that creates emotion and unity—essential for large-scale group gymnastics performances.

Play it during the entrance scene to boost the excitement and instantly brighten and enliven the atmosphere!

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Helloyama × bocchiboromaru

yama × Bocchi Boromaru “Hello” MV (TV anime “Pokémon” opening theme)

Helloyama × bocchiboromaru

A heartwarming collaborative piece by yama and Bocchi Boromaru, brimming with positive energy as a rousing anthem.

It carries a message that awakens hope for the future and a spirit of adventure, with a simple yet powerful melody that resonates deeply.

The song is approachable for a wide audience and was chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime Pokémon starting in October 2023.

In December 2023, it was released on CD in two formats: a standard edition and a limited-time production edition.

As a positive track that makes you want to sing along with someone, it’s perfect for cheering at sports days and athletic festivals.

Raise your voices together with friends under the blue sky, and it will surely become a wonderful memory.

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Carefully selected J-POP to hype up sports days and athletic festivals! Also great as entrance songs (151–160)

Yes, with pleasure.kocchi no kento

Sure thing / Kocchino Kento MV

Yes, with pleasure.kocchi no kento

This is a song released by Kocchinoken-to in May 2024, an uplifting anthem that pairs a catchy rhythm and melody with a heartwarming message.

The “Giri Giri Dance,” which spread mainly through social media, became a hot topic as an easy, accessible performance for everyone and has been a huge hit as background music and a cheer song at school sports days.

The track packs a powerful, confidence-boosting message into its up-tempo sound, keeping you feeling positive from start to finish.

It also garnered major buzz on TikTok and even led to a collaboration with Sanrio characters.

Its breezy, get-you-running rhythm and friendly, singable melody are part of its charm.

Perfect not only for school sports festivals and athletic events, it’s also a great pick-me-up for everyday motivation.

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together; along with; bothWANIMA

WANIMA – Together (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

together; along with; bothWANIMA

This song, which celebrates friendship, hope, and the strength to overcome hardship, fills listeners with energy and courage.

WANIMA’s exhilarating, fast-paced sound and positive message stand by those who continue to face challenges, serving as a powerful support.

Released in August 2016 as the theme song for Nivea Kao’s “8×4” commercial, it also carries the members’ deep love for their hometown of Kumamoto and their hopes for its recovery.

Included on the album “Are You Coming?”, the track was also performed at the 2017 NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

With its strong message, the song brings the perfect blend of excitement and refreshment for a school sports day’s exit scene.

It is expected to heighten the sense of unity in the venue, along with the children’s feelings of accomplishment and emotion after giving their all in competition.

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giftRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – Gift [Official Music Video]

giftRADWIMPS

Written as the theme song for the NHK morning drama series “Anpan,” this track is pop music that poses universal questions under the theme of a journey to find the meaning of life.

With a warm, embracing melody and poetic lyrics that resonate, it depicts the small joys of everyday life and the courage to take on challenges.

Yojiro Noda and the other members of RADWIMPS completed the piece over several months in preparation for “Anpan,” which is scheduled to air from April 2025.

Brimming with vitality, the song’s message makes it perfect for events like school sports days and athletic meets—let children and adults alike enjoy a sense of unity with this track!

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Senbonzakura

Senbonzakura - Tried Dancing [Kids Dance Channel] Elementary School, Kindergarten, Easy Dance

Senbonzakura

Senbonzakura is a song written, composed, and arranged by Kurousa-P.

It has been covered by many artists and remains hugely popular in “tried singing” and “tried playing” videos.

It’s a big hit with children—why not dance to it cheerfully and energetically? In keeping with the title “Senbonzakura,” you could use cherry blossom branches, and since it has a traditional Japanese flavor, it would also look great with Japanese-style costumes.

If your team incorporates movements like Yosakoi, it could become a wonderful performance for a school sports day and a great memory with friends.

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