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 sports days and athletic festivals! Also great as entrance songs (31–40)

migratory bird[Alexandros]

[Alexandros] – Wataridori (MV)

migratory bird[Alexandros]

The 10th single that brought [Alexandros] widespread recognition.

Famous for its many tie-ins with TV shows and commercials, this song is the perfect number for gearing up to compete at a school sports day or athletic festival.

Its simple yet catchy guitar riff gives the intro a refreshing, fast-paced feel, and the high-tone vocals in the chorus crank up the excitement.

The rhythm crafted by the bass and drums gives you a push from behind, making it a catchy track that fits perfectly whether you play it before an event starts or right in the middle of the action.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Crimson Lotus FlowerLiSA

LiSA “Gurenge” -MUSIC CLIP YouTube EDIT ver.-

Crimson Lotus FlowerLiSA

The opening theme song of the TV anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Gurenge.

LiSA delivers a powerful, passionate performance.

It’s also a popular choice for piano covers.

The rhythm and speed are off the charts—an incredibly cool track.

LiSA’s vocals are outstanding, making Gurenge a song full of charm.

It’s perfect for junior high and high school sports festivals.

Get everyone hyped and have fun—and make some wonderful memories.

It’s a fiery number that feels like it could even improve your relay times when you play it.

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Full-Power BoySukima Suichi

Sukima Switch – “Zenryoku Shonen” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / Zenryoku Shonen Music Video

Full-Power BoySukima Suichi

Sukima Switch is a duo whose charm as pop craftsmen overflows.

Zenryoku Shonen is a masterpiece among masterpieces, continually tied up with films, commercials, and TV shows.

Thanks to this song, they also appeared on NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen.

It’s a fight song that cheers you on and stirs up a feeling that makes your fear of taking action seem silly.

You are the one who opens up your world.

It even makes you want to boldly take on major school events like sports days and athletic festivals!

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Heart-throbbingHinatazaka46

Hinatazaka46 “Kyun”

Heart-throbbingHinatazaka46

This is a Hinatazaka46 song with lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto and music by Yoichiro Nomura.

The music video is set in a school: as the members dance in hallways and classrooms, other students get swept up and start dancing too.

It’s a poppy, upbeat track, so it’s perfect for sports days and athletic festivals! If there’s an opening ceremony, it would be great to perform a dance to this song.

I’m sure it would get the crowd really excited!

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Fly Highmilet

milet “Fly High” MUSIC VIDEO (NHK Winter Sports Theme Song)

Fly Highmilet

The grand sound that’s perfect for opening and closing ceremonies at school sports festivals is Fly High, sung by milet.

It’s included on her 2022 album, visions.

The song was used as NHK’s winter sports theme and played at figure skating competitions, so some people may have heard it.

Its lyrics, which teach you to believe in your own potential, make it an ideal track for children competing in sports.

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Carefully selected J-Pop to energize your sports day and athletic festival! Also great as entrance songs (41–50)

Footsteps ~Be StrongMr.Children

Mr.Children “Footsteps ~Be Strong” Music Video (Short ver.)

Footsteps ~Be StrongMr.Children

It’s one of the signature songs by Mr.Children, a rock band that has been at the forefront of Japan’s music scene for many years.

The song conveys a message about striving to make your dreams come true.

It might be a good fit for the finale of a sports day or athletic festival.

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Don’t give upZARD

Don't Give Up – ZARD (Full)

Don't give upZARD

“Makenaide” is a classic cheer song beloved by a wide range of generations.

It’s a track released in 1993 by the music unit ZARD.

The song is well known for being sung during the 24-Hour TV charity marathon and for being used as the entrance music at high school baseball tournaments.

Its lyrics depict the feelings of a woman cheering on someone pursuing their dreams.

When you’re on the verge of losing heart, listening to it will surely fill you with energy and spirit.

Why not play it in the final stretch of a long-distance run?

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