Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

From classics to fan favorites! A catalog of music and BGM to liven up your 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.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

Many people struggle with choosing songs for sports day, don’t they?

Here, we introduce perfect tracks for each scene—from classic staples ideal for sports day to upbeat J-pop and Western hits that get everyone excited!

Well-known songs can hype up the crowd, but using the same ones every year can get old…

We’ve curated a selection of tracks to solve that problem.

You’ll find refreshing tunes that make you want to start running and motivational anthems that give you courage.

Use this article as a guide to make your sports day even more fun and exciting!

Dance tracks (1–10)

BibbidebaHoshimachi Suisei

Bibideba [#Hoshimachi Suisei 6th Anniversary LIVE / #Hoshimachi Suisei / #hololive]

BibbidebaHoshimachi Suisei

Suisei Hoshimachi’s gentle yet powerful voice gives you the courage to chase your dreams.

“VIVID BAD SQUAD” was released as a single on March 23, 2024.

Along with the song, a high-quality music video that blends animation and live-action has also become a hot topic.

It’s a perfect track for anyone who wants to break free from the dullness of everyday life and shine as their true self.

Dance to it at a sports day or school festival, and it will surely light a spark of hope in everyone’s hearts.

Slip on your glass slippers and dance your heart out tonight!

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StaRtMrs. GREEN APPLE

Usable for sports day! Mrs. GREEN APPLE “StaRt” easy dance choreography ♪ #SportsDay #PEdance #MrsGreenApple

StaRtMrs. GREEN APPLE

This is a song by Mrs.

GREEN APPLE that captured many hearts with its exhilarating pop-rock sound and uplifting message.

It was included on their major-label debut mini-album “Variety,” released in July 2015, and was also featured in a Kao Merit commercial in 2017.

Riding an up-tempo rhythm, the song celebrates the small joys hidden in everyday life and the courage to take on new challenges.

Brimming with youthful performance and a pleasant, positive energy, it’s a perfect track for school festivals or sports day dance routines.

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OrangeSPYAIR

Sports Day Dance to 'Orange' by SPYAIR (for upper elementary to high school) – for athletic meets, school festivals, etc.

OrangeSPYAIR

A refreshing coming-of-age ballad by SPYAIR, released in February 2024 as the theme song for the film Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle.

Portraying friendship and growth, its lyrics gently embrace hopes for the future and farewells to teammates, shining like a snapshot of youth itself.

The energetic band sound and YOSUKE’s powerful vocals inspire the courage to move forward and the strength of self-affirmation.

Packed with fiery messages and a thrilling sense of speed, it’s perfect as background music to hype up dance time at school sports days and festivals.

Radiating as a symbol of youth that can turn the entire venue a shade of orange, this is a work that truly shines.

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together; along with; bothWANIMA

[Together JGT ver.] / WANIMA / Japan’s Got Talent ver. | Choreography by Sota GANMI | *CJDA DANCE VIDEO No.39*

together; along with; bothWANIMA

With an explosive, high-energy message and exhilarating sound, this popular WANIMA song grabs listeners by the heart.

While gently embracing the everyday anxieties and doubts of young people, it resonates with many as an empowering anthem that pushes them forward toward the future.

Chosen in August 2016 as the song for NIVEA Kao’s 8×4 commercial, it is said to also carry the band’s feelings for their hometown after experiencing the Kumamoto earthquakes.

It’s a perfect track for sports day or school festival dance times, offering courage and hope to keep moving ahead.

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SeventeenYOASOBI

[17 years old] Seventeen / YOASOBI - Tried Dancing [Ryu & Ness]

SeventeenYOASOBI

A richly narrative song told from the perspective of a 17-year-old girl, set in a mirrored parallel world.

Created by YOASOBI based on an original short novel written by Naoki Prize–winning author Miyuki Miyabe, the track powerfully sings of self-affirmation, love for family, and the courage to face hardship.

Its driving melody, paired with a delicate yet energetic arrangement, grips listeners and won’t let go.

Included on the EP “Hajimete no – EP,” recorded in March 2023, it was also selected as the ending theme for the TV anime Blue Lock—set around a girls’ high school volleyball team—from May of the same year.

It’s a song that lets you express a forward-looking spirit with your whole body.

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GOATNumber_i

[Taught by a professional dancer] Number_i “GOAT” [Dance breakdown]

GOATNumber_i

How about choosing a dazzling, high-energy track for your school sports festival dance? Number_i’s debut single “GOAT” was released in January 2024.

The title “GOAT” is an abbreviation for “Greatest Of All Time,” meaning “the best ever.” This is a passionate number by the next-generation idol group Number_i, who took on the challenge of incorporating hip-hop elements.

Give it a try!

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Dance tracks (11–20)

To Us Who Were Once GeniusesCreepy Nuts

[MV] Creepy Nuts – To Us Who Were Once Geniuses

To Us Who Were Once GeniusesCreepy Nuts

With its profound lyrics and emotionally powerful melody, Creepy Nuts’ “To Us Who Were Once Geniuses” is a perfect song for kids from about the upper grades of elementary school.

The tempo ramps up toward the chorus, so viewers won’t be able to take their eyes off the children’s strong, expressive performance.

By incorporating the same movements while changing formations, it could match the melody and turn into a cool, mature dance.

It’s also recommended for mass performances!

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