[Cultural Festival / School Festival Theme] Carefully Selected High-Impact Recommended Phrases!

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.

Slogans displayed every year at school festivals and cultural festivals.

Words with impact can make the festival even more exciting, but choosing one can be tough—“We want a theme that unites everyone,” “We want something funny,” and so on.

So, in this article, we’ve gathered recommended themes for cultural festivals.

From short, cool themes to witty parodies of famous quotes and stylish themes in English, we’ve picked a wide range.

Use them as inspiration when choosing your theme!

Parody/Humor Edition (11–20)

Atsumori!

The phrase “Atsumori!” is also recommended.

It originally comes from the baseball segment of the news program Hodo Station, where it’s used to introduce outstanding plays.

It carries the meaning of “a red-hot, exciting moment.” You could parody this to express the feeling of “Let’s get fired up!” It’s also appealing because it’s just two characters, snappy, and easy to say.

It’s great as a group chant or even to print on T-shirts.

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yamamoto

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If you give up, it’ll be too late to do anything about it.

The basketball manga SLAM DUNK has a famous line that even people who haven’t read the series likely know: “If you give up, that’s the end of the game.” How about parodying it as, “If you give up, the festival’s already over for you”? It’s not only based on a classic quote, but it’s also amusing because it weaves in the phrase “ato no matsuri” (literally “after the festival”), which is normally used differently.

And it’s not just funny—it’s also perfect for conveying passion and determination.

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yamamoto

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English/Foreign Languages (11–20)

English themes look cool, don’t they? If you want a stylish theme—even a slightly longer one—using familiar English phrases or quotes from great figures is a great choice and really nails the look.

A word like “REBORN” is crisp and to the point, and the meaning—rebirth or renewal—sounds cool, too.

“Every day is a new day.” is a quote from the writer Hemingway.

It’s a refreshing phrase that resonates: every day is a new day.

Another plus is that English looks cool on printed items or class T-shirts!

English/Foreign Languages Edition (1–10)

Impossible is nothing

“Impossible is nothing,” a quote famously attributed to Muhammad Ali, who is often hailed as the greatest athlete of the 20th century.

It’s commonly rendered in Japanese as “There’s no such thing as impossible,” but did you know it’s also interpreted as “The word ‘impossible’ is meaningless because it’s an excuse used by those who’ve given up and set limits on themselves”? If you compromise before you even begin, the school festival won’t be exciting—so as a slogan, it’s sure to galvanize students.

It’s a powerful quote we hope you’ll choose to help make your event a success.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Every day is a new day.

A slogan that conveys a positive feeling that every day is a new start.

Even when preparations for the school festival aren’t going well, it can be a cue to reset and take on the challenge with a fresh mindset.

It’s a theme that values the process of growing step by step while you and your classmates or clubmates keep trying different ideas every day.

For decorations and posters, using motifs like the morning sun or new sprouts can express a hopeful image.

For stage performances, it’s also recommended to come up with a uniquely “you” style of production unlike anything you’ve done before.

With the mindset of enjoying today more than yesterday and tomorrow more than today, you can make the school festival even more memorable.

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mutō

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Beyond the limit

These words convey a strong determination to push beyond our limits and take on challenges like never before.

A school festival is not only a chance to showcase our daily efforts, but also an opportunity to discover a new side of ourselves.

Displaying this slogan will inspire each team to strive harder than ever.

It can be reflected in many ways—such as attempting more demanding performances on stage or incorporating unprecedented creativity into decorations and events.

If you aim for a festival that celebrates the joy of taking on challenges, this is the perfect slogan.

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mutō

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Make you happy

These words honestly express the desire to bring smiles to everyone who takes part.

It’s not just about us having fun, but creating a place where those who come can also enjoy themselves.

It becomes an opportunity to plan concepts and performances that value the spirit of hospitality.

At food stalls, aiming for cheerful customer service, and in stage presentations, incorporating ideas that let the audience get excited together, are especially effective.

Using smiling faces and colorful designs in pamphlets and posters conveys the warm atmosphere of the entire cultural festival.

It’s a wonderful theme that brightens our own hearts by making someone else smile.

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Over the top

These words express a determination to break free from common assumptions and limits and to draw out our full potential.

A school festival is a perfect opportunity to take on challenges we can’t usually attempt.

By adopting this slogan, it will naturally create an atmosphere where everyone aims higher.

Whether it’s inventing never-before-seen menu items for food stalls or tackling difficult dances and plays on stage, we can approach every scene with a mindset of breaking through our limits.

Incorporating imagery of crossing mountains or soaring into the sky in posters and stage backdrops will further convey the slogan’s meaning.

It’s a powerful slogan that will help make the school festival a truly special memory.

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mutō

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