Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

[March] Carefully selected popular songs recommended for entrance and exit at sports days and athletic festivals!

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.

The parade of classes and groups that kicks off sports days and athletic festivals.

In the past, classical pieces were the mainstay, but in recent years you often see entrance scenes on social media set to a wide range of music—from classic marches to popular J-pop.

In this article, we’ll introduce famous pieces originally composed as marches, as well as J-pop and anime songs arranged for marching.

If you can hum the melody but can’t recall the title, this might be your solution!

We hope you find the perfect track to energize those entrance and exit marches.

[March] Carefully selected popular songs recommended for entrance and exit at sports days and athletic festivals! (21–30)

RaijinJohn Philip Sousa

March “Raijin”

RaijinJohn Philip Sousa

A piece by Sousa so famous that people say, “When you think march, you think of him!” If you were in a school wind band, chances are you’ve performed it.

The woodwinds’ trills create a beautiful melody, followed by an energetic brass line that really stands out.

Then a flowing tune adds a touch of brilliance to the piece’s development.

Highly recommended if you’re looking for a bright, quintessential “this is a march!” kind of piece.

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Kimi ga Yo MarchYoshimoto Kōzō

Kimigayo March – Japan-U.S. Navy Band

Kimi ga Yo MarchYoshimoto Kōzō

This is a march arranged from Japan’s national anthem, Kimigayo.

As an officially adopted march of the Self-Defense Forces, it is still widely performed today.

It has even been used as the entrance march for high school baseball at Koshien, so many of you may already be familiar with it.

The melody in the trio section is said to be titled “Kōkoku no Mamori” (Guardian of the Empire).

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[March] Carefully Selected Popular Songs Recommended for Entrance and Exit at Sports Days and Athletic Festivals (31–40)

Olympic MarchKoseki Yūji

Tokyo Olympic March (1964), composed by Yuji Koseki

Olympic MarchKoseki Yūji

Olympic March, composed by Yuji Koseki, a composer who epitomized the Showa era.

This march resounded triumphantly at the opening ceremony of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Its lively, dance-inducing rhythm and graceful melody seem to symbolize Japan’s strong and optimistic period as the nation rose from the postwar years into rapid economic growth.

It’s also memorable that a phrase from Kimigayo is woven into the ending of the piece.

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ArsenalJan Van der Roost

Arsenal (Jan Van der Roost)

ArsenalJan Van der Roost

Composed in 1995 by Jan Van der Roost, this piece gives a refined and beautiful impression right from the opening.

It’s a highly popular concert march, often chosen as a free selection in wind band competitions and frequently performed in concerts.

The work maintains a noble atmosphere throughout, making it perfect for the opening ceremony march at a sports day or for athletes’ entrance scenes in various events.

Its catchy melody line is also a charm, making it easy to appreciate even for first-time listeners.

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light cavalryFranz von Suppé

Overture to the operetta 'Light Cavalry' (Suppé)

light cavalryFranz von Suppé

It’s a comic opera by the Austrian composer Franz von Suppé.

At first you hear unfamiliar melodies, but partway through, the tune that’s often used in commercials starts up! The sections before and after it are relatively quiet with sudden surges, but this famous part has a bold, bright, and invigorating feel that makes you go, “All right!” It might be a great idea to use just this famous section to play during a pep rally at a school sports day.

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Beyond the K-pointTakahashi Shinya

1999 Set Piece (IV) – March “Beyond the K Point”

Beyond the K-pointTakahashi Shinya

Composed as the fourth set piece in 1999, this work remains one of the most popular marches today.

What first captures our ears is the fanfare at the beginning, built from rapid trumpet notes.

If you’ve ever performed this piece, you probably practiced that section many times.

The melody that follows features phrases where crisp, staccato articulation coexists with smoothness, conveying the distinctive beauty of a concert march.

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Hi-hoDizunī

Snow White – Heigh Ho (Japanese)

Hi-hoDizunī

Even among Disney animations, it’s sung by dwarfs as they march, so the tempo is just right.

When kindergarteners and lower-grade elementary school children walk to this song, it’s adorable, isn’t it? It’s famous across generations, so it’s easy to use and popular.

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