Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

Perfect for sports day parachute routines! Recommended J-pop 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.
POPS writer/editorKEI
Since discovering music during my school days, I’ve mainly listened to Japanese and Korean pop. I have experience writing articles for sites like Utaten. 2000s J-pop and 2010s K-pop were especially the soundtrack of my youth. With the mindset that “good is good,” I enjoy music across genres. Thanks to past work environments and their influence, I was exposed to lots of classic rock and kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs), which may have broadened the scope of what I love. At RAG MUSIC, I currently focus on K-pop and J-pop. I strive to edit with a feel for the scene and an eye for hit potential.

Parachute performances at school sports days are so colorful and fun, aren’t they? Watching the children move with the parachute, puff it up, and hide under it always brings out so many smiles.

Here, we’re introducing recommended J-pop songs that are perfect for sports-day parachute routines! We’ve gathered a wide range—from songs actually used in kindergartens and nurseries to popular tracks kids know that make the performance even more enjoyable.

Please use these songs as a reference and create a fun routine together! We hope you make wonderful memories at your sports day!

Perfect for sports day parachute routines! Recommended J-pop songs (31–40)

Mela!Ryokushokushakai

Ryokuoushoku Shakai 'Mela!' Music Video / Ryokuoushoku Shakai – Mela!

Mela!Ryokushokushakai

A song by Ryokuoushoku Shakai, a four-member mixed-gender pop-rock band whose powerful yet transparent vocals and outstanding pop sensibilities have earned strong support, especially among younger listeners.

Chosen as the set piece for the TV program Sukkiri’s “Let’s Become One! Dance ONE Project,” the track has surpassed 100 million streams despite never being released as a single.

With its chorus-first opening and breezy beat, it’s a perfect fit as background music for a parachute performance.

Brimming with freshness throughout, this pop tune elevates the mood and adds vibrant color to any routine.

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Hoshino Takashi

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paprikaFoorin

[Paprika] Dance Music Video | Foorin × Kenshi Yonezu | NHK

paprikaFoorin

A song by Foorin, a five-member unit of elementary and middle school students selected through an audition for the “NHK 2020 Support Song Project.” Produced by singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu, the track became a social phenomenon after numerous dance videos were posted on social media.

Its simple yet catchy melody and positive lyrics make it perfect for performances by children with bright futures.

Featuring the voices of boys and girls that match the airy feel of a para-balloon, it has become a new standard song for school sports festivals.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Odoru Pompoko RinE-girls

E-girls / Odoru Ponpokorin

Odoru Pompoko RinE-girls

This is the 10th single by E-girls, a dance and vocal group that belonged to LDH, known for EXILE, and disbanded in 2020.

It’s a cover of B.B.

Queens, a music group produced by Being, which dominated the J-POP scene in the 1990s.

The song was used as the opening theme for the nationally beloved TV anime Chibi Maruko-chan.

Its irresistibly cheerful melody and comical lyrics make it perfect for livening up a parachute (paraballoon) performance.

Because it’s a well-known tune recognized by both children and adults, it serves as BGM that lets kindergarteners and audiences alike enjoy the activity together.

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Hoshino Takashi

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YOUNG MAN (Y.M.C.A.)Saijō Hideki

YOUNG MAN (Y.M.C.A.) / Hideki Saijo

YOUNG MAN (Y.M.C.A.)Saijō Hideki

This is the 28th single by singer Hideki Saijo, who was counted among the “New Big Three” in the pop scene of the 1970s and enjoyed popularity as a top male idol singer.

It’s an arrangement of Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” with cheer-style lyrics and a youthful kayō pop feel—a song that even generations unfamiliar with Hideki Saijo have likely heard at least once.

With its catchy phrases and melodies and an arrangement that lifts your spirits, it’s perfect as background music for a school sports day.

It’s a pop tune loved across generations that makes you want to cheer along, singing as the kids perform with a parachute.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Happinessarashi

ARASHI – Happiness [Official Music Video]

Happinessarashi

This is the 20th single by Arashi, a five-member group that, as a national idol group, has each member active in a variety of fields beyond music.

The song was used as the theme for the TV drama “Yamada Taro Monogatari,” and it has become a staple at concerts and on music shows—one of Arashi’s signature tracks.

Its driving beat and catchy pop melody boost kids’ excitement while enhancing performances.

It’s the perfect number for a sports day held under a blue sky, letting the audience get hyped as they watch the performances.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Perfect for school sports day parachute routines! Recommended J‑POP songs (41–50)

Crimson Lotus FlowerLiSA

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

Crimson Lotus FlowerLiSA

This is the 15th single by LiSA, a female singer who has steadily raised her profile since her debut and now enjoys recognition beyond the realm of anime song singers.

The track was chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, which became a social phenomenon, and it introduced LiSA’s name to a wide range of listeners.

For kids who love the anime, just having a familiar song play during their performance is sure to pump them up.

It’s a rock tune perfect for livening up a school sports day, with an exquisite contrast between its aggressive rock sound and the cute para-balloon performance.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Peep-peep, pao!Kimura Kaera

TV anime “Hanakappa” opening theme “Pi-Pi-Pao!” video

Peep-peep, pao!Kimura Kaera

Kaela Kimura is in charge of the new opening theme for the anime Hanakappa, currently airing on NHK Educational TV (E-Tele).

This work, which unfolds a world full of happiness, portrays the children’s stories set in Hanahana Land with an exciting melody and heartwarming lyrics.

Incorporating memorable tunes from her own childhood, the song is infused with Kaela Kimura’s deep love for music.

Beloved as the new opening theme for Hanakappa since November 2024, it is also slated to be included in the album KAELA KIMURA 20th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL BOX, commemorating Kimura’s 20th anniversary.

It’s also a great pick for a parachute dance (parachute play).

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