Japanese Word of the Day:
English:
Japanese:
Japanese:
Timeline: September 27th
So fun fact, I actually wrote this 3 weeks ago and procrastinated on editing the pictures until I forgot about it. Opps. Again. More regular entries will happen one day!
By the time I first stumbled into an Elementary School
Sports Day practice I had already known they were having a Sports Day for
weeks, thanks to Ikkoukan’s daily practices. Since there are two ESs in
Ujitawara and both were having Sports Day on the same day, Allen and I decided
to divide and conquer. I ended up assigned to Tawara ES (they asked me to
participate) while Allen got Ujitawara ES. Since I never stay full day at
Ujitawara I never saw any of their preparation but I did at Tawara.
On the Thursday before Sports Day I found myself wandering
the halls during 6th period wondering where all the clubs were
today. Eventually I spotted a big group of kids in the school yard and quickly
determined that they were practicing for Sports Day. I’m fairly certain the
first thing I thought when I saw them was “this would be a big-ass lawsuit in
America”. The kids were engaged in doing some crazy looking gymnastics
involving human pyramids which I stuck around to watch. By the end I was
thoroughly impressed, excited for the upcoming Sports Day, and convinced this
stuff would never fly in America.
Sports Day Saturday started as a bright and sunny day. My
previous Sports Day at JHS had been overcast so I hadn’t needed sunscreen but
this time I was not taking any chances. I applied my sunscreen, grabbed my
tennis shoes, and headed off to school.
And once again I had no idea what I should be doing. Only at
ES there are a lot less fluent English speakers and less teachers overall. With
all the teachers tending to their individual classes I was left to wander
around pretending like I had something to do until the students started coming
out. Once again the students marched in perfect columns though this time they
skipped the one-armed salute and just looked like kids being silly rather than
flashbacks of extreme nationalism. The columns arranged themselves in front of
a pulpit and I settled in for another long principal speech.
As the speech drug into its eleventh hour I noticed a
teacher hastily escorting a young girl away from the columns. As I was looking
for any excuse to not stand there and pretend to listen anymore I followed them
to the nearby gym where I realized the girl wasn’t feeling well. From what I
gathered, she either got too hot standing there (possibly from lack of
breakfast or water) or she had locked her legs too long and nearly passed out
from the lack of blood flow. Either way, I helped the teacher lay her down and
fan her while she rested. When students begin collapsing speeches have gone on
long enough.
After a little bit of resting, the girl was deemed fit to
return to her class and I followed back to the main Sports Day field. By then
the speeches had ended (thank god) and the festivities proper had begun. Since
all the teachers were staying with their respective classes I was left
completely out of place and decided to take a post near a small tent where I
could get some shade; as we all know, Madeline-plants do not like direct
sunlight.
By the way, there were only 2 teams at this Sports Day since
in ES each grade has 2 classes. As a result the teams were team White and team
Red and events were usually one class versus one class.
Events:
Races
I think races are just a standard part of any Sports Day. Once again, there were several varieties from the standard 4 students at a time until an entire grade had raced to the more… unique. One of the races seemed more like an obstacle course, starting with a stretch of running, tiny hurdles to jump over, then stopping to jump though a hula hoop and finally crawling underneath netting before the finish line. Just like at JHS they were fun to watch and all the kids got really into cheering for their friends and classmates.
I think races are just a standard part of any Sports Day. Once again, there were several varieties from the standard 4 students at a time until an entire grade had raced to the more… unique. One of the races seemed more like an obstacle course, starting with a stretch of running, tiny hurdles to jump over, then stopping to jump though a hula hoop and finally crawling underneath netting before the finish line. Just like at JHS they were fun to watch and all the kids got really into cheering for their friends and classmates.
Object Race
The last event was pretty par the course so how about something completely different now? I genuinely don’t know what to call this since while it was a race there was a lot more than running going on. To begin with the students had to put a large ball on a racket and balance it from point A to B. Then they abandoned it to run to an envelope on the ground, open it, and go to a nearby pile and find the item in their envelope. Then with dustpan (or other completely random) item in hand they had to run to the finish line. I think there may have been another step between the balancing and the item collection but I can’t recall it. It was strange but still pretty fun to watch
The last event was pretty par the course so how about something completely different now? I genuinely don’t know what to call this since while it was a race there was a lot more than running going on. To begin with the students had to put a large ball on a racket and balance it from point A to B. Then they abandoned it to run to an envelope on the ground, open it, and go to a nearby pile and find the item in their envelope. Then with dustpan (or other completely random) item in hand they had to run to the finish line. I think there may have been another step between the balancing and the item collection but I can’t recall it. It was strange but still pretty fun to watch
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| I wasn't lying about the dustpan. |
Duckling Dance
I’m not even going to lie, this was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
This was the 1st and 2nd graders performing a dance to 2 songs they had picked. The first song was the theme song to a very, very, obscenely popular show here called Yokai Watch that Allen and I had to attempt to do the dance to at kindergarten. For this the kiddos had tube bandanas on their heads and plastic “tails” tucked in their shorts. I could not look at them without thinking “ducklings”. For the second song they took the bandanas and slide them around their necks and the tails turned into capes. The second song seemed to be about being a super hero or something so the capes made a lot of sense. It ended with them all striking a superhero pose and was criminally adorable. Oh God, when did I start thinking small kids were cute?
I’m not even going to lie, this was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
This was the 1st and 2nd graders performing a dance to 2 songs they had picked. The first song was the theme song to a very, very, obscenely popular show here called Yokai Watch that Allen and I had to attempt to do the dance to at kindergarten. For this the kiddos had tube bandanas on their heads and plastic “tails” tucked in their shorts. I could not look at them without thinking “ducklings”. For the second song they took the bandanas and slide them around their necks and the tails turned into capes. The second song seemed to be about being a super hero or something so the capes made a lot of sense. It ended with them all striking a superhero pose and was criminally adorable. Oh God, when did I start thinking small kids were cute?
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| I really hated to blur out that kids smile. |
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| And now they're superheroes! Sure, why not. |
Colored Pole Grab Game
This is another one I don’t know what to call. The classes from a grade were arranged on opposite sides of the field and large poles were placed on the midline between them. The poles were painted red, white, or half one and half the other and were of varying length. Basically, once the game began the students raced to get as many of the poles back to their own side as they could. This meant that the bigger, more heavily contested poles ended up in massive child tug-of-war matches. From my understanding, the larger poles were worth more than smaller and the solid color ones were important to keep on your own color’s side. Watching 30 kids swarm a single pole and be drug around the field was highly entertaining, though.
This is another one I don’t know what to call. The classes from a grade were arranged on opposite sides of the field and large poles were placed on the midline between them. The poles were painted red, white, or half one and half the other and were of varying length. Basically, once the game began the students raced to get as many of the poles back to their own side as they could. This meant that the bigger, more heavily contested poles ended up in massive child tug-of-war matches. From my understanding, the larger poles were worth more than smaller and the solid color ones were important to keep on your own color’s side. Watching 30 kids swarm a single pole and be drug around the field was highly entertaining, though.
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| I think if I'd played this as a kid I'd have smacked pursuers with the pole |
Three-legged Race?
I…. I got nothin’ guys. Another bizarre game, go figure. Basically this was just a race with two people conjoined via a pair of massive pants. There was one person in each leg hole and the two had to run together. Like with the wheelbarrow event at JHS each student’s partner seemed to be either a family member or teacher.
I…. I got nothin’ guys. Another bizarre game, go figure. Basically this was just a race with two people conjoined via a pair of massive pants. There was one person in each leg hole and the two had to run together. Like with the wheelbarrow event at JHS each student’s partner seemed to be either a family member or teacher.
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| I suspect that every time I eat McDonalds here onlookers imagine my pants look like this. |
Traditional Dance
This was really cool to watch. I gathered that every 2 grades performed individual dances together totaling 3 different dance segments. This one was the 3rd and 4th graders performing some type of traditional dance to taiko music. Beyond that I can’t really describe it well since I have very limited knowledge of traditional Japanese dance, sorry!
This was really cool to watch. I gathered that every 2 grades performed individual dances together totaling 3 different dance segments. This one was the 3rd and 4th graders performing some type of traditional dance to taiko music. Beyond that I can’t really describe it well since I have very limited knowledge of traditional Japanese dance, sorry!
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| Confession: I picked this picture because it was easier to edit. |
Lunch
Once again I got a delicious bento for my lunch! I spent the break chatting with a few of the teachers I usually didn’t get to talk to and trying to gracefully eat while being watched. I was also given a bottle of tea instead of water which I stealthily slipped in my bag and snuck a glass of water when no one was looking.
Once again I got a delicious bento for my lunch! I spent the break chatting with a few of the teachers I usually didn’t get to talk to and trying to gracefully eat while being watched. I was also given a bottle of tea instead of water which I stealthily slipped in my bag and snuck a glass of water when no one was looking.
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| If you don't know what some of it is don't worry, I didn't either. |
Kindergartner Ceremony
After the lunch break the 6th graders lined up across from a slew of really tiny kids I gathered were from nursery. Apparently, they will be entering Elementary school next year so the 6th graders were welcoming them. All the littles got a paper medal to wear and proudly marched off.
After the lunch break the 6th graders lined up across from a slew of really tiny kids I gathered were from nursery. Apparently, they will be entering Elementary school next year so the 6th graders were welcoming them. All the littles got a paper medal to wear and proudly marched off.
Cheerleading Section
Each team has a small cheerleading section of about 3 boys and 3 girls. The girls had pompoms and the boys had colored gloves which they used for punching in the air. The cheerleaders were fairly active throughout the events but after the kindergartener medal ceremony they had a chance to perform. Each crew stepped up and performed a routine complete with motivational shouting (at least as best I could understand).
Each team has a small cheerleading section of about 3 boys and 3 girls. The girls had pompoms and the boys had colored gloves which they used for punching in the air. The cheerleaders were fairly active throughout the events but after the kindergartener medal ceremony they had a chance to perform. Each crew stepped up and performed a routine complete with motivational shouting (at least as best I could understand).
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| I really wanted a cool long ribbon after that :( |
Tamaire
Tamaire was an event I actually knew about in advance. A few weeks prior to Sports Day when I confirmed I would be attending one of the teachers (who I really like) excitedly asked if I would do a favor. She explained to me that the kids would be playing tamaire and someone was needed to count the balls for the score. I figured how hard could counting in English be and happily agreed.
Tamaire was an event I actually knew about in advance. A few weeks prior to Sports Day when I confirmed I would be attending one of the teachers (who I really like) excitedly asked if I would do a favor. She explained to me that the kids would be playing tamaire and someone was needed to count the balls for the score. I figured how hard could counting in English be and happily agreed.
The idea behind tamaire is that there is a large basket on
top of a pole and the kids try to thow small beanbag type balls into it. There
is a time limit for the scoring phase and after that the two groups have
representatives unload the basket one ball at a time as I counted in English. I
mean what else are you going to use your token American for?
Afterwards, people kept telling me what a good job I did
counting. While I know they were trying to praise me for participating I
couldn’t help but sarcastically think “Gee, I sure hope I can count correctly
to 60 in my own language, I have a college degree”.
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| I imagine it sucks to be the people holding up the pole. |
Dance conclusion
The last part of the day was a dance conclusion performed by the 5th and 6th graders. Dance may not be exactly the right word since it was much more a display of impressive gymnastics and coordination than actual dancing. But make no mistake, the gymnastics were highly impressive and like their JHS peers it was all heavily based in teamwork. At one point the bulk of the 2 grades formed a massive human pyramid that would have caused an American lawyer to cry with joy at the lawsuit he could file.
The last part of the day was a dance conclusion performed by the 5th and 6th graders. Dance may not be exactly the right word since it was much more a display of impressive gymnastics and coordination than actual dancing. But make no mistake, the gymnastics were highly impressive and like their JHS peers it was all heavily based in teamwork. At one point the bulk of the 2 grades formed a massive human pyramid that would have caused an American lawyer to cry with joy at the lawsuit he could file.
The event ended with everyone clasping hands and thanking
the audience for coming and watching their Sports Day.
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| Pretty sure making kids do that at school is illegal in all 50 states. |
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| But seriously, the coordination was impressive. |
Throughout the day I had made an effort to stay under or
next to my shady tent but despite both that and the sunscreen I had put on by
the finale my arms were slowly creeping towards a shade of pink. With the
events done, a slew of speeches followed and I fled inside in the hopes I could
help from the safety of a roofed building.
I quickly found that I was out of place inside and
begrudgingly returned outside only to find I was out of place there as well.
Well crap. I could not find a single English speaking teacher and ended up just
walking around to appear busy and not like I had nothing to do.
I did notice that many parents (who I later found out were
the PTA) were helping to clean and take down the decorations so I managed to
help them for a while. The woman I assisted quickly realized my Japanese was
limited and we communicated through pointing and smiles, which is basically my
life in Japan.
By the time 4:15 rolled around I was exhausted and still had
an enkai to go to. So I politely excused myself and headed home to clean up
before going to the enkai you already heard about. And so ended my second
Sports Day! May there be many, many more in my future.
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