The Thompson Family

Nora's JBBP had a huge "sports day" festival called Undokai, and I took the day off to attend and volunteer. The teachers said "if you are going to go to only one of your child's Japanese celebrations this year, this is the one to go to... it truly is a spectacle." I couldn't agree more! Here is a video of Nora and Ketarie at Undokai doing the ball rolling race - it was great fun for the kindergarteners. The music was actually playing in the background over the loudspeaker, and it was strangely like a Japanese cartoon or a video game or something! View more photos on Flickr.



UNDOKAI: This electrifying annual event is held in schools throughout Japan—elementary through high school. The Undokai event stems from Taiku no hi (Health and Sports Day), an official nationally recognized holiday in Japan that commemorates the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo. Undokai combines the Japanese word undo, meaning exercise, and kai, gathering. Throughout Japan, schools, cities, and other organizations promote unity, team work and friendship through the Undokai. In this same spirit, the Japanese school divides into teams and holds a series of competitions such as bean toss (bean bags into a basket high up on a bamboo pole), races and team relays, dancing displays, obstacle course, and the classic tug-of-war.