Sports Day

Health and Sports day, or Sports Day, is a national holiday held on the second Monday in October. The holiday was established to commemorate the opening of the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo (October is a late time for the Summer Olympics, but this was done to avoid the rainy season). The holiday exists to promote sports and a healthy, active lifestyle. Many schools and business in Japan use this day to hold annual Field Days or Sports Day events. This includes traditional events like track-and-field, to more unique events, such as the Cavalry Battle (a game similar to Chicken that involves 4 players per team instead of 2).

There are also community events to celebrate Sports Day, including traditional events and unique events, such as an obstacle course/relay race. These events usually offer prizes for the winners and sometimes include traditional dancing. At the end of the day, the top teams are awarded prizes by the local officials after all the points are scored. The holiday was formed to honor the Olympics, and thus at these community events, sportsman-ship plays a large roll in the holiday.

Celebrate Sports Day with Japan Deluxe Tours with a visit to one of Japan's Olympic sites. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on the way, come celebrate Sports Day during your Japan Tour's free day in Tokyo! You can also customize a tour to include Japan's former Olympic sites with your own private tour guide!