September is the time for sports festivals all over Japan. Every institution at all levels of the educational system, from kindergarten to university holds a sports festival to allow students’ friends and family to watch and participate in this annual event.
Sports festivals are also put on by communities, offering a chance for interaction between people who live in different school districts or attend high schools and universities outside their hometown.
Higashi Ward Sports Festival is a good example of a competition where athletes from several school districts face one another in track and field events hoping to bring glory to their local communities. The competition takes place on the third Sunday of September and has been held continuously for sixty years.
The opening ceremony begins at 9:00 am. The master of ceremonies introduces the distinguished guests and greets the teams. On hand are local politicians and officials, who take turns wishing the competitors the best of luck.
The festival’s venue is Kanzaki Mountain Park Athletics Field, which sits on the south side of the oddly-shaped Kanzaki Mountain. It is a well maintained facility with ample seating and a sizeable parking lot. The field overlooks the houses and the plain that mark the southern-most edge of Okayama prefecture.
The participants in the competition are from the twenty schools in Higashi Ward. They represent the athletic committees that are attached to elementary and junior high school districts. The competitors include students, parents and local residents in each community. Anyone can be a spectator, whether you are competing or not.
The events include the 60m and 100m sprint, 400m and 800m relay and 1500m run, with participants separated by age and gender. There are also light-hearted events such as the three-legged race, the dodge-ball throw and the bean bag toss.
The closing ceremony starts at around 3:00 pm. Each team receives points based on their place in a particular event. The team with highest point total at the end is the winner. Winning teams receive prizes and certificates while those on the losing end walk away with the satisfaction that comes from doing your best for your neighborhood.
If you visit Okayama you may be asked to attend Higashi Ward’s sports festival and if you live in Higashi Ward you may be asked to enter the competition. Either way, you will definitely have a good time.
