Sports day - Sports day

Japanese: 運動会 - うんどうかい

A group event centered on physical education, held at a playground or amusement park by schools, local residents, occupational groups, etc.

history

In Japan, with the development of the modern school system that began in 1872 (Meiji 5), school athletic meets first became popular. They also started initially at higher educational institutions such as the Naval Academy, Sapporo Agricultural College, and Tokyo Imperial University under the guidance of foreign teachers, and gradually spread to elementary schools from the 1880s to the 1900s. At first, municipal-level combined athletic meets were predominant at elementary schools, while school-level athletic meets were more like field trips, where students would line up outside the school to riverbanks, beaches, or shrine grounds and play traditional folk games such as flag-taking and tug-of-war, or foreign gymnastics such as unarmed gymnastics, dumbbell gymnastics, and military-style gymnastics. As for the nature of these events, the emphasis was on training the mind and body and group training, rather than on play or festival aspects.

In the Taisho period, as elementary school playgrounds were improved, the mainstream of athletic meets became schoolyard athletic meets, and their nature changed to be more entertainment-oriented. In terms of the events held, the emphasis was placed on games and sports, replacing gymnastics, and as it took on the appearance of a town-wide or village-wide festival, the program also placed emphasis on regional and neighborhood relay races, short and middle distance running, pole-toppling, horseback fighting, and costume parades. Red, white, yellow and green headbands, international flags, fireworks, cheering contests, and various prizes also added to the excitement of the athletic meets. During the war, which began with the Manchurian Incident (1931-1932), the athletic meets once again took on a stronger role as a place for group training, but the above characteristics were basically inherited even under the new school system that came into effect in 1947 (Showa 22).

[Jiro Inoue]

Current situation and issues

Today's school sports days are positioned as a physical education event within the curriculum of special activities, and are often called sports festivals in junior and senior high schools. There is an emphasis on the fact that it is a voluntary group activity of the children and students, and accordingly, consideration is given to leaving everything from planning to running the event in the hands of the children and students as much as possible. On the other hand, because it is an annual event that involves families and the local community, problems have been pointed out, such as the time and expense required for advance preparation and rehearsals, and the fact that junior and senior high schools tend to hold it earlier in conjunction with college entrance guidance. Events organized by occupational groups and the like tend to be recreational events that provide a means of socializing and relaxation for those involved.

[Jiro Inoue]

Tokyo Imperial University Athletic Meet
"Tokyo Imperial University" (1900, Meiji 33) owned by the National Diet Library

Tokyo Imperial University Athletic Meet

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

運動場、遊園地などで学校、地域住民、職域団体などが行う体育運動を主とした集団的な催し。

歴史

日本では、1872年（明治5）に発足した近代学校制度の発達につれて、まず学校の運動会として普及した。それも、当初は外国人教師の指導のもとに、海軍兵学寮、札幌農学校、東京帝国大学などの高等教育機関で始まり、それが漸次、明治20年代から30年代にかけて、小学校にもあまねく広まったものである。小学校の場合には、最初は郡市単位の連合運動会の形のものが優勢であり、学校単位のものは遠足運動会、すなわち、校外の川原、海岸、神社の境内などに隊列を組んで出かけ、伝統的な民間の遊びの一種である旗取りや綱引きなどの遊戯競争や、外来の徒手体操、亜鈴体操、兵式体操などの体操を行うものであった。その性格も、遊びや祭りの側面よりは、心身の鍛錬や集団訓練を目ざすほうに重きが置かれた。

　大正期に入り、小学校の運動場の整備が進むと、運動会の主流も校庭運動会となり、その性格も、娯楽性のより強いものに変化した。実施種目では、体操にかわって遊戯やスポーツの比重が増し、町ぐるみ、村ぐるみの祭りの様相を帯びるに伴って、プログラムのうえでも、地域対抗、町内対抗的な継走、短・中距離走、棒倒し、騎馬戦、仮装行列などが重視された。また、紅白黄緑の鉢巻、万国旗、花火、応援合戦、各種の賞品などが、運動会の興趣を盛り上げた。満州事変（1931～1932）に始まる戦時下にあっては、再度集団訓練の場としての色彩が強まったものの、以上の性格は、基本的には、1947年（昭和22）以降の新学制下にも継承されている。

［井上治郎］

現状と課題

今日の学校の運動会は、教育課程上は特別活動のうちの体育的行事に位置づけられ、中・高等学校では体育祭とよばれることが多い。そこでは、児童・生徒の自主的な集団活動であることが強調され、それに伴って、企画から運営に至るまで、可能な限り児童・生徒の手にゆだねる配慮が重んじられる。反面、家庭や地域社会を含む年中行事でもあるので、事前の準備や予行演習に時間がかかることや、費用がかさむこと、また中・高等学校では進学指導との関連で時期が早まりがちなことなどの問題点も指摘される。なお、職域団体などの主催するものは、関係者の親睦(しんぼく)と慰安を兼ねたレクリエーションの性格が強い。

［井上治郎］

東京帝国大学の運動会
『東京帝国大学』（1900年〈明治33〉）国立国会図書館所蔵">

東京帝国大学の運動会

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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