Undokai

This is from what they would call a sports day. From my perspective it's somewhere between a track meet and American Gladiators without the pads. This is from the middle school where I spend most of my time. The kids did traditional japanese dance/chants, relay races and things like that. In the picture above, 6 kids were all tied to 2 ropes along each foot and had to race 200 meters. Most groups fell, which amused the parents watching more than the actual victory did. Another game involved 3 kids holding one on their shoulders and attacking another group. The object was to rip a head band of another team. To start though they charged each other from about 30 meters so it got pretty rough and I think at least one kid got hurt everytime, but again the parents enjoyed it. Overall it was very suprising to me and interesting to watch, most of it would be quickly banned in America, but that's why we came. The kids had been practicing for this sports day for a few weeks after school everday until 6:00.