"Sports Festival 体育祭"

"Don't you wonder what clouds taste like?"

Japan has a thousand ways

to celebrate life.

One of them comes every autumn:

Sports Festival.

We breathed pure energy that day

not air.

From relays to tug-of-wars to war reenactments

our spirits were high

and we only wanted more.

A hearty bento lunch

for a hearty runner.

{'Cause I ran so hard in the teacher's relay... Of course I'm serious...}

After lunch

all the school teams

{basketball, kendo, volleyball, and so forth}

paraded around the field

before the action began

once again.

The war reenactment

was my favorite event.

Possibly because it was just so...

Japanese-y.

GANBARE!

OTTO!

Put some ice on it, soldier

and remount your horse!

Before the final relay

the 9th grade boys

stacked themselves into pyramids

for our enjoyment.

America needs a Sports Festival, I'm convinced.

You know what?

I'll do them with my children.

{Taking notes, future husband?}

They're so much more fun

than regular ol' P.E. classes.

GANBARE!

{Music via GReeeeN}