The History of Sports Day in Japan

Sports Day (スポーツの日) is a national holiday in Japan celebrated on the second Monday of October annually. In 2026, that is today - October 12th. And thankfully the sun is out in the Kanto plain, as there are many outdoor sport events and festivals on today for the occasion. The holiday encourages people to enjoy sports and promote a healthy and energetic society.

Originally established as Health and Sports Day (体育の日) in 1966, it commemorated the opening ceremony of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, which took place on 10 October. Later, under Japan's "Happy Monday" system, the holiday was moved to the second Monday of October in 2000.

In 2020, the holiday's name was officially changed to Sports Day (スポーツの日), making it the first Japanese national holiday with a katakana name. The change reflected a broader focus on enjoying sports and physical activity in everyday life. For the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the holiday was temporarily moved to July in 2020 and 2021 before returning to its usual October schedule.

The public holiday Sports Day is separate from the school sports festivals known as Undokai (運動会) and Taiikusai (体育祭). While these events were traditionally held around the same time as the national holiday in autumn, their schedules now vary widely. Some schools continue to hold them in September or October, while others have moved them to spring, meaning the timing can differ not only between prefectures but even between neighboring schools.

Both events though, the public holiday and the school sports days, serve as a reminder of the positive role that exercise, teamwork, and friendly competition can play in our lives, encouraging people of all ages to stay active and embrace a healthy lifestyle.