It's autumn in Japan, and you know what that means -- sports festivals! Oct. 10 is Sports Day, a national holiday started in 1964 to mark the opening day of the Tokyo Olympics. Since then, autumn has been a time of year for schools and communities to hold annual sports festivals.

They might be better called exercise festivals, however, since I'm not sure that "botori kassen" (bamboo pole battles) and musical chairs are necessarily sports.

Our sports festival is sponsored by the local school but encompasses the entire community. Events such as the Shiraishi World Cup Unicycle Performance by the elementary school students are alternated with events for all community members. Other events such as the three-legged race are designed for parents and their children to do together. There is the good ole Hole in One contest for the old folks. Some events, such as the bamboo pole battle, have entire neighborhoods face off against each other. Even the really old "o-baa-chans" come out with their carts to take a lap around the track. Community members go home feeling refreshed from the exercise, and their sore muscles remind them how important exercise is.