Japan, Denmark and sports exchanges
2019/12/6
I have been learning about a long history of sports exchanges between Japan and Denmark.
Next photo is Japanese elementary school students doing the famous Japanese radio gymnastics exercise programme.
(At an elementary school in Noboribetsu city of Japan in July 2019 photo: Muroran Minpo Media)
On 15 November, I met Mr. Uffe Strandby, CEO, Gymnastic “højskole” of Ollerup during a film screening of “Grundtvig’s Japanese Warriors” in Faaborg city. Folkehøjskole is a treasure of Danish education. Indeed, from this “højskole” of Ollerup, the Danish gymnasts in the photo above came to Japan in 1931. Later on, this Danish gymnastics was transformed into the famous Japanese radio gymnastics exercise, which almost every Japanese school student experiences at an early age. I was one of them. I was much encouraged by the Japanese young men who study at the Ollerup Gymnastics højskole, saying as follows;
“Japanese schools would find it useful to adopt some positive aspects of “folkehøjskole” such as huge respects for students’ own initiatives. I would like to share what I will have learnt here with students at Japanese gymnastics school on my return to Japan.”
Faaborg is the friendship city of Noboribetsu city, Hokkaido, Japan. Mr. Hans Stavnsager, Mayor of Faaborg, who attended the film screening told me that he looked forward to further exchanges with the friendship city Noboribetsu. How wonderful the two friendship cities are! They are bridging our old and new friends through sports!
1 Gymnastics exchanges; Grundtvig and its children
First of all, look at a perfect balance with straight back and legs in air! This is the first Danish gymnasts who were invited to Japan by Tamagawa Gakuen Academy in 1931.(Danish gymnastic performance at Tamagawa Gakuen Academy in 1931 photo: Tamagawa Gakuen Acadmey)
Next photo is Japanese elementary school students doing the famous Japanese radio gymnastics exercise programme.
On 15 November, I met Mr. Uffe Strandby, CEO, Gymnastic “højskole” of Ollerup during a film screening of “Grundtvig’s Japanese Warriors” in Faaborg city. Folkehøjskole is a treasure of Danish education. Indeed, from this “højskole” of Ollerup, the Danish gymnasts in the photo above came to Japan in 1931. Later on, this Danish gymnastics was transformed into the famous Japanese radio gymnastics exercise, which almost every Japanese school student experiences at an early age. I was one of them. I was much encouraged by the Japanese young men who study at the Ollerup Gymnastics højskole, saying as follows;
“Japanese schools would find it useful to adopt some positive aspects of “folkehøjskole” such as huge respects for students’ own initiatives. I would like to share what I will have learnt here with students at Japanese gymnastics school on my return to Japan.”
(photo: Mr. Stavnsager, Mayor of Faaborg (on the left) and many guests at the film screening）
Faaborg is the friendship city of Noboribetsu city, Hokkaido, Japan. Mr. Hans Stavnsager, Mayor of Faaborg, who attended the film screening told me that he looked forward to further exchanges with the friendship city Noboribetsu. How wonderful the two friendship cities are! They are bridging our old and new friends through sports!
2. Opening a new chapter – the handball players
Denmark is one of the world top handball countries. Men’s team won the world championship of 2019 and women’s team is ranked number 6 in the world.
（photo: Ms. Ayaka Ikehara, with local fans after the match in November 2019）
On 10 November, I went to see Ms. Ayaka Ikehara, the top Japanese handballer playing for the Nykøbing Falster. The match was held against Herning-Ikast. Ayaka was so quickly running around the court, responding to the big cheers from enthusiastic fans from the home ground. The match ended in a draw. I was so moved when I saw her talking with the local friends and signing for the boys and girls who came to the game. Ms. Ayaka Ikehara is thus opening a new chapter in the history of Danish and Japanese sports exchanges.
（photo: Ayaka signing for young players after the game）
On 19 November, I and Ms. Kahara Kikuchi, the sportsattaché of the Embassy were given an opportunity to see the Danish women’s national team with Mr. Morten Christensen and Mr. Morten Henriksen just before their departure to Kumamoto for the World Championship. We tried to share the wonder of Kumamoto, through singing the famous children folk song ”Higo Temari Uta (Handball song of Kumamoto)”. Japan from Goup D and Denmark from Group B would fight each other if both of us would go to the quarter semi-final. Cheers!
（photo: with the women national team in the middle of busy practices on 19 November）
3. Budo that begins with politeness and ends with it
Budo, the Japanese martial arts is widely played in Denmark as well. On 15 November, I went to Svendborg, about 200 km west of Copenhagen and saw the Aikido and Judo players practicing vigorously. A young player talked to me saying his dream is to participate in the Olympic games in future. An instructor said that Aikido taught something beyond just technique because it begins with politeness and ends with it. Another instructor was satisfied with friendship nurtured among the participants for Judo across different generations and sexes. Mr. Teruo Takatomi was awarded for his dedication to Judo by the group and I will never forget his big smile.
（photo: at Dojo in Svendborg, left is Aikido and right is Judo players）
Well, now it is a season of “hatsushimo(first frost)” when we witness autumn passing by. Thank you for reading a rather long essay. Vi ses.
Manabu Miyagawa