SHIZUKA Exercise: A Lifelong Activity Shizuka, center Shizuka has been educating KR on the culture of competition for young teens in Japan. As a 9th grader, she has already been competing for years. We were wondering if only competitive athletes run in Japan or if people jog for fun as many of us do in this country. We were also wondering if Shizuka is planning to always be a runner when her competitive days are over. Here is her response. SHIZUKA: Yes, I will never stop running.I love running. It has been said by my father I was born running; I learned to run before I learned to walk. At age 3, my kindergarten teacher told my parents when I turn 5 years old I should join the track team because I seem to love running at school. Yes, kids and adults do jog together. Also every year each area in the city has their health and fitness day. In Japan, Oct 11, is a national holiday for sports day. Every Japanese company does morning exercise which every worker must attend. Even the police and fire departments do morning exercise together. This is to instill the importance of team work. And senior citizens have groups that meet every morning for walking and jogging. Elementary school children, even when on summer vacation, must go to school every morning for exercise. They sign each day for attendance for the morning exercise. Shizuka at graduation About the photo - Girls seem to be more traditonal than boys. Many girls or young women wear kimonos for graduation, adult day which is when you turn 20 years old, local and summer festivals. Boys or young men seem to prefer suits, probably because of the time invovled. It takes a professional 1 hour or more to do the face, about 30 minutes for kimono and an hour for your hair depending on how long your hair is. Most people don't know how to put on the kimono belt properly, so even if you buy one.you will mostly likely have to pay someone to do the belt. If you look closely you will see that you look like a baby doll when in full dress and makeup. My mother said that the women's kimonos are the most elaborate and varied in style and design. Fabric, color, sleeve, length.and the details of the obi (KIMONO BELT)and how it is tied vary according to the wearer's age, social status, marital status and season. For example a married woman kimono has short sleeves and single woman has long sleeves. So back when kimono was the main dress, a man could look at a woman get all the information he wanted without actually have to ask. The fan is just as important as the kimono. Fans used to have people of wealth and power family crest on them. Also some fan were trimmed in gold and silver paint. A person wealth could determine by the fan they carried or sun umbrella. My mother said back then it was much harder to lie about one's place in society. For example a girl wearing a kimono for a work over twenty years of age would be stopped and questioned why. Or a married woman wearing a kimono for single, or a person carrying a fan or umbrella with another family crest. That's why even today in most Asia family. their family name is the most important to protect. To disgrace one's family name is unforgiveable. Shizuka (far right) and team Privacy Policy of Kids Running