School is out for the summer but still, remarkably, kids in this fitness-savvy society turn out -- at 6:30 a.m., no less -- at parks, shrines and quiet streets across Japan for NHK's daily "Radio Taiso" workout, a 15-minute live broadcast of morning calisthenics.
From mid-July to mid-August, children stretch, plie and march on the spot, inspired by the awaiting free snack and a fresh stamp on their attendance card. In the process, they get a little togetherness time with grandparents and neighborhood elders who remember "Radio Taiso" from their own childhoods.
"Radio Taiso's" 73-year history began with a workout broadcast live from the quiet streets of Tokyo's downtown Kanda and quickly spread to parks, shrines and other green spaces all over Japan. In its heyday, more than 10 million people joined in the morning ritual. The 15 minutes of shared calisthenics and community togetherness were promoted by the government for their health benefits, and were additionally believed to boost self-esteem.
Pot-bellied Riichi Egi, "Radio Taiso's" booming announcer (1928-1935), became an enduring celebrity. Although many announcers have come and gone since, the boot-camp-style announcements still endure over crackly portable radios.
"Radio Taiso" has a curious, antiquated charm; so little has changed since it was first introduced to the Japanese public in 1928. To find out where you or your child can participate in the nearest "Radio Taiso" workout, call your ward office or town hall.
An exhibition with photographs and a short documentary film commemorating seven decades of "Radio Taiso" runs until Sept. 2 at the NHK Broadcast Museum (Hoso Hakubutsukan), a five-minute walk from Tokyo's Kamiyacho Station. For more information, call (03) 5400-6900.