Two weeks ago, this page introduced 読書の秋 (dokusho no aki, the autumn of reading), and this season is also known as 芸術の秋 (geijutsu no aki, the autumn of art) in part because this is when the landscapes turn brilliant shades of red.

However, Japan is now also in the throes of スポーツの秋 (supōtsu no aki, the autumn of sports). Or at least it would be, if the コロナ禍 (korona-ka, coronavirus crisis) hadn’t hit.

Fall’s connection to sports started with the Tokyo Olympics of 1964, which ran from Oct. 10 to 24. Those オリンピック (orinpikku, Olympics) also inspired the tradition of 体育祭 (taiikusai, sports festivals) that take place every fall at schools across the country. Add to that the cooler weather, and it’s no wonder that people might try to work out a little more.