Undokai is a yearly school event from kindergarten to senior high school. Students show their athletic ability by race or game. They usually split up into a red and white team. The teams compete with each other. Some teams do a cheering ceremony or a fancy dress performance. Students practice them for about one month. The purpose for Undokai is not only to compete and show their ability, but also to build a sense of community.

Respect for the Aged Day(敬老の日：Keiro No Hi) September 15 is a national holiday called Respect for the Aged Day, or Keiro No Hi, when one shows respect to elderly people for their long-time contribution to the society, celebrates their longevity, prays for their health, and thinks about how welfare services can be improved Because the holiday is a relatively new holiday being designated in 1966, there are no customs particularly involved except for cultural programs and athletic events held in the community. Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world. Currently one out of every six person is 65 years old or above. As the fertility rate, the number of children a woman is expected to give birth to during her lifetime, is dwindling, it is expected that by 2010, every fifth person in Japan could be 65 or over. The society in Japan is thus graying at a rapid pace, and the Respect for the Aged Day should become an increasingly important day in the years to come. Autumnal Moonlight Viewing There is an old custom of celebrating the full moon on the fifteenth day of the eighth month on the traditional Japanese calendar. The full moon, called Chushu no Meigetsu (中秋の名月), is considered particularly beautiful, as the air become crisper and the heat of summer is subsided. People place ornaments and offerings next to windows, on verandas, and in other places where on can see the moon. Vases are filled with pampas grass and autumnal herbs, and seasonal foods like dumplings, pears, persimmons, and grapes are placed on dishes. The practice of celebrating the full moon came from China during the Heian period (794-1185). Records show that Chushu no Meigetsu was marked with poetry and music by court aristocrats as early as 909. Autumnal Equinox Day September 23 or 24 is Autumnal Equinox Day, a national holiday, when the sun crosses the equator from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere. From this day on, days begin getting shorter than nights. It's a day not just to mark the changing of seasons but also to pay our respects to our deceased parents, grandparents and other family members. The Japanese have traditionally called the period around the autumnal and vernal(springtime) equinoxes Higan(彼岸).　Higan lasts for seven days - beginning three days prior to the equinox and ending three days after it.

The Bon Festival (お盆：o-bon) The Bon Festival, one of the biggest traditional events, is held during mid-August to pray for the repose of the souls of our ancestors. Deceased family member are believed to revisit the homestead during Bon festival to be reunited with their family. To guide their souls back, a small bonfire is lit outside their family house. This is called "mukae-bi"(迎え火), or welcoming flame. The house is cleaned and dusted, and fruits and vegetables are offered at family altars.When Bon festival ends, the spirits of deceased are sent off with another bonfire, called "okuri-bi"(送り火). Some regions release small lanterns down rivers or into the seas as part of the okuri-bi ritual. The biggest event during the Bon season is the Bon odori(dance), which is held throughout Japan. People usually go to a nearby park or shrine in Yukata, a summer kimono, and dance in a circle to recorded music. Mid-August comes during summer vacation for school students. Many companies also offer their workers a weeklong holiday by closing their factories and offices during the Bon season. Urban residents take advantage of the holidays to return to their hometowns and participate in Bon events. Firework Displays From late July to August, fireworks displays are held in various parts of the country. This is a tradition that goes back several centuries in Japan. Watching the burst of colors against the nighttime sky can make Japan's hot, humid summers seem more tolerable. Fireworks first reached Japan in the late sixteenth century, brought over by Portuguese sailors. During the Edo period (1600-1868), craftsmen specializing in making fireworks appeared, and fireworks displays become a common summertime retreat. Fireworks are hand-made by artisans, who devote most of the year preparing for the summer pageantry. There are about 4,000 to 5,000 fireworks displays around the country during the summer. One of the most famous fireworks is the display over the Sumida River in Tokyo, which is also one of the oldest in Japan.