Early morning exercises are a staple part of Japanese life. But instead of doing individual routines, many people throughout the country gather together to perform a collective form of exercise known as ‘Radio Taiso’ or (‘Radio Calisthenics’). 

Everyday at around 6:30am, NHK, the national broadcaster, airs the exercise on its radio channel. This is performed by all ages and in various locations such as in offices, schools and parks. It is broadcast several times throughout the day after that. According to the National Radio Exercise Federation, 20% of the population, which is roughly 27 million people, do the warmups. The majority of Japanese people are introduced to these radio exercises at Elementary school, and do them before or after gym class. Many then continue to do the routine throughout their life after seeing the health benefits. 

The exercise itself isn’t strenuous. It’s more of a light aerobic workout which improves your balance, strength and prepares you for the day ahead. During the broadcast, the exercise is directed with simple spoken instructions alongside a jaunty little tune that participants move in time with. The tune is very old-fashioned, and almost childlike. The first time you witness radio taiso you’d think it was a routine from a century ago. 

 Indeed, it has been around for over 90 years and was initially an import from America. The story goes that in 1923 some Japanese postal insurance employees were visiting the United States on a fact finding trip and were impressed when they saw the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company sponsor a 15-minute radio exercise routine for workers every morning in various cities. 

 Upon their return to Japan, they adopted the same exercise routine at their company and encouraged others to do the same, hoping this would boost Japan’s life expectancy which back then stood at around 40. While the radio exercises faded away in America, it flourished in Japan and steadily spread throughout the country culminating on the national stage with a mass radio taiso demonstration at Emperor Hirohito’s coronation in 1928. 

It was also important during World War 2, as it tapped into Japan’s collective patriotic spirit. However, under the Allied occupation of Japan in 1946, radio taiso was banned on the basis that it encouraged nationalism. 

So, instead of mass groups collectively doing the exercise, smaller local groups got together to carry on the tradition with the simple aim of keeping fit and healthy. And by 1951, these local groups had grown to a size which was hard to ignore. As a result, the ban was relaxed and NHK agreed to broadcast its first radio taiso session. 

Since then, the nationalist aspect of the exercise has given way to a work-orientated one. Schools and companies across Japan gather their students or workers together to partake in the 3-minute ritual, as way of creating unity and focus in the classroom and the office. The exercise has become so well known now that it has featured in countless movies such as Battle Royale and Gung Ho with Michael Keaton trying out the routine with less than perfect results. Google also celebrated it in a unique style. 

Children do the exercises a lot during the summer vacation. And to encourage them not to fall into idleness during their holidays, NHK even hands out radio taisou attendance cards. This means that children receive a stamp from a supervisor each time they exercise, and when they fill out the chart they win a prize such as candy or school stationary. 

It is also very popular with the elderly, and is a simple way of meeting friends, keeping fit and raising the spirits.