Radio Calisthenics in Tokyo – Where To Do Radio Taiso in Tokyo

Radio calisthenics (ラジオ体操 rajio taisō) is a free, fun and healthy family activity usually for ten mins between 6:00 – 7:00 in local parks all around Japan. If you are jet lagged find your local park and head out with a towel and some bottled water. Here is a Japanese website which has thousands of Radio Taiso sites around the country. There are over 300 listed in Tokyo, although my neighborhood park Arisugawa Park is not listed and has radio taiso every a.m. at 6:30.

Radio Calisthenics in Tokyo – Where To Do Radio Taiso in Tokyo

An interesting history bit is that Rajio taisō is not Japanese in origin, but was imported and improved from the US in the 1920s. History has it that some Japanese business men visiting Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. which sponsored 15-minute radio calisthenics in major cities in the US loved the concept and brought it back to Japan to become a major part of the Japanese culture. Radio Calisthenics grew in popularity during the 1930-1940 but was banned by occupying forces in post-WWII. NHK radio reintroduced the radio calisthenics in 1951, and it has remained a steady part of morning activity in Japan since then.

If you don’t have time to venture out flip on the local TV (NHK) in Japan between 6:00 – 7:00 and you will be able to practice at home!

Here are some radio calisthenics gatherings in Tokyo – all typically have between 50-100 people each day usually some time between 6:00 – 7:00 a.m. (sorry we were not able to find exact times)

Minato-Ku – Arisugawa Park, Minami Azabu and 松坂児童遊園, 三田5丁目

Meguro-Ku – Rinshi no Mori Park 林試の森公園, 下目黒5-37 and Yutenji Temple 中目黒5-24

Ota-Ku – Senzokuike Park 洗足池公園 – 南千束

Setagaya-Ku – Hanegi Park and Komozawa Olympic Park 駒沢オリンピック公園, 駒沢公園

Shinagawa-Ku – Shinagawa Citizen Park 品川区民公園勝島3丁目 and Togoshi Park 戸越公園豊町2-1

Shibuya-Ku – Yoyogi Park

Shinjuku-Ku – Shinjuku Chuo Park 新宿中央公園滝の広場, 西新宿8-11 and Kitakashiwagi Park 北柏木公園, 北新宿4-12内

Itabashi-Ku- Higashi Itabashi Park 東板橋公園 – 板橋3-50-1

Koto-Ku – Kiba Park 東京都木場公園北広場, 平野4丁目

Suginami-Ku – Suginami Kuritsu Myoshoji Park 妙正寺公園内, 清水3-21

Sumida-Ku – Ushima Shrine 牛嶋神社, 向島1-4

Taito-Ku – Ueno Park 上野公園, 上野公園8丁目

Chuo-Ku – Tepposujido Park 鉄砲洲児童公園 and Tsukishima Daiichi Jido Park 月島第一児童公園

Bunkyo-Ku – Nezu Shrine 根津神社境内, 根津1-28-9

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