Hosted by the Korean Residents Union in Japan's Tokyo chapter and supported by the Overseas Koreans Agency, the event was held at the Tokyo Korean School.
From parents and children to grandparents and grandchildren, participants bonded through sports activities and student performances.
Korean residents in Japan — children, parents and grandparents alike — gathered in one place Saturday, sharing warmth across generations through a sports day held in the rain.
The Korean Residents Union in Japan's Tokyo chapter hosted the "2026 All-Generation Hanmaeum Festival for Koreans in Japan" at the Tokyo Korean School in Shinjuku-gu, Tokyo. Supported by the Overseas Koreans Agency, the event brought together members of the Korean diaspora community across multiple generations for sports activities and performances.
Consul General Han Sang-gyun of the Korean Embassy in Japan addresses the gathering
Attendees included Han Sang-gyun, consul general at the Korean Embassy in Japan; Oh Young-seok, head of the Korean Residents Union in Japan's Tokyo chapter; and Jeong Jae-uk, co-representative of Shinseito, along with branch members and representatives of Korean community organizations under the Tokyo chapter. Despite the rain, families joined the competitions and spent time together in a spirit of unity.
The event opened with a ceremony, warm-up exercises and a samulnori performance. Sports programs followed, including running races for toddlers and elementary school students, a relay snack-eating race open to children and adults alike, and a ball-tossing game for all generations.
Participants of all ages take part in a relay snack-eating race
Family competitions paired parents with children and grandparents with grandchildren on the same team. Participants synchronized their steps in a three-legged race and pulled together in a tug-of-war, bridging generations through shared effort.
Lee Won-gyeong, who attended with her young daughters, said it was meaningful to spend an enjoyable time with her children even in the wet weather. The multigenerational programs gave families the chance to build lasting memories together, she added.
A father-daughter pair takes part in a three-legged race
Students from the Tokyo Korean School's elementary, middle and high school divisions also performed dance routines. On top of joining the competitions, the students added energy to the event through their performances and cheering.
Participants take a group photo after the event
The festival, which brought together participants from children to the elderly, deepened intergenerational exchange and strengthened ties within the Korean diaspora community through sports and cultural performances.
The Korean Residents Union in Japan's Tokyo chapter, which organized the event, is a representative regional organization of Koreans in Japan founded on Aug. 9, 1947. Marking its 79th anniversary in 2026, the chapter was established amid the turmoil following Korea's liberation to promote the welfare and rights of Koreans in Japan, and has since focused on ethnic education, improvements to legal status, Korea-Japan friendship and the cultivation of the next generation.
sjkim@heraldcorp.com
