The crazy rivalry of Japanese physical education teachers - kumitaiso (7 photos)

Kumitaiso is the art of building pyramids from living people, which is very popular in Japanese schools. Because teamwork, development of the spirit of collectivism. One thing people don't like is that schoolchildren often get hurt.





And all the same, is this a reason to refuse human pyramids!?

The Great Pyramid Race

It all started very innocently, when Kumitaiso was just gaining popularity.



Can you imagine how one will splutter inside?

Physical education teachers loved to put up such pyramids at school sports festivals. This greatly unites the team, students learn mutual trust and responsibility for their role in the project.

But schools began to compete with each other! Who has more participants? Who has the tallest pyramid of schoolchildren? Just give the Japanese power, and off we go!



Cute girly pyramid in middle school. While everyone is having fun

And then there was a flood of reports of injuries that schoolchildren received while building the human pyramid. Usually these are fractures when the pyramid falls. Those below also suffer from pressure. And those who fall from a height of three meters to the floor.

This reached its peak in 2016, when 8 thousand injuries to schoolchildren from Kumitaiso were recorded per year. Quite an impressive figure, after all, this is just an activity in a physical education lesson? You don't even get hit in the head with a ball in a basketball game that often.

Fighting architecture from schoolchildren



As you can see, the practice of being part of a pyramid begins in elementary school.

Doctors and parents were the first to raise a wave of protest that their children were being forced to take such risks.

Teachers Against Cancellation, Kumitaiso has indeed proven its effectiveness. Children learn to be friends and support each other on a physical level. It is believed that this helps prevent bullying at school. And in Japan they love and know how to bully.

The Japanese sports agency ultimately rejected the doctors' requests and did not ban Kumitaiso from schools.



Typical kumitais injury, fall from the top

Then the parents took a different path. They began collecting a petition that would officially limit the height of the human pyramid that can be stacked with people.

After all, most injuries are due to rivalries between schools. Sounds a little crazy. Physical education teachers show off to each other who built a higher tower of forced students, ignoring their groans and complaints.



But when the guys start doing kumita, no one can see the edges!

There have already been some successes in the fight against Kumitaiso. So in Osaka they were completely banned. Everyone except the schoolchildren was upset.

Some schools have achieved height restrictions.



They also have a PLAN, like an architectural drawing

But in most schools, no standards are applied. And they build, build ziggurats from the Japanese.