Radio exercises — a Japanese tradition

Here is a video about a piece of Japanese culture that you might not know about.

We've only encountered it at Japanese kindergarten and elementary sports days, and occasionally seen it on TV or if we're out early, seen employees standing outside buildings engaging in this early morning exercise program. But, it is obviously a long-standing tradition in Japan.

How much it contributes to the well-being of the nation, I don't know if anyone has studied or even questions. Apparently it is so engrained that all natives need to hear is the opening strains of music, to head automatically into the traditional stretches. Here, a Japanese lady writes about the exercises with nostalgia.