MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan – Laughter and cheers filled the air as children from Misawa Air Base and the local Japanese community came together for the International New Sports Festival 2025 on March 1, 2025. Open to participants of all ages, the festival provided a fun and energetic way to strengthen friendship through the universal language of sports.

Held at the Misawa International Sports Center, the festival featured traditional Japanese games, fostering teamwork and cultural exchange among children and families.

The festival featured six dynamic stations, each offering a unique blend of skill, strategy, and fun. Participants tested their accuracy in unicurl and struckout, worked together in boccia, and played skutt ball, a game similar to golf. The Japan Games booth provided a new challenge with wheelchair basketball, giving players a fresh perspective on the sport. The obstacle course, organized by base volunteers, challenged participants with hurdles, offering a more physical challenge.

This annual event was organized by Misawa City in collaboration with the Military and Family Readiness Center and the Misawa International Association. It focused on reinforcing the strong partnership between U.S. service members and their Japanese hosts by providing interpreters at every station to help facilitate communication.

“There’re interpreters at every station, and interpreters for all the announcements,” said Tessa Matsubara, City International Exchange Section translator. ”The idea of this event is to bring the two communities together.”
The festival reinforces the importance of community by bringing together Airmen, their families and local residents. Through friendly competition and shared experiences, participants can foster a sense of unity and belonging.

“I just want to say this event is awesome; it’s an opportunity to hang out with the community,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Paul Davidson, 35th Fighter Wing commander. “The games are super fun and competitive, but easy to learn. I would highly recommend coming out and checking it out next time.”