Makoto Fukuo ( coseiro Co., Ltd.), well-known as the 12th generation gymnastics coach on NHK E-television’s “Okasan to Issho”, has been appointed as a ” Yuru Sports Lifestylist ” by the World Yuru Sports Association.
What kind of sports festival was “Churrosport” that triggered the collaboration? What exactly is the role of a “Yuru Sports Lifestylist”? Makoto Fukuo and Tomohiro Sawada, President of the World Yuru Sports Association, had a discussion.
（How did you first become aware of Yuru Sports ?
（When I was teaching sports and health science at university, I became interested in activities that conveyed the joy of exercise itself, without regard to competition or winning or losing . While searching for a new type of sport that was not about competition, I came to know about YURU-SPORT. I strongly sympathized with Yurusport’s philosophy of “anyone can enjoy sports regardless of physical ability,” and felt that it was very close to the direction of sports that I was looking for! I felt that it was very close to the direction of sports that I was looking for. I was also looking for a way to make sports more accessible and enjoyable for people with diverse backgrounds, such as those who are not good at sports, the elderly, and children, and the more I learned about Yurusport’s activities, the more I thought, “This is exactly what I was looking for! The more I learned about the activities of YURU SPORTS, the more I thought, “This is it!
(Sawada) I am very honored! You contacted me one day asking to meet with me, and we hit it off right away, and we worked together at the legendary “Churrospo” event organized by Mr. Fukuo on January 11, 2025. Could you tell us again what kind of event it was?
Mr. Fukuo playing with Pictogrammy at ▲Chulospot
(Mr. Fukuo) “ Churros” is a Spanish word meaning “easy for anyone to make” and sports are combined to lower the barriers to exercise and make the event more accessible to a wide range of people. Churros” is a familiar motif that many people are interested in, so I thought the name itself could convey the fun of the event. I myself love churros!
But I am good at sports, and I have been practicing and training for a certain long time, so I can do more difficult movements than others. That is why I thought it would be best to work with loose sports, considering children who have not been able to take the first step into sports.
（Thank you very much . On the day of the event, we had everyone enjoy four types of yuru-sports, including Pictogrammy and Kutsukashita Maire. How was everyone’s reaction when you actually held the event?
（Before the event, I wondered if many people would come to enjoy interacting with me, but in fact, I was impressed by how much they seemed to be enjoying the competition itself. (Mr. Fukuo) Before the event, I wondered if many people would come to enjoy interacting with me, but in fact, I was impressed by the fact that they were really enjoying the competition itself. In the post-event questionnaire, many people said that they enjoyed the competition itself more than the interaction with me (laugh). (Laughs) I was betrayed in a very positive way. It proves that it was not just me, but rather everyone was the star of the show. I was also happy to hear that many participants said they enjoyed the physical activity so much that they wanted to participate again next time. We also had a “cheering section” this time, and I think they were itching to move their bodies.
（At the events that the World Yurusports Association holds on a daily basis, the audience is “self-promoting” in a sense, saying “It’s okay for me to be here” and “I am fine being me,” but of course the fans came to see Mr. Fukuo, who was their “self-promoter” on that day. I was surprised at how much more powerful the event became when the feelings of “my guess” and “someone else’s guess” overlapped.
(Sawada) Could you tell us again about the role of a “Yuru Sports Lifestylist”?
(Mr. Fukuo) “Sports Lifestylist” is a term I coined. The underlying idea is to change the image of exercise itself and encourage people to incorporate it more and more into their lives. I didn’t want to transcend the idea of lowering the hurdles to exercise, and I didn’t want to put hurdles in the first place. For example, you could think of it the other way around and consider the movements of daily life itself as exercise.
(Sawada ) By eliminating the hurdles to exercise, you are playing a role in making the most of exercise for a “better” life for all kinds of people.
(Mr. Fukuo) That’s exactly right. I originally worked in the education field. One of the things I did was to teach children in gymnastics classes, and I originally had a strong desire for all children to enjoy exercise. In the future, I would like to work with the World Yuru Sports Association to change the image of exercise for all people.
Also, we have only held Churrosport once, but I want to do it for the rest of my life. That day was truly a happy and unforgettable day for me. I would like to expand the event throughout Japan, but eventually I would like to expand it to the world. I think there is tremendous potential for us to work together!
