Grading System

There are not many differences in the classification of classes

Kindergarten is NOT compulsory
Start Kindergarten at age 3-4

High school and University is compulsory, but with a competitive economy, the majority of students do complete high school and university










The School Year


The Japanese school year begins in April, not in September like in the United States and other countries. The first term runs to around July 20, when summer vacation begins. Kids return to school in early September for the second term, which lasts until about December 25. The final term begins in early January and continues to late March.

Most people think spring - when life begins anew - is the perfect time to start new things. Kids get excited and are full of expectations when the new school year approaches. Early April is also the time when cherry blossoms are in full bloom. So when people think about entrance to new schools and the start of a career, they often conjure up images of these beautiful blossoms. Many schools have cherry trees growing on their grounds, and parents like taking pictures of their kids entering school for the first time under the light-pink blossoms.




Kindergarten- ようちえん

Youchien: 3 years
Start at age 3-4 , end at age 5-6

Predominantly staffed by young female junior college graduates, are supervised by the Ministry of Education, but are not part of the official education system.

NOT compulsory

There are public or privately run preschools. Together, these two kinds of institutions enroll well over 90 percent of all preschool-age children prior to their entrance into the formal system at first grade.


Elementary School- しょうがっこう

Shougakkou: 6 years
Start at age 6-7, end at age 11-12
Equivalent to North America’s Grade 1-6

All children enter first grade at age six, and starting school is considered a very important event in a child's life.
For six years from age six to twelve, this is the first stage of compulsory education for Japanese children.
Almost all Japanese children enter at this stage, although an increasing number have already experienced kindergarten.


Middle School- ちゅうがっこう

Chuugaku: 3 years
Start at age 12-13, end at age 14-15
Equivalent to North America’s grade 7-9

Grade 7: Chuugaku ichi-nen sei
Grade 8: Chuugaku nii-nen sei
Grade 9: Chuugaku san-nen sei

Chuugaku means Middle School.
Ichi means 1.
nen sei, year.
Translates to: First year, middle school.

From the transition of middle school to high school, students have to write an entrance exam
Depending on how well you do, determines which High school you are accepted into

Cram Schools- 学習塾 Gakushuu Juku

Cram schools are specialized schools that train their students to meet particular goals, most commonly to pass the entrance examinations of high schools or universities.

Study hard or to study a large amount of material in a short period of time.

Provide supplementary education that many children need just to keep up with the regular school curriculum, remedial education for the children who fall behind in their work, and preparation for students striving to improve test scores and preparing for the all-important upper-secondary and university entrance examinations.

After school tutoring. Math, Japanese language, science, English, etc.



High School- こうこう

Koukou: 3 years
Start at age 15-16, end at age 17-18
Equivalent to North America’s Grade 10-12

Grade 10: Koukou ichi-nen sei
Grade 11: Koukou nii-nen sei
Grade 12: Koukou san-nen sei

Koukou means High School.
Ichi means 1.
nen sei, year.
Translates to: First year, middle school.



Subjects


Subjects taught in Japan do not differ a lot from North American Schools.
Such as:
Math
English
Science
History
Social Studies
Computer
Arts
Physical education

Some uniquely Japanese subjects
Home economics
Calligraphy
Japanese language

Lunch

Elementary and Junior High School

In many elementary schools, the students eat lunch together in their classrooms, enjoying meals prepared by the school lunch staff, brought from home, or prepared themselves!

Small teams of students then take turns to serve lunch to their classmates.

School lunches are regulated and are made to contain a rich variety of healthy and nutritious foods.

Elementary and Junior High School children eat inside their class rooms. They move their desks together to eat with their friends, and are responsible of cleaning up any mess.



High School
In high school, lunch is decided entirely up to the individual. They may bring their own lunch, or purchase it at school.

Schools typically have a small cafeteria or a small “snack shop” inside the school where you can purchase sandwiches, noodle and rice dishes.

There are also many vending machines that sell hot and cold beverages such as water, juice, soda, and tea.

High school students may eat inside the classrooms, on the roof, and on the benches of the school property.

A Japanese lunch box is called a bento, and typically contains rice, meat, and various vegetables.



An example of an ordinary Japanese High School Lunch menu
Most dishes range from ¥300 to ¥500 ($4 - $6)


Getting to School



Most students get to school by:
Walking
Train/Subway
Bicycling

It is obvious which one is the most popular choice













School Attire
Mostly worn by middle and high school students.

Not many elementary schools will have school uniforms, unless they are a private institution.

School uniforms are often mandatory. Not all

Each school’s uniform is unique

Some uniforms have the school crest printed or embroidered on the uniform

Before entering the school a teacher will be standing at the school gates to check if the students are wearing their uniforms properly

Before entering the school a teacher will be standing at the school gates to check if the students are wearing their uniforms properly

There are always a winter and summer version of the school uniform





























School Attire- Females

Tops are varied.
Cardigans/ Blazer/ Blouse/ Ties/ Bows

Bottoms are typically solid coloured or patterned pants or pelted skirts
Loose Socks and Knee Socks are especially popular among female students

Rules
Some schools have rules against dyed or bleached hair and how short skirts can be worn.







There are two types of female school uniforms
1. Sailor Uniform Style
2. Blazer Style




































School Attire- Males

Tops are varied.

Blazer/ Dress Shirt/Gakuran/ Ties
Bottoms are solid coloured or patterned pants


There are two types of uniforms: the blazer and the gakuran type. The blazer type uniforms are not so different to the ones that private schools have, however the gakuran is very different. The gakuran are the uniforms for many middle school and high school boys in Japan. The color is normally black, but some schools use navy and dark blue as well.

The top has a standing collar buttoning down from top-to-bottom. Buttons are usually decorated with the school emblem to show respect to the school. Pants are straight leg and a black or dark-colored belt is worn with them. Boys usually wear penny loafers or sneakers with this uniform. Some schools may require the students to wear collar-pins representing the school and/or class.

The Gakuran Style, and the Blazer Uniform Style
























School Attire- Shoes

There are two types of shoes: Outside and Inside Shoes
Outside (Uwabaki) shoes are the shoes you wear going to and from school
Inside shoes are the shoes you must wear within the walls of the school
The reason for this is so the dirt from the outside will not dirty the school
Because of this, schools will provide shoe lockers/ cubbies to students





School Attire- Gym Uniforms

Because the school uniforms limit the movements of the students, they cannot use it during physical education

Track suits are used during physical education and extracurricular activities, etc

Consisting of two parts: trousers and a jacket usually with front zipper.



Not very common nowadays, but some female students may wear special gym shorts called bloomers

Bloomers are mostly not in use anymore. This is a popular misconception from anime and manga.

















Book Bags- Randoseru

A firm-sided backpack made of stitched firm leather or leather-like synthetic material, most commonly used in Japan by elementary schoolchildren.

The average randoseru weighs approximately 2 and a half pounds (empty)

Most universal and recognizable feature of the Japanese school uniform, and is considered symbolic of the virtues necessary to obtain a good education—unity, discipline, hard work and dedication.
Traditionally,red in colour for girls, black for boys

While in more conservative schools the colour (and often the brand and design) is mandated and enforced, the backpack is available in a variety of colours, partly as a compromise for parents to retain some tradition within modernized schools which no longer require the use of traditional uniforms or of the randoseru.

Given to a child upon beginning his or her first year of school, the randoseru's materials and workmanship are designed to allow the backpack to endure the child's entire elementary education (six years).

The randoseru's durability and significance is reflected in its cost: a new randoseru made of genuine leather can carry a price tag of over ¥30,000 yen, almost $391 Canadian dollars.







Club Activities
Almost all middle school students take part in an extracurricular club activity of their choice, such as a sports team, a musical or arts group, or a science club.
Examples include:
Sports Clubs: Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Baseball, Table Tennis, etc.

Japanese fencing (Kendo),
Japanese Archery (Kyuudou),
Tea Ceremony (Chado),
Flower Arrangement (Ikebana)
Judo- type of Japanese martial art

Brass Band and Choir
Art
Computer
Drama


School Events

Cultural Festival (Bunkasai)
An annual event held by most schools in Japan, from Nursery schools to universities at which their students display their everyday achievements.
People who want to enter the school themselves or who are interested in the school may come to see what the schoolwork and atmosphere are like. Parents may also want to see what kind of work their children have been doing.

Sports Day (Undoukai)
During weeks preceding the sports day, students practice their events which they would like to show their parents and friends, within their class of physical education, which often includes performances by the school band and presentations by various school clubs as well as individual and group competitive events. These practices, and the sports days themselves, normally take place on the schools' fields, which provide little relief from the heat and sun.













Cleaning Up

At the end of the day, students take turn cleaning up their classrooms.
This includes sweeping the floor, taking out the dust bins, and wiping up the floor.
All students, whether elementary or high school, participates in cleaning up.
Not only does this keep Japanese schools clean but the children become responsible about their schools. Litter is thus never a problem at a Japanese school.

Keeping their school clean is seen by Japanese educators as a very important lesson. It helps children get into the habit of keeping their environment clean. And there is very little litter at Japanese schools.

Japanese educators want the children to take responsibility not only for their own classrooms, but for the common areas as well. They hope to make the point that the individual needs to learn to work for the good of the whole.

Actually we don't seen much litter in public areas in general such as sidewalks and parks.
Another factor is the value the Japanese place on cleanliness in general.

An example of students cleaning up