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Many people asks me, "How is life in Japan?" or "You are living the future" and stuffs like that, ya'll so interested in Japan so I'll just write down how's life here everyday. I'll begin with school life because that is what we can most relate to, right? I will be writing down my own experiences and the things I know about the differences in Japan and America, But if i get something wrong, just tell me, Welp, here I go-

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The Educational System

The Japanese school system consists of the following stages:
Elementary school: 6 years ( age 7-12)
Junior high school: 3 years (age 13-15)
High school: 3 years (age 16-18 )
University: 4 or 2-6 years (optional)
Compulsory education lasts for 9 years through elementary and junior high school

Public schools in Japan have classes five days a week, from Monday to Friday. There are also schools that have classes on Saturday. In junior high and high schools, there are 5-6 class periods each day, typically lasting 50 minutes for each. After classes, students clean the classrooms in shifts and then start their club activities. There are a variety of clubs such as cultural and sports ones.Schools in Japan often open at 8:00 am, with students arriving between 8:00 and 8:30 am, with the first period usually starting after 8:30am.

In Japanese elementary school, each period is 45 minutes, while in junior high and high school, each period is 50 minutes, with a small break between periods.

the school year begins in April and ends in March of the following year. Most schools adopt a three-semester system, with the first semester from April to August, the second semester from September to December, and the third semester from January to March. There is also a summer break (from the end of July to the end of August), a winter break (from the end of December to the beginning of January), and a spring break (from the end of March to the beginning of April).

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commuting to school

High school students in Japan usually don’t drive cars or motorbike, in fact its forbidden. Instead, many go for a walk or ride bicycles if the distance isn’t too far. you can expect to see groups of elementary schoolers walking together to school without parents, wearing yellow caps. For longer distance, public buses and trains are used, even if it means changing lines a couple of times — it’s not unusual for students to clock in two or more hours each day just commuting.

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Uniforms

Most schools in Japan have uniforms, which are often a symbol of school identity. The sailor suit for girls and the gakuran (military-style) for boys.each school boasts a unique uniform, making its students stand out in the crowd (and far easier to report if they break school policy).

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daily routines

Once students arrive at school, they step into an area filled with small lockers, where they stash their street shoes and slip into their school slippers. This is a continuation of Japanese customs, whereby guests and residents of homes, accommodations, restaurants, temples, (and even some hospitals and hotels) are expected to take off their shoes at the door, and slip into slippers suitable for inside.
the students stick to their homeroom classrooms for most of the day. Teachers, on the other hand, navigate from room to room, operating out of a central teachers’ room. The only time students venture to different parts of the school is for subjects like physical education, laboratory classes, or to use other specialised facilities.

Lunch

Students eat lunch together in their classrooms. Lunches are usually delivered to school from an offsite kitchen.From there, students work in small groups on a rotating roster to deliver the food to the classroom, set up the classroom for lunch, and serve each other.milk is my favorite part, yum.

Cleaning

Unlike most western schools, Japanese students clean their schools daily.There are no Janitors. This is usually a 30-minute segment built into the school day, where kidsare assigned areas that they must clean.Everyone is divided into groups and take turns of what place to clean each day.



Club Activities :
Clubs are a significant part of school life. Students can join various clubs such as sports, music, arts, and science. These activities help students develop social skills and hobbies. The students Are serious about club activities, very competetive in sports.I have joined the dance club (that sounds bad lol) in elementary school, The art club in Junior high, and I didnt join anything in high school or University. ( I would like to join archery club tho!)

Entrance Exams:
Academic pressure can be intense, especially with the high-stakes entrance exams for high schools and universities. Preparation for these exams often requires attendance at cram schools.(I do not know how I'm alive)

Cultural Festivals and Sports Day:
Schools often hold cultural festivals (文化祭= bunkasai) and sports days (運動会= undoukai), where students showcase their talents and engage in various activities, strengthening school spirit and community bonds.(I'll write this topic in another blog)

Cram schools:
Many students also attend ‘Juku,’ or cram school in the evenings or weekends.Japanese education involves many tests, high school and university entrance exams amongst the most burdensome.Cram schools are privately run institutions that help students with their subjects, or test preparation.
With so much emphasis on education as the primary means of securing a good future, cram schools play an important role in students’ lives.

Want to know more? I found some good websites so check'em out!

School life in Japan
Educational system
I made this blog based out of this webby :p

If you want to know more about Japan, and want me to make a blog about it just ask me!! if you have any questions please ask me in the comments below, sayonara!!