The Life of a Student in JapanThe Life of a Student in Japan

By Annie McEnroeBy Annie McEnroeKansas/Asia Scholars 2004Kansas/Asia Scholars 2004--0505

When you think of JapanWhen you think of Japan……

Small country, big populationSmall country, big population• Very crowded• Few natural resources• High cost of living

World War II and EducationWorld War II and Education

System restructured by System restructured by Americans during Americans during occupationoccupationEducation made entirely Education made entirely freefreeMandatory through 9Mandatory through 9thth

grade, not 6grade, not 6thth

CoCo--ed and less elitist ed and less elitist than beforethan before

Education in Modern JapanEducation in Modern JapanSchool year runs School year runs April April –– MarchMarchOneOne--month month summer vacation summer vacation 6 years elementary, 6 years elementary, 3 years middle 3 years middle school, 3 years school, 3 years high school (like high school (like U.S.)U.S.)Strict disciplineStrict discipline

Elementary School: Elementary School: JuriJuri and and HonamiHonami YamamotoYamamoto

11 and 8 years old11 and 8 years oldLive in Live in HiratsukaHiratsukaWalk to school from Walk to school from their small their small apartmentapartmentTake English, Take English, electric organ, and electric organ, and hiphip--hop lessonshop lessons

The Yamamoto FamilyThe Yamamoto FamilyParents and Parents and two daughters two daughters (and 2 dogs)(and 2 dogs)Mr. Mr. Yamamoto Yamamoto works in works in another town; another town; visits home visits home once a monthonce a month

Mrs. Yamamoto is a homemaker, teaches English Mrs. Yamamoto is a homemaker, teaches English and electric organ lessonsand electric organ lessons

The Yamamoto HomeThe Yamamoto Home

The The YamamotosYamamotos live in a live in a very small apartment, very small apartment, like most Japanese like most Japanese familiesfamiliesMr. YamamotoMr. Yamamoto’’s parents s parents live in a small house live in a small house next doornext doorFloors covered with Floors covered with tatamitatami matsmats

Breakfast with the Breakfast with the YamamotosYamamotosTraditional Japanese Traditional Japanese breakfast: breakfast: misomiso soup, rice, soup, rice, salad, fish, yogurt, tea, salad, fish, yogurt, tea, leftovers from dinnerleftovers from dinnerJuriJuri and and HonamiHonami are just as are just as happy with toast or Cocoa happy with toast or Cocoa Puffs!Puffs!

Tables are low to the ground; family sits on cushions

A Normal School DayA Normal School Day

School runs from about School runs from about 8:30 8:30 –– 3:453:45Students have cleaning Students have cleaning tasks each daytasks each dayEmphasis on hygiene, Emphasis on hygiene, order, disciplineorder, disciplineStudents have Students have homework every day homework every day starting in the 1starting in the 1stst gradegrade

Elementary School ClassesElementary School Classes

Core subjects include Core subjects include math, science, math, science, Japanese and social Japanese and social studiesstudiesMoral education Moral education classes teach how to classes teach how to regard oneself and regard oneself and relate to other people, relate to other people, nature and societynature and societyArt classes include Art classes include calligraphy and musiccalligraphy and music

KyuushokuKyuushoku: School Lunch: School Lunch

All students eat the same All students eat the same lunch prepared by the lunch prepared by the school.school.Students eat in their Students eat in their classrooms.classrooms.

This lunch includes a carton of orange juice, a piece of shortcake, a piece of cooked egg, some vegetable soup, and rice with mushrooms.

Free TimeFree TimeStudents may take Students may take lessons, play outside, read lessons, play outside, read comic books, or watch TVcomic books, or watch TVAn extracurricular activity An extracurricular activity is mandatoryis mandatory

The End of the DayThe End of the DayJapanese bathrooms Japanese bathrooms have a separate bath have a separate bath and showerand showerShower first and soak Shower first and soak in the bath afterwardsin the bath afterwardsWhole family uses Whole family uses the same bath waterthe same bath waterFuton is traditional, Futon is traditional, but Westernbut Western--style style beds are becoming beds are becoming more popular.more popular.

Junior High SchoolJunior High SchoolGrades 7Grades 7--99Students begin learning Students begin learning a foreign language a foreign language (almost always English)(almost always English)Many begin studying for Many begin studying for high school entrance high school entrance examinationsexaminationsArt, P.E., home Art, P.E., home ecec., and ., and extracurricular activities extracurricular activities are requiredare required

““Cram SchoolCram School””Many students attend Many students attend jukujuku, or cram school, or cram schoolRuns several hours after Runs several hours after regular schoolregular schoolPrepares students for Prepares students for high school and college high school and college entrance examinationsentrance examinationsTests are very Tests are very competitive and stressfulcompetitive and stressful

Getting Around JapanGetting Around JapanExcellent public Excellent public transportation transportation systemsystemSubways and trains Subways and trains make it easy to get make it easy to get around in crowded around in crowded areasareasChildren ride the Children ride the subways alone at a subways alone at a very young agevery young ageDriving is very Driving is very expensiveexpensive

Getting Ready for High SchoolGetting Ready for High SchoolAlmost all students Almost all students go to high schoolgo to high schoolHigh schools High schools ––even public ones even public ones ––have entrance have entrance examsexamsStudents study Students study hard to get into the hard to get into the best schoolsbest schools

Youth FashionYouth FashionSchool uniforms donSchool uniforms don’’t keep t keep students from being stylish!students from being stylish!Ranges from conservative Ranges from conservative to outrageousto outrageous

Kokusai High SchoolKokusai High SchoolSelective Selective International International Studies schoolStudies school85% of students 85% of students are girls!are girls!

• Public school, but costs over $2000

• Students active in many activities, festivals, and school events

The Textbook DebateThe Textbook DebateOngoing debate about Ongoing debate about how textbooks should how textbooks should present WWIIpresent WWIITextbooks selected from Textbooks selected from those authorized by those authorized by Ministry of EducationMinistry of EducationSome books gloss over Some books gloss over Japanese atrocities in Japanese atrocities in WWIIWWIIChina, Korea strongly China, Korea strongly objectobject

Comfort women during WWII

DatingDating……or notor notGenerally, Generally, Japanese students Japanese students dondon’’t start dating t start dating until later than U.S. until later than U.S. studentsstudents

••Group dating is commonGroup dating is common••Common to start dating Common to start dating after high schoolafter high school

““Examination HellExamination Hell””College entrance exams College entrance exams are extremely are extremely competitivecompetitiveStudents devote Students devote themselves to studyingthemselves to studyingStudents may have little Students may have little time for friends, leisuretime for friends, leisureCollege is much easier College is much easier than high school than high school –– but but getting in is difficultgetting in is difficult

Popular CulturePopular Culture

American influence American influence is very visibleis very visibleAmerican music, American music, movies popular with movies popular with young peopleyoung people““JJ--poppop”” = Japanese = Japanese pop musicpop music

The College LifeThe College LifeCollege: a break College: a break between exam hell between exam hell and workand workStudents rarely go to Students rarely go to classclassStandards generally Standards generally very lowvery lowStudents join clubs, Students join clubs, socializesocializeTop employers hire Top employers hire from top universitiesfrom top universities