Answerman - Do Japanese High School Kids Really Hang Out On The Roof? (2024)

FAQs

Can you actually go on the roof in Japanese schools? ›

Most Japanese public schools feature similar architecture (due to government oversight on building design), but the roof doors are usually locked, so students aren't allowed free access.

It's not made for hanging out. The schools that do lock off the roof usually do so for fear that some depressed kid is going to jump, which can and does happen occasionally. Some have even gone so far as to fence off the roof, in addition to locking it.

The sunny, crisp air of autumn in Japan whets the appetite not just for food but also for cultural and artistic refinement. For kids, autumn is a time for bunkasai, or school-sponsored cultural festivals. Virtually all middle and high schools in Japan hold such festivals between late October and November.

Motoki Sugiyama, a former teacher, had taught at five different schools for 11 years and in all these schools, ponytails were banned. The report of Japanese schools banning ponytails of girls because the exposed nape of the neck can "sexually excite" boys has been widely reported.

Genderless uniforms

Historically, school uniforms in Japan are decided on the basis of sex, with trousers for male students and skirts for female students. However, in April 2019, public junior high schools in Tokyo's Nakano Ward began allowing students to choose their uniform regardless of sex.

Climate had a bearing on construction: In Kyoto in the late Heian and Muromachi periods, roofs were clad in thin wooden shingles so owners would put stones on top to prevent the shingles from flying away in the wind. The social status of the minka owner was indicated by the size and complexity of the building.

7. You have to change shoes inside school. In most Japanese schools, everyone has to change out of their outside shoes and into their inside shoes (called Uwabaki or Uwagutsu) when they enter the school. By wearing indoor shoes they avoid bringing in dirt from outside.

The curvy, elongated roofs of Japanese traditional architecture are a focal point in most buildings. They are important, not only for their attractiveness but for their role in the structure. Japanese roofs are curved up to allow more sunlight to come in through the windows.

Daily schedule

In a typical high school, teachers gather each morning at 8:30 a.m. for a brief meeting. Students meet at 8:35 a.m. for a 5-minute homeroom period. Regular classes begin at 8:45 a.m. and there are four 50-minute classes before lunch. High school students eat in their homeroom.

Do Japanese high schools go on trips? ›

Students in elementary, middle and high school in Japan go on overnight school trips. The purpose of these trips, which are led by the teachers and done by the entire grade, is to use travel to provide learning experiences outside of the classroom.

My conclusion: school festival maid cafes exist, but they appear to be quite rare. School festival maid cafes clearly show up more often in anime than in real life. (Unsurprisingly - you can dress cute anime girls up in maid outfits and they can't complain; real life people not so much.)

In Japan, the legal adult age is 20. Japanese law prohibits individuals under the age of 20 to drink alcohol or smoke. Regardless of age, you must not force anyone to drink or smoke as it may cause serious health and social consequences.

Types of Japanese School

The typical age groups of students for elementary, junior high school, and high school in Japan are as follows: Elementary school for six years: (6 years old – 12 years old) Junior high school for three years (12 – 15 years old) High school for three years (15 – 18 years old)

And, while opposite sexes are interested in each other, parents and teachers strongly discourage teenage dating. Most young people do not begin to date until after high school.

It is required by law that Japanese students go to school for nine years covering elementary through junior high school. However, this requirement does not exist for children with foreign citizenship living in Japan.

Sitting upright on the floor is common in many situations in Japan. For example, meals are traditionally held on a tatami floor around a low table. Sitting on the floor is also customary during the tea ceremony and other traditional events.

Studying abroad in Japan if you don't speak Japanese is not as impossible as it sounds. Many universities have at least some classes taught in English which is perfect for short-term study abroad.

However, most of the students enter high school right after completing jr. high (which is the compulsory education). At the time of the admission they are 15–16 and graduate 17–18 for a normal high school (3 years one).