Top 10 Most Fascinating Facts About Students in Japan

In Vietnam and some other countries, students with low grades or insufficient marks may have to repeat a year or stay back. However, in Japan, this never happens. Students regardless of their low grades, will still be promoted to the next grade and will participate in the school’s graduation ceremony. For Japanese students, grades are only truly significant when applying for high school or university.

During the first three years of elementary school, students don’t have to face exams. During this period, Japan focuses more on teaching children about character rather than knowledge, emphasizing manners, love, respect, smiling, and saying thank you, among other values. Despite this, Japan’s education system is one of the most developed in the world, with an almost non-existent illiteracy rate and 74.1% (in 2010) of students progressing to higher education, a figure that rivals the United States and surpasses several European countries. This educational foundation has played a pivotal role in Japan’s economic and industrial growth in the modern era.

In Japanese schools, it's rare to encounter janitors. Students are responsible for cleaning their own classrooms, school grounds, and even the restrooms. Every school allocates a specific amount of time each day for cleaning. It's not just the students who do this; teachers, and even the school principal, also participate in the cleaning. No one is exempt – everyone is assigned a cleaning task to maintain the cleanliness of the school and classroom.

In Japan, having students clean their classrooms and restrooms is part of the educational system. This isn't a government-imposed rule, but all schools adhere to it, with very few exceptions. If you’ve ever watched Japanese anime, you’ll likely have seen scenes where students are cleaning their classrooms. While some may view this as child labor in Western cultures, in Eastern culture, particularly in Japan, it's seen as a holistic practice that helps children become more responsible citizens.

Teachers in Japan typically only get holidays on national holidays. When students have their summer break, teachers continue with their responsibilities at school. Compared to the educational programs of many advanced countries, Japan’s education system is rather strict. The school year runs from April to March of the following year. Summer vacation lasts about six weeks, and the winter and spring breaks are around two weeks. Classes usually begin at 8:30 AM and end at 3:00 PM. The school week is five days long, from Monday to Friday.

Even during the summer break, students participate in club activities like sports clubs. They are also assigned homework to complete during the vacation. It may surprise you, but Japanese teachers hardly ever experience an actual break, except on national holidays. Aside from teaching, they have additional duties, such as overseeing student clubs. In Japan’s middle schools, for example, students join one or more clubs, and the teachers serve as the managers of those clubs. During regular vacations, these clubs continue their activities. Moreover, training activities and guidance for student sports competitions continue throughout the break. Lastly, the overwhelming amount of homework ensures that students cannot truly rest during their summer vacation.

In Japanese schools, it is common practice to require students to wear a separate pair of shoes when entering the classroom to maintain cleanliness. Schools in Japan ask students to switch to soft shoes upon entering the school grounds to prevent bringing dirt from outside and to help keep the classrooms clean. Everyone wears the same type of shoes, which can be attributed to the relatively low emphasis on individualism in Japan, where schools encourage the idea that "everyone is the same, we are a collective."

Moreover, elementary school students use identical covers for their school bags, featuring the school logo and name for social recognition and protection. In middle schools, students often receive gym bags and shoe bags that match the school's logo. These bags also feature reflective safety stripes to reduce the risk of accidents when students leave school late at night. Removing shoes upon entering the school is not only about maintaining cleanliness but, more importantly, teaching students that no matter their family background, everyone is equal. The uniform and identical shoes symbolize equality, leaving no distinction between the rich and the poor.

In Japan, students involved in sports clubs usually practice before and after school. Therefore, it is common for them to wake up early or return home late regularly. However, not every student can manage this, as it requires a high level of determination and perseverance. Sports clubs, especially those at schools in Japan, hold activities both before and after school hours.

Some of these clubs require members to run several kilometers every day to stay in shape, which can lead to fatigue and sleepiness. However, students rarely arrive at school drenched in sweat, as most of them get up early and stay late to complete club activities. Nearly all Japanese students join a club that aligns with their interests, even though these activities can be exhausting. While it may seem demanding, most students enjoy and feel fulfilled participating in these clubs, and working hard to excel in them gives them a sense of pride. Equally important is the moral education imparted through extracurricular activities. One of the most popular events in Japan is the annual school sports festival, starting from elementary school. All students are required to participate either as athletes or cheerleaders, and families are encouraged to join in as well.

Japan is known for its unique cultural practices, which make the "Land of the Rising Sun" an enticing destination. As one of the world’s largest economies and countries with the lowest crime rates, Japan is famous for its fashion and entertainment subcultures, futuristic inventions, centuries-old traditions, and the blending of Eastern and Western customs, as well as its world-class cuisine. Japan may be one of the most advanced nations in science and technology, but you might reconsider this view if you get the chance to visit their schools.

In many classrooms, pens and paper are still preferred over electronic devices. However, technology is gradually making its way into schools to improve teaching resources and upgrade the school infrastructure. Not all schools are equipped with the latest high-tech devices, as many people outside Japan might expect, given the country’s reputation for innovation in technology. Older schools, in particular, have not updated their technology for many years. Outdated equipment, such as CD players, printers, and fax machines, can still be found in many elementary, middle, and high schools across the country. Instead of air conditioning, electric fans are commonly used to save electricity, and during winter, few schools use central heating systems. Oil heaters are the most commonly used heating devices. Furthermore, traditional learning materials and textbooks are still in use in many classrooms, rather than the whiteboards that are common in other countries.

Every day, a Japanese student is likely to have a long list of tasks to complete. In addition to regular classroom hours, they may engage in extracurricular activities and club meetings before and after school. They also often stay up late to complete homework or attend cram schools for exam preparation. As a result, they have very little time for rest. This is why it is completely normal for some students to doze off in class, with teachers typically offering just one or two gentle reminders, without any intention of scolding or punishing these students.

Falling asleep in class has become an ordinary occurrence in Japan. It is rare to find a lesson where at least a few students aren't nodding off here and there. Japanese people can sleep just about anywhere: in parks, on trains, or in classrooms. Nodding off during the day is seen in Japan as just a momentary lapse in concentration, rather than something negative. Moreover, dozing off shows that you were working hard the previous night. Even if someone is asleep, they can wake up at any time if necessary.

The Japanese are renowned for their knowledge, longevity, politeness, and good living attitudes. Stories about the lives of Japanese people, from the smallest habits to the collective mindset, continue to inspire admiration worldwide.

To achieve these remarkable human accomplishments, Japan invested in universal education centuries ago. Today, many people admire the country’s education system, often considered a global standard. Teachers bear significant responsibility for children’s development, demonstrated by the nurturing learning environment they create, their support outside of class hours, and their collaboration with parents to help children overcome difficulties and grow holistically.

Article 26 of the Japanese Constitution guarantees that everyone has the right to receive equal education. Therefore, unlike in some countries where teachers may expel unruly students from class, Japanese educators remain calm and patient, completing the lesson regardless. The student is allowed to stay in class and hear the entire lesson. Teachers impart to children the value of helping each other overcome challenges, an essential moral value in Japanese tradition. This also serves as an opportunity for weaker students to improve while more advanced students learn valuable lessons from their peers.

To minimize social class differences, school cafeterias in Japan typically serve the same menu to all students on any given day. No exceptions – everyone must finish their lunch within a set timeframe determined by the school. Much like the class duty system, students take turns serving lunch to their peers. They are also responsible for the entire cleaning process afterward. In Japan, students are expected to be self-reliant in nearly every aspect of their school life.

Moreover, most public schools in Japan do not have canteens, making it impossible to purchase food from outside. If students are allowed to bring food from home, it must first be approved by the school. Notably, students themselves prepare their lunch. A group of students will dress in kitchen uniforms, donning white hats and aprons, and cook the meals. Once everyone has finished eating, the students will clean up, a process that is closely monitored by the teachers. This approach to education teaches Japanese children the values of caring for others and taking responsibility for maintaining a clean environment.

Most countries around the world prohibit eating in classrooms, considering it unhygienic, even during lunchtime. However, this is not the case for students in Japan. They rearrange their classrooms and have lunch right there in their own rooms. In fact, teachers can even join their students for lunch. This practice helps bridge the gap, allowing everyone to grow closer and fostering opportunities for interaction with classmates, not just close friends.

A teacher's happiness is essential for student happiness. For a teacher, fulfillment doesn't only come from students' academic achievements or a good salary, but from continuous self-improvement, creativity, and the joy of seeing their students succeed. According to Joseph Tobin, an American professor who has extensively researched and compared education in Japan, the US, and Europe, Japan's educational approach is starkly different from that of Western countries. Allowing students to eat lunch together in this manner reflects the Japanese philosophy of individual responsibility and the importance of community integration.