Interesting Facts

Over 95 percent of the Japanese people are literate.

Aside from formal education, Japan is also known to have “shadow education”, where home tutors and prep schools make their mark. The most famous of these are known as “juku” or cram schools.

Japanese schoolchildren usually average six hours a day in school.

Their summer break is six weeks long and they have two weeks’ break each for spring and winter breaks as well. They are also given homework to finish. Compared to American students, they stay in school six weeks longer.

For students wishing to study abroad, it can be a nuisance getting into foreign education systems because they are often made to wait at least a half-year before getting in. This is due to the difference in academic calendars.

Almost all junior high schools require their students to wear the school uniform.

It is easy for a student to transfer schools because of a national curriculum that is implemented in all the schools. This is also makes it hard for students who have studied abroad for a time and come back to the Japanese school system.