About Japanese middle school and high school life and Japanese festivals

◆Going to school

1 Tongxue Road

In order to ensure the safety of going to and from school, the path to and from school is pre-selected, called "Tongxue Road" ". The school carefully selects the road with less danger and easier school management as the "road to school". Please use "Tongxue Road".

2 Ways to go to school

○Go to school in groups

Going to school in groups means that the surrounding children form a group and gather at a designated place to go together. Ways to go to school.

○Going to school alone

Going to school alone is a way of going to school alone or by inviting children nearby. Most junior high schools use separate schooling.

◆Class time (time when classes start)

The school starts classes between 8:25 and 30. Please enter the classroom about 10 minutes before class starts. Those who have not arrived at school during class are considered "late". If your child will be late or unable to go to school due to illness, you must contact the school.

◆School time

The number of classes and the time after school are basically the same from the first to the third grade of junior high school. Classes start around 8:30 in the morning, with 4 classes in the morning (a class usually lasts 50 minutes), and about 2 classes in the afternoon after lunch (school food or packed lunches) There are about 5 to 6 classes a day. Each course is taught by a different teacher.

◆School meals (lunches prepared by the school) and lunch boxes (lunches brought by one’s own)

School meals (lunches prepared by the school) are prepared and packed by the students themselves, and a rotation system is implemented. Students whose turn it is to be on school meal duty are called "Geishi Dangban" or "Geishi Department". However, at the beginning of the semester and during special events, school meals may not be available. In addition, students are sometimes required to bring their own lunch boxes. The school will notify you in advance. If you are unable to eat school meals due to religious or health reasons, please discuss it with your homeroom teacher. The cost of school meals is borne by parents. One month is about 3,500 yen to 4,500 yen. Most junior high schools in Osaka Prefecture do not have school meals. Please bring your own packed lunch.

◆Cleaning time

Cleaning time is before school in junior high school. Students and teachers work together to clean school classrooms, stairs, corridors, toilets, etc.

As part of the teaching activities, the purpose of this activity is to cultivate students' habit of "maintaining their own learning environment"

.

◆Extracurricular activities (club activities)

You can stay in school after school to carry out your favorite cultural and sports activities. A free-to-attend event.

◆After school

Just like when you go to school, go home from "Tongxue Road". School dismissal times vary by school year and day. It is documented on the course schedule.

However, when there are school activities, the time will change. The school will notify you in advance.

◆Clothing

Junior high schools basically require students to wear uniforms. You must wear the clothing specified by each school (summer clothes, winter clothes, etc.). In the "Physical Education" class, you should put on gymnastics clothes that are convenient for exercise. Some schools require you to wear gym-specific shoes in the gym. For summer "swimming" classes, you must bring your own swimming suit and swimming cap, and write your name on your swimming suit and hat. Please confirm the above with

your school.

◆Class

A class consists of no more than 40 students. In addition to the head teacher, there may also be a deputy head teacher. Each course is taught by a different teacher.

※ Class activities such as teaching, opening and closing of each course, and various school activities are mostly conducted in class units. If you have any questions

that you don’t know or are confused about, please discuss it with your class teacher immediately.

◆Learning content

○Junior high school curriculum:

The subjects studied in junior high school on the basis of primary school include: Chinese, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Music, Art, Sports, Technology, Family Foreign Languages

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(English)

※ In addition to the above courses, there are also ethics classes and special activities (class activities, student union activities, club activities and school activities

activities) and Comprehensive study courses and elective courses.

○Special Events

Student Union Activities In order to make school life more enjoyable, there are activities organized by students voluntarily.

◆Learning Tools

Textbooks are free. In principle, each family is responsible for preparing necessities other than textbooks. Some of the courses with practical skills require you to prepare your own special tools.

Language→brushes, ink, etc.

Family→tailoring utensils, etc.

◆About dispatching translators

In order to help those with low Japanese proficiency Parents and students can communicate smoothly with the school and class teachers, and a translator dispatch system is in place

Please ask your school teacher for details.

◆Health Examination

About Health Examination

In Japanese schools, health examinations (physical examinations) are conducted regularly or as needed. Health examinations mainly include the following types of health examinations (investigation of diseases suffered in the past and current health status)

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Examination (only for the fourth grade of primary school) and hearing examination.

1 Tuberculosis examination (tuberculin reaction) is mainly targeted at all students in the first grade of elementary school and the first grade of junior high school.

2 Heart examination (electrocardiogram) is mainly targeted at all students in the first grade of junior high school.

3 Urine test Nasal test

※In addition, health examinations are also conducted as necessary before swimming lessons, marathons and mountain climbing, and before departure for school trips.

◆Regular examinations

Junior high schools have 5 to 6 regular examinations (midterm examinations and final examinations) every year. Some courses have exams once, twice, or no exams per semester and are graded based on their usual attitude in class. The period of regular examination is 2 to 3 days. In addition to regular examinations

some schools also conduct homework tests or ability tests. Please check with your school teacher for details.

◆Notice

The notice records the student's academic performance in school and participation in various school activities. It will be handed out during the closing ceremony and parents will read it

After that, it will be returned to the class teacher at the beginning of the next semester (usually the day of the opening ceremony).

Specific answers to specific questions

1. The opening ceremony in April, the entrance ceremony, the dormitory ceremony, and various LHRs (home rooms) will be held on the 10th.

June PTA meeting (parents meeting)

There will be a holiday on July 20th, and various competitions (Koshien, garden, college overall, etc.) will be held to support

The second semester will start in September. Sports Festival (Sports Games)

October School Festival (2-3 days), school trips (3-5 days), etc.

There is a holiday on December 25th, and there is winter The selected schools will go to cheers

The third semester will start on January 10th, and there will be various on-campus activities. This is the tanka haiku competition

February final exam

< p>Graduation ceremony at the beginning of March, followed by the final ceremony for the first and second years of high school

(That’s roughly it, there are many more, anyway, there are activities all the time, so you can’t really attend classes for several weeks)

< p>2. Chinese, mathematics, English, social studies, science, family, music, and physical education are all compulsory.

Among them

The social studies include Japanese history, world history, geography, and modern society. Ethics, political economy, etc.

Science subjects include physics, chemistry, biology, earth science

There are also electives, such as fine arts, etc. (no one studies them)

Also There are various volunteer activities

3. 8:50--HR (usually come at 8:00)

8:55--9:45 1 limit

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9:55--10:45 2 limits

10:55--11:45 3 limits

11:55--12:45 4 limits< /p>

-----------------------Lunch break + meal (not enough at all)

13:30--13:00 45 Cleaning

13:45--14:35 5 only for PE class is over

14:45--15:35 6 is for all after HR

(Then it’s okay. Those who have work go to work, those who want to study go to cram school, and those who want to have fun go have fun)

Statutory holidays

January 1st——New Year’s Day ( New Year's Day) According to Japanese customs, a general cleaning is required before New Year's Eve, and a straw rope is hung at the door, oranges are inserted (called "Shulian rope"), and pine, bamboo, and plum trees are placed in front of the door (called "Kadomatsu", which is now used Pictures instead), meaning auspicious. On New Year's Eve, the whole family gathers together to eat New Year noodles and listen to the "New Year's Eve bell" at midnight to stay up late. Eat rice cake soup (called "zazhu") on the morning of New Year's Day.

The second Monday in January - Adult Day (Adult Day) is a festival to celebrate the independence of young men and women who have reached the age of 20. The administrative agencies of various cities, towns and villages hold adult festivals. Ceremony of ceremony.

Japan’s Kimono February 11th——National Day (Foundation Day) According to Japanese mythology, Emperor Jimmu unified Japan on February 11th, 660 BC and established the country of Japan. Therefore, this day is designated as the Founding Day in the Constitution.

March 21st - the Vernal Equinox (Spring Equinox) is the day for sweeping tombs and worshiping ancestors.

Japanese people will go to shrines to worship at the beginning of the year, which is called "Hatsuda". April 29th - Arbor Day (Green Day) is the birthday of Emperor Showa Hirohito. It was already the birthday of Emperor Hirohito during his reign. A national statutory holiday, the name was changed to its current name after Hirohito's death, and it is still retained as a national statutory holiday.

May 3rd - Constitutional Memorial Day (Constitutional Memorial Day) On May 3rd, 1947, Japan's current constitution came into effect, so this day was designated as a memorial day.

May 4th - National Day off (National Day off)

May 5th - Children's Day (こどもの日) and the Dragon Boat Festival are also here one day. It is a day to celebrate the growth of children and pray for happiness. Its specific form is that families with boys hang carp streamers on high poles outdoors and place samurai dolls.

The third Monday in July----Sea Festival (海の日) Japan is surrounded by the sea. It was established in order to thank the grace received from the ocean and pray for it to become a maritime country with prosperous national fortunes.

September 15th - Respect for the Aged Day (Respect for the Aged Day) is a festival created in 1966 with the purpose of respecting and thanking the elderly.

September 23 - the autumnal equinox (the day of the autumnal equinox) varies according to the calendar every year. Just like the spring equinox, it is necessary to sweep tombs and worship ancestors.

The second Monday in October - Sports Day (Sports Day) commemorates the opening ceremony of the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

November 3rd - Cultural Festival (Cultural Day) Before 1954, it was a festival established to commemorate the birthday of Emperor Meiji. Japan promulgated its new constitution on November 3, 1964. Therefore, this day was changed to a cultural festival to promote the social principles of loving freedom, equality and promoting cultural undertakings.

November 23rd - Labor Thanksgiving Day (Thanksgiving Day for Hardworking). This is the harvest season. In order to express gratitude for the harvest, the purpose of thanking labor was established. festival.

December 23rd—Emperor’s Birthday (Emperor’s Birthday) Emperor Akihito was born on December 23, 1933. Since Akihito is still alive, according to Japanese etiquette, he can never be called "era name (Heisei) + emperor", and should be called the current emperor. (There are many misconceptions about Emperor Heisei).

The Japanese constitution stipulates 15 holidays.

[Edit this paragraph] Folk Festival

February 2nd - Setsubun. The day before the beginning of spring, soybeans are scattered to attract good fortune and drive away ghosts.

February 14th - Valentine's Day

March 3rd - Puppet Festival, also known as Peach Blossom Festival, is a festival for girls

Early April----Cherry Blossom Viewing

April 29th to May 5th----Golden Week

Second Sunday in May- ---Mother's Day

July 17----Flower Parade in Gion, Kyoto

August 6----Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Memorial Day

August 15th - Anniversary of the End of the War

Mid-August - Bon Festival National Movement

August 16th - ---Kyoto Daimonji Sends Spiritual Fire

September 1st——Disaster Prevention Day commemorates the Great Kanto Earthquake and enhances disaster prevention awareness.

November 15th——Qi53 is a holiday for children aged 7, 5 and 3 years old.

December 25th—Christmas

December 31st—New Year’s Eve

New Year

In Japanese tradition, the New Year is a time to thank the gods who have brought abundant harvests, and it is also a time to welcome the ancestors and gods who have blessed you. The Japanese are accustomed to hanging pine, bamboo and straw ropes on both sides of the door to welcome these gods and spirits. At the beginning of the year, people express their gratitude to God and the spirits of their ancestors and pray for a good harvest in the new year. For the Japanese, New Year is the most important holiday of the year. Many people make plans and resolutions at this time.

New Year's Cards

During the New Year, people receive greeting cards from relatives, friends and acquaintances, called "New Year's Greetings". In 2003, Japanese people sent approximately 3.5 billion greeting cards for the New Year.

Visiting a temple for the first time (Hatsuzuki)

On New Year's Day, relatives and friends gather together and everyone makes an appointment to visit a Shinto or Buddhist temple. This activity is called "Hatsusho" Yi". If people go to a Shinto temple, they will choose a temple that is in a "favorable position" relative to their family. The purpose of visiting the shrine is also to pray for a good harvest and family peace.

The largest number of worshipers is Meiji Shrine in Tokyo (3 million in 2003), followed by Kawasaki in Kanagawa (2.6 million), and Naritagawa Shinshuji Temple in Chiba (2.65 million).

New Year's money

During the New Year, children receive New Year's money from their parents and relatives. So there is a special reason why children look forward to the arrival of the New Year. In recent years, it is common for children in junior high or high school to receive lucky money of 5,000 or 10,000 yen each. To put it all together, children often receive New Year's money totaling tens of thousands of yen.

New Year Games

In the past, almost all children would participate in some outdoor activities, such as flying kites, spinning tops, or a badminton-like sport called "feathering". Indoor games include "Ugaruta," a poker game that tests participants' memory of poems from the "Hundred Ones" poetry collection, and "Sugoroku," a backgammon-like board game. But today's children are surrounded by new and flashy modern game shows, and these games of the past are less attractive.

Spring:

The Beginning of Spring ("Festival")

According to the lunar calendar adopted in 1873, the calculation of months lags about one and a half months behind the modern calendar. The arrival of spring, Rishun ("beginning of spring" or "setsubun"), is designated on the third or fourth day of the second month of the new year. Some commemorative activities for the beginning of spring are held on February 3rd or 4th, although this time happens to be the coldest winter day in Japan. On this festival, Japanese people open their doors and windows, shouting "Ghosts go out, luck comes in" and scatter beans. It is said that eating the same number of beans as your age on this day will be beneficial to your health. This custom was originally held in the palace on the last day of the lunar calendar, symbolizing driving away ghosts, winter cold and gloom, and welcoming the arrival of the new bright spring.

Doll Festival ("Hina Festival")

Doll Festival is celebrated on March 3rd, which is not far from spring. This is an annual day for young girls to pray for happiness and healthy growth. On this day, every household displays dolls and peach blossoms dressed in traditional palace attire, as well as offering diamond-shaped rice cakes and dry rice balls. The Festival of Dolls derives from ancient beliefs about ritual purification. It was believed that human sins and filth could be washed away through purification rituals along the river. Later, paper dolls were used in these ceremonies; after the Edo period (1600-1868), these dolls were designed to look like today's toys.

Spring Equinox

The Spring Equinox is around March 21st. On this day, people must visit the graves of their deceased friends and ask Buddhist monks to recite sutras. A similar festival is called the Autumnal Equinox, commemorated annually on September 23rd.

Cherry Blossom Viewing

In late March and early April, in most places in Japan, the cherry blossoms that symbolize the country of Japan are in full bloom. Japanese people held picnics under the cherry blossom trees and had fun. Since the Edo period, the custom of picnicking under the cherry blossom trees has been very popular among ordinary Japanese people.

Golden Week

April is a nervous time for students who have just started a new school year and new company employees. April also happens to be the beginning of Japan's fiscal year. However, starting from the end of April, many people have the opportunity to take a week to 10 days off, because there are many festivals during this period: Green Day on April 29, Constitution Day on May 3, and May 5 children's day. In addition, since 1985, May 4th has also been designated as a public holiday. Therefore, this period is called Golden Week. During this time, the weather is warm and sunny, suitable for short trips. Tourist resorts across Japan are bustling with tourists. Golden Week is famous for its traffic jams.

Children's Day ("Dragon Boat Festival")

Children's Day in Japan falls on May 5th during Golden Week. Traditionally called Boys' Day, it is a festival specially set up for boys, with the purpose of praying for healthy growth and future career success. Customs such as placing carp streamers, dolls in samurai costumes, and eating rice dumplings and kashiwa mochi are very popular in Japan. In ancient times, May was considered the worst month of the year, and the fifth day of May was even more unlucky. The "Dragon Boat Festival" began as a purification ritual to drive away evil spirits and eliminate filth. On this day, the Japanese still have the custom of taking a hot bath in a pot filled with calamus (a kind of plant). Tradition believed that the leaves had curative properties and could ward off evil spirits.

Summer:

Qixi Festival (Qiqiao Festival)

This is a fusion of Chinese legends and ancient Japanese customs. The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl are separated on the east and west sides of the Milky Way and can only meet each other on July 7 every year. It is said that in Japan, the Tanabata Festival began in the sixth year of Emperor Shomu's reign. On this day, people tie colored papers with poems and wishes written on them to bamboo poles. The wishes made on this day will come true. Today, Tanabata is celebrated in many places in Japan. The most famous places are Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto Prefecture, Kotopira Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture, Hiratsuka City in Kanagawa Prefecture, and Takaoka City in Toyama Prefecture. In addition, Sendai Tanabata is celebrated one month after Tanabata in other places in Japan, that is, August 7, which is closer to the day that should be Tanabata according to the lunar calendar.

Fireworks

In summer, the night sky across Japan is dotted with colorful fireworks, and fireworks shows are held in many places. Japanese fireworks technology is said to be the best in the world and has been passed down from the Edo period. Today, fireworks displays are often computer-controlled, ensuring accuracy and spectacular results. In Tokyo, the fireworks display along the Sumida River has been very famous since the Edo period.

Obon ("Bon")

"Bon" is an annual day to welcome and comfort the spirits of our ancestors. It is said that the spirits of ancestors come to the home on this day. According to tradition, "Pen" is commemorated on the 17th day of July in the lunar calendar. Now, some people carry out relevant activities from July 13th to 15th, and others from August 13th to 15th. On the 13th, people light fires to welcome the spirits of their ancestors. On the 16th, people light farewell fires to send the ghosts of their ancestors back. During the "Basin" period, many companies and stores are on vacation, because people who work in other places have to go back with their wives and children. Just like during Golden Week, traffic will be very heavy at this time.

Autumn:

Mid-Autumn Festival ("Moon Seeing")

According to the lunar calendar, the full moon is around mid-September and is the Mid-Autumn Festival. People gather to admire the moon on this day.

This custom originally originated in China and spread to Japan during the Heian period (794–1185). During this festival, people decorate their houses with miscanthus and offer their own rice noodles and autumn harvest crops to the moon.

Shichigosan

November 15th is the day when boys aged three and five and girls aged five and seven visit the shrine. According to tradition, little boys wear men's kimonos and little girls wear kimonos. But now, children also wear other clothes. On this day, the children's parents will go to the store to buy a candy called Chitose candy for their children. It is said that this candy can bring longevity to the children. The whole family was busy eating red beans, rice and bream with head and tail.

Winter:

Year-end parties ("year-end parties")

The year-end parties start in December. Japanese people like to hold many year-end parties in bars and restaurants, called "New Year's Eve Party". The purpose of these gatherings is to thank people for their hard work, forget their unhappiness, and enjoy themselves at the end of the year. The Japanese love these gatherings very much, and people of different ages and groups, including students and company employees, are busy planning these events. In most cases, the parties are hosted and paid for by the company.

Christmas

In Japan, Christmas is becoming more and more popular. Whether they are Christians or not, people like to decorate Christmas trees, eat Christmas cakes and exchange gifts with each other. It's a happy time for children as they wait for Santa Claus to bring gifts.

New Year's Eve ("Big Day")

After Christmas and the grand year-end party, it will soon be December 31st, which is New Year's Eve in Japan. Before midnight, Buddhist temples across the country ring New Year's bells, a ritual called the "Great Night Bell." The bell rings 108 times, symbolizing the purification of 108 worldly desires. Then, as the celebrations of the first month kick off, the new year begins.