A Day of Firsts

The first day of school at my high school was this past Wednesday, and with it came Masaki's first day of school in the US. To help him reflect on his first impressions and to share with us what school is like in Japan, I asked him some questions about the differences between our school systems.

1. What are some of the most notable differences between school in the U.S.A. and Japan?

We have 11 periods in the U.S. but in Japan, we have only 6 periods.

2. Do students wear uniforms in Japanese schools?

Yes, exactly. I usually wore a uniform everyday for school in Japan.

3. How do you get to school?

By train, it takes about 30 minutes.

4. How long is your school day in Japan? How long and at what times of year do you have school vacation?

Our school day is seven hours long. We have school break three times during the year for five or six weeks during summer, three weeks during winter, and two weeks during spring.

5. How much time do you spend doing homework or studying in Japan?

About three hours

6. Thirty years from now, what do you think you will remember about this day?

I don't know, but I hope I will think it would be my best experience from my exchange year.

7. Do you have anything else you would like to share with my readers?

There are NO NINJA and SAMURAI anymore in Japan.

Thank you very much for the interview Masaki, and I hope you have a great experience in high school!

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Photo is of Masaki's school in Tokyo, Japan.