School Uniforms

Previously, I have detailed the structure of how students begin and end class, using set phrases to fetch their respective teachers and commence with instruction. Here I will detail some observations I have noted about school uniforms and their regulations.

School Uniforms

In Japanese public schools, students must wear a uniform in junior high school and high school. Elementary schools and kindergartens do not have set uniforms, but they do have required P.E. attire that must be purchased through the school, and thus is all matching.

The uniforms for junior high school students are gender and seasonally segregated. Girls wear pleated skirts, usually navy blue or black, though some schools may pick out plaid or another design. Boys wear black pants with a black belt. The skirts must reach below the knee. In high school, girls may wear their skirts above the knee (which is what people often see in anime shows). In summer time, students wear a white button down shirt, either long or short sleeved depending on their individual preferences in regards to daily temperature fluctuations. These white shirts must be tucked in at all times. At some point during the fall, the school deems the weather cold enough to don the uniform jackets, which match the skirts and pants in color. The students are given about a week in which either the white shirt or the jacket is acceptable before they must wear the jackets, lest grade points get docked. The same happens in spring when the weather begins to warm, and they are given a one-week grace period in which they may wear either the shirt or jacket. Although I have not personally priced the uniforms, I heard from another ALT that a single uniform purchased as a set (all pieces included) totals around 50,000 yen (~$500).

Track Suits

For P.E. class and cleaning time, the students wear a “track suit” that is school specific. These P.E. uniforms have much more variation between schools than the regular class uniform, often with varying colors and patterns, and are reminiscent of sports attire. The track suit consists of a white t-shirt with the school logo, shorts, pants, and a jacket which also bears the school logo. Unlike the class uniforms, it seems the track suits are not regulated, and the students may wear either pants or shorts, depending on the weather and their personal preferences, and usually only wear the jacket if the weather is cold. The t-shirts for the track suit must also be tucked in at all times. Occasionally the students will wear their track suits to class, perhaps if they have just ended their P.E. class for the day and did not have time to change back into their uniforms, or if there is only one class between P.E. and cleaning time.

P.E. class also includes swimming, so students are required to have proper swim attire. The swim attire is not regulated as long as it is appropriate. For boys, this entails speedo-style shorts, and for girls, a speedo-style one piece, or a tight-fitting shirt and shorts made of swim material. In Japan, it is also a requirement to use a swim cap and goggles for both boys and girls at any time they are in the pool. Since most schools’ pools are outdoors, swimming usually only happens during the summer months, and the pool is drained during the winter months.

The students change frequently between their uniforms and track suits, depending on what class they have next. They use their passing periods between classes to change. Girls use a separate classroom with curtains drawn across the windows. Boys are also supposed to change within the classroom, but occasionally, a rebellious boy can be seen dressing or undressing in the hallways. The teachers don’t seem to mind this, and the boys are never reprimanded for being half naked in the hallways.

Accessories

Along with the clothing parts to the uniforms, there are several matching accessories that the students must all possess. These items include matching book bags or backpacks, matching bike helmets (white with a color-coded stripe to denote grade), indoor-use-only sneakers (also white with the color-coded stripe), and name tags which must be worn on the white shirt or jacket on the left breast pocket. In general, sports uniforms are owned by the school, so students do not have to purchase those. The number of the uniform is assigned via seniority, and the number “one” uniform goes to the team captain.