Tag: japanese schools

Why do small children in Japan ride the subway alone?

February 26, 2025
Categories: ENGLISH EDITION
Tags: character education japan, cram schools japan, discipline in japanese schools, hito-zukuri, japanese classroom, japanese culture and education, japanese education philosophy, japanese education system, japanese primary schools, japanese school children, japanese school life, japanese school system strengths and weaknesses, japanese schools

As the final bell rings, a flurry of six- and seven-year-olds dash out of class at Minami Ikebukuro Primary School in Tokyo: hats on, water bottles flying. Four girls are left behind; it’s their turn to clean up. They pull child-sized brooms from a cupboard and get to work. Four brushes knock together as they gather paper shreds and dirt. “It always gets dusty here,” says Mariya, pointing to grooves in the floor. The others rush over to help. By cleaning, children learn not to make a mess in the first place, says Kohashiguchi Megumi, the teacher. They also learn ... Read more