The New Beginnings of Japanese Children in Spring
Life in Japan – Issue 022
This Saturday article is part of the “Life in Japan” series.
Unlike the in-depth essays published on Tuesdays, this series focuses on everyday life in Japan, sharing seasonal changes and daily scenes from a more personal and familiar perspective.
This week in Japan, entrance ceremonies for elementary schools were held across the country. In many parts of the world, it may not be common to celebrate entering school as such a large formal occasion. In Japan, however, the entrance ceremony is one of the defining scenes of spring, and it is regarded as an important milestone for both children and their families.
Japan uses an age-based school system, so children who are six years old as of April enter the first grade of elementary school at the same time. From there, everyone advances together each year. This system is one reason why the entrance ceremony is widely seen as a shared starting line across Japanese society.
On this day, a special atmosphere surrounds the schools. Children stand beside their families dressed in formal clothes, wearing small suits or dresses, with slightly nervous expressions. Parents accompany them in formal attire, and it is not unusual to see grandparents there as well. In front of the school gates, signs reading “Entrance Ceremony” are placed, and families line up one after another to take commemorative photographs. The sight of families smiling around their children can be seen throughout Japan at this time of year.
In recent years, even live television broadcasts have reflected a change in attitude. Celebrities and announcers sometimes say, “I will join a little late because of my child’s entrance ceremony,” and many viewers accept it naturally. I believe this growing respect for family events is also part of the reason entrance ceremonies continue to hold such importance in Japanese society.
I still remember my own entrance ceremony day. It was many years ago, but I walked to school with my parents wearing a blazer, feeling proud, as though I had stepped a little closer to adulthood. I still clearly remember taking a family photograph in front of the school gate.
Surrounded by spring cherry blossoms, children stand in line with their new randoseru backpacks on that bright and celebratory day. Then, from the very next morning, a new daily life begins. In Japan, walking to school is the standard form of commuting for elementary school students. Many children make their way to school on their own, without their parents accompanying them. At this time of year, local volunteers stand at crosswalks to watch over first graders who are walking the route for the first time. It is also common to see older students walking beside younger ones, adjusting their pace to match them.
The fact that children can ride public transportation alone or walk to school by themselves is also a symbol of Japan as a relatively safe society. There is a system in place in which not only schools and families, but the wider local community also supports children. At the same time, changes have begun to appear in that sense of safety. Whenever incidents or troubling news involving elementary school children are reported, many parents feel anxiety. More families are giving children GPS devices or driving them to school, reflecting the complex realities facing Japan today.
And spring also brings its own difficulties. While many bright and pleasant days continue, there are increasing days when the air appears hazy. The outlines of distant mountains and buildings blur, and the blue sky sometimes looks faintly white. The causes are fine particles such as yellow dust and PM2.5. In addition to seasonal pollen allergies, concerns about the health effects of airborne particles such as yellow dust and PM2.5 seem to be growing year by year.
Spring should be a season that makes people want to step outside, yet it is also a time when we must face issues of air quality. Watching children begin their new lives, I am reminded how much I hope for a society where they can walk freely beneath clear skies without anxiety. Children commuting safely, and families quietly watching over their growth. I hope such ordinary days will continue into the future.
In the place where you live, what kinds of worries or seasonal challenges come with spring? Is it pollen, changing weather, or perhaps a completely different landscape? If you would like, I would love to hear the story of spring where you are.
—Written by Sumire
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