Take a look at campus life in Japan (I really wish I could be there~)

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◆There are two systems for academic years: the academic-year system and the credit system. In high schools with a school-year system, the subjects to be studied in each academic year are predetermined. (There are also some courses that can be chosen by oneself.) If there are many instances of being absent* (failing to attend classes), if homework is not submitted, and if exam scores are too poor, it will result in the inability to advance to the next level (this is known as \"remaining in the same grade\"). If you are held back, you must repeat the courses for that academic year. In schools with a credit system, there are no academic years. There is also no system of repeating a grade. If all the required courses for graduation are passed, one can graduate. ◆Credit: The number of class hours per week for each subject is referred to as credit (a unit). For example, if there are 4 math classes in a week, it counts as 4 credits. In most schools, one year of study is sufficient to earn credits for that subject. ◆Class start time: Schools begin classes between 8:25 and 8:30. ◆Being late means arriving at school after class has already started; that’s considered being late. Being late too often can lead to a lack of * credits, and it’s possible not to earn any credits at all. In case of being late or taking sick leave, it is necessary to contact the school. ◆School hours: High school classes start around 8:30 in the morning, with 4 classes in the morning (each class usually lasts 50 minutes); after lunch (which is brought from home), there are 2 more classes in the afternoon. Different teachers teach each course. ◆Bento boxes (lunch brought from home): High schools in Osaka Prefecture do not provide school meals. Please bring your own lunch, but some schools have a cafeteria. ◆Cleaning time: The time after school ends in high schools is designated as cleaning time. Students and teachers clean the school’s classrooms, stairs, corridors, toilets, and more together. Let’s be the ones to maintain our own learning environment. ◆Extra-curricular activities (club activities): After school, students can stay at school to engage in their favorite cultural and sports activities. For activities to be attended freely. ◆In high schools, students are generally required to wear uniforms. One must wear the clothing specified by each school (including summer and winter outfits, etc.). “For physical education class, one should put on gymnastics clothes that are convenient for exercising. Some schools require students to wear shoes designed for the gymnasium there. For the “swimming” classes in summer, you need to bring your own swimsuit and swim cap, and write your name on them. Please check with your school for details. ◆Class: A class consists of no more than 40 students. In addition to the homeroom teacher, there may also be an assistant homeroom teacher. Different teachers teach each course. ※ Class activities such as teaching, the start and end of courses, as well as various school activities, are mostly carried out on a class basis. If there is anything you do not know or are unsure about, please discuss it immediately with your homeroom teacher. ◆Subjects in high school include: Chinese (modern and classical texts), Social Studies (geography, history), Citizenship (modern society, etc.), Mathematics, Science (physics, biology, chemistry, etc.), Physical Education, Arts (art, calligraphy, music, etc.), Foreign Languages (English, Chinese, etc.), and Home Economics. There are schools with specialized disciplines, where students study according to their respective specialized courses. ※ In addition to the courses mentioned above, there are also moral education classes and special activities (class activities, student council activities, club activities, and school events). ○Special events: Student council activities: Activities organized voluntarily by students to make school life more enjoyable. ◆Learning* tools: Textbooks require payment. Items necessary other than textbooks are to be prepared by each family. In courses such as the arts that involve practical skills, some require students to prepare their own specialized tools. ◆Regarding the provision of translators: To enable parents and students with limited Japanese proficiency to communicate smoothly with the school and their homeroom teachers, a system for providing translators is in place. For details, please consult the school teacher. ◆Health checks 【Regarding health checks】 In schools in Japan, health checks (medical examinations) are conducted regularly or as needed. There are mainly the following types of health checks. Health check-up (investigating past illnesses and current health status). Color vision test (limited to 4th grade of elementary school), hearing test. 1 Tuberculosis screening (tuberculin test) is conducted for students who were not screened in elementary and junior high school. 2 Heart examination (electrocardiogram) 3 Urine test, parasite test ※In addition, health checks are also conducted as needed before swimming classes, before marathons and mountaineering trips, and before school field trips. ◆Regular exams: High school students take 5 to 6 regular exams each year (midterm and final exams). In some courses, there is one or two exams per semester, or no exams at all; instead, grades are determined based on the student’s performance in class. The duration of the regular exams is 2 to 3 days. Some schools, in addition to regular exams, also conduct homework tests or ability tests. For details, please check with the school teachers. ◆Notice: The notice records the student’s academic performance at school as well as their participation in various school activities. It is distributed at the end-of-term ceremony; after parents have taken a look at it, it is returned to the homeroom teacher at the start of the next semester (usually on the day of the opening ceremony). What is high school life like? School starts in April each academic year and ends in March of the following year. There are two systems: the academic year system and the credit system. In schools with a school year system, one school year is divided into 3 semesters. But some schools divide the academic year into two semesters. The school holds various activities. Some of these require parents to come to school, while others involve payment. The school will inform you of the specific details. The names and contents of school activities vary depending on the school and academic year; here, we introduce some of the more common types of activities. What is high school life like? School starts in April each academic year and ends in March of the following year. There are two systems: the academic year system and the credit system. In schools with a school year system, one school year is divided into 3 semesters. But some schools divide the academic year into two semesters. The school holds various activities. Some of these require parents to come to school, while others involve payment. The school will inform you of the specific details. The names and contents of school activities vary depending on the school and academic year; here, we introduce some of the more common types of activities. 1st semester ● Opening ceremony: A ritual held on the first day of each semester. Generally, students from the entire grade are required to participate. ●Entrance ceremony: A ritual to congratulate new freshmen in grade 10 on their enrollment. Parents also need to contribute*. ●A health check (medical examination) involves a doctor assessing whether one is healthy. ●Body measurements: measuring height, weight, etc. ●Off-campus learning* (hiking) – going outside the school to learn things that cannot be learned in the classroom. Interact with and learn about nature, history, and culture. ●A tripartite meeting: the homeroom teacher, the parent, and the student discuss school and family life respectively. It is generally conducted at the end of each semester. ●Graduation ceremony: A ceremony held on the day the semester ends, to which generally all grades attend. 2nd semester ● Summer vacation (end of July to end of August): a long holiday of about 30 to 40 days. It might be necessary to return to school during the holidays to attend swimming or club activities. ●Sports competitions involve participating in athletic events such as sprinting, long-distance running, relays, and team competitions, as well as by supporting friends from one’s own class. Some schools also organize competitions in which parents and relatives can participate. ●Campus festivals and achievement presentation events feature performances by classes, including musical instrument playing, choral performances, and theatrical shows. Ordinary parents can also participate. ●Winter break (end of December to early January): a holiday of about 2 weeks. 3rd semester ● Study trip: In public high schools, all students in the grade participate in a short-term group trip that involves staying outside the school. It is usually held in the 2nd or 3rd semester. ●Graduation ceremony: A ceremony in which certificates of graduation are awarded to those who have passed the graduation requirements (students who have completed all necessary credits), and the graduates are congratulated. ※For more details, please refer to the page on “Types of High Schools”. ●Spring break (end of March to early April) Spring break begins after the end of the third semester. After the spring break, there will be an upgrade, with a new academic year starting in April.