Summer vacation starts this weekend at virtually all elementary schools in Japan. A mere mention of those two magic words makes most adults in this country stare dreamily out the office window, but the seasonal holidays are actually not all fun and games for schoolchildren.
The five customs – more like duties, actually – listed below were around two decades ago when this writer went to elementary school and are still steadfastly practiced today.
1. Taking part in ‘radio calisthenics’
Most of you probably equate vacations with sleeping in, but Japan’s kids have no such luxury: before the summer holidays, teachers hammer the twin ideals of ‘regular routines’ and ‘early to bed, early to rise’ into their heads. Why? So that they can attend the local radio calisthenics sessions, of course.
This ritual starts at 6.25am every morning and sees the nation’s parks and gymnasiums filled with participants ready to shake and stretch in tune with the NHK broadcast. Kids can collect stamps as proof of their eagerness, while some generous locales even give out candy rewards.
2. Caring for their own flower
Most first-graders grow their own morning glory (asagao) flower throughout their debut semester. All students start by picking out seeds, and the asagao is usually the most popular choice – mainly because it’s so easy to take care of.
Almost everyone takes their plant home for watering during summer vacation. Many schools also require students to keep observation diaries and write down changes in their flower’s appearance.
3. Raising a beetle
Just as essential a part of an elementary kid’s summer as the asagao, the rhinoceros beetle (kabutomushi) is the pet of choice for the vast majority of Japan's 6-12-year-olds. While countryside kids can catch their own beetles in the wild, city-slickers usually get theirs at pet shops or from older friends.
The beetles are then kept in cages and fed treats like cucumber and watermelon every day. Some particularly ambitious youngsters pair male and female beetles and eventually raise an entire bug family, while contrarians opt for stag beetles instead.
4. Doing homework
It’s cruel, sure, but most kids can’t escape schoolwork even in summer. In addition to kanji drills, book reports and diaries detailing the condition of their asagao and beetles, the poor young ’uns need to complete the dreaded jiyu kenkyu (research project).
This can be anything from a science experiment to a piece of art, but deciding on a topic is usually the hardest part. I made good use of the research workshops held at my local mall, but today’s kids have it easier – a quick Google search results in more theme suggestions than anyone can possibly read through in one summer.
5. Carrying all their stuff home
Most schools don’t allow students to leave anything in their lockers, desks or classrooms over summer vacation, so smart kids will start taking their belongings home little by little over several weeks. The less diligent will end up carrying massive loads on their backs at the end of the semester.