School life
In a Japan classroom
Many Japanese schools include daily cleaning by pupils and shared school lunch (kyūshoku).
Typical school day: Often 08:30–15:30, with cleaning duties before going home.
School year: April to March.
All country briefings
Asia · Country briefing
Japan
A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November — capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.
- CapitalTokyo
- Population~123 million
- Time zoneAsia/Tokyo (UTC +9)
- CurrencyJapanese yen (JPY)
Japan, with Tokyo marked
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Climate in November: Cool autumn; vivid autumn leaves in many regions.
The capital
Tokyo
Photo · Wikimedia Commons
Fun facts
What makes Japan a bit special.
Mount Fuji
3,776m and almost perfectly symmetrical
Open lesson
Sakura
Cherry blossom season has its own forecast
Open lesson
Bullet train
Shinkansen travels at 320 km/h
Open lesson
Invented
Karaoke, instant noodles, emoji
Open lesson
Castles
Over 100 still stand
Open lesson
Volcanoes
Over 100 active ones
Open lesson
Tap any card to open a class-ready mini-lesson — for the teacher to walk through, or an older child to read aloud.
Native animals
Wildlife your partner class might know best.
- 🐒
Japanese macaque
'Snow monkeys' bathe in hot springs in winter
Open lesson
- 🦌
Sika deer
Roams freely in Nara, bowing to visitors
Open lesson
- 🦝
Tanuki
A real animal that looks a bit like a raccoon
Open lesson
- 🦩
Red-crowned crane
Symbol of long life and luck
Open lesson
- 🐟
Koi carp
Can live 30+ years in temple ponds
Open lesson
Tap any animal to open a class-ready lesson about it.
Greetings to learn
Say hello like a local
- こんにちは (Konnichiwa)Japanese · kon-nee-chee-wah
Five questions to ask
Conversation starters
- 01What do you eat for school lunch?
- 02What clubs do children join after school?
- 03What's the most fun part of your school day?
- 04What's something children in your country are really good at?
- 05What is autumn like where you live?
What not to assume
Friendly cautions
- ℹNot every Japanese child experiences a strict, exam-only school day.
- ℹJapan has 47 prefectures, with different local cultures and dialects.
Reflection prompts
- “Would you like a daily cleaning time at your school?”
- “What would you want to share about your culture?”
Could your class meet Japan?
Choose Japanwhen you register — we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.