![\"\"](\"https:\/\/billmitchell.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Study_Timer_October_26_2026.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhen I first started coming to Japan and living for extended periods in the northern suburbs of Kyoto (that is, away from the tourist throng) one of the things that caught my attention was the stream of kids still dressed in their school uniforms walking through the streets of my suburb well into the evening (20:30 and beyond).<\/p>\n
When I enquired about this with my friends I learned that many school kids go to school twice in a day and even at weekends.<\/p>\n
First, the go to their regular secondary school and have to be in their seats by 08:20 usually and finish at 15:30 (6 periods of 50 minuted each.<\/p>\n
Second, they then participate in \u90e8\u6d3b (Bukatsu) which are traditional extracurricular Japanese school club activities.<\/p>\n
These clubs divide into:<\/p>\n
1. \u904b\u52d5\u90e8 (Und\u014dbu or Sports clubs) such as soccer, basketball, athletics, etc – the sporting area at the secondary school just near my home here at present is always active into the evenings.<\/p>\n
2. \u6587\u5316\u90e8 (Bunkabu or Cultural clubs) – like playing in the school band, learning the tea ceremony, drama etc. At weekends, along the Kamo river we see student groups practising for upcoming events.<\/p>\n
At the annual school festivals these clubs are prominent.<\/p>\n
Students might be involved in these activities until say 18:00 each day.<\/p>\n
Third, comes \u5b66\u7fd2\u587e (Juku) or cram school.<\/p>\n
Cram school also might involve \u4e88\u5099\u6821 (yobik\u014d) which is specialised preparation for university entrance examinations.<\/p>\n
Students go to these private, fee-paying schools after their normal day is over, at weekends and during vacation periods.<\/p>\n
They are intensively grilled in academic skills as part of the highly competitive educational system, which funnels students hither and thither within the ultimate sociatal hierarchy.<\/p>\n
The classes are usually small and intensive and participation is high among secondary students (higher in private schools and the public schools).<\/p>\n
The students start the classes late in the afternoon and or early evening and sometimes go up until 22:00 or abouts.<\/p>\n
It makes for a very long day and the load on the students’ lives is very tough.<\/p>\n
Research suggests that the academic stress on students in Japan is a significant factor explaining the mental health issues that the students endure.<\/p>\n
The number of students who now refuse to go to school at all due to school-related anxieties is rising and is already large.<\/p>\n
Data from 2025 reported by NHK (January 29, 2026) – Japanese student suicides hit record high in 2025<\/a> – shows that:<\/p>\n \n… the number of suicides by students through high school hit an all-time high last year …<\/p>\n 532 students died by suicide in 2025. The number was the highest since record keeping began in 1980.<\/p>\n Among those, 352 were in high school, 170 in junior high school and 10 in elementary school …<\/p>\n The main reason cited for suicides among people aged 19 or younger was school-related problems, such as poor grades and an inability to decide on their future, followed by health issues, including depression.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The university system is also very hierarchical and, as in the West, it reinforces the existing income and wealth inequalities, which in turn feedback to influence (significantly) who gets in the top tier universities such as University of Tokyo (Todai), Kyoto University, Tohoku University, The University of Osaka and the Institute of Science Tokyo, among the leading institutions.<\/p>\n I am really glad I didn’t grow up in this high pressure environment.<\/p>\n The last several days have been very wet in Kyoto and throughout most of Japan.<\/p>\n The Kamo River was in full flow and I saw these birds feasting at the bottom of one of the many gradient changes in the river while I was out running the other morning.<\/p>\n It was a beautiful site and I really love the river and its environs.<\/p>\n Talk about wet.<\/p>\n Last Saturday, I ventured to my usual Parkrun – the Yodogawa kasenkoen Hirakata chiku parkrun – which is down south from Kyoto, about 30 minutes by limited express from Demachiyanagi station in North Kyoto where I live.<\/p>\n It was touch and go whether they were going to hold it as the Yodogawa River which runs alongside the circuit can rise in level very quickly and flood the park lands.<\/p>\n It was wet but the floods stayed away.<\/p>\n Here I am battling a very strong head wind and absolutely drenched.<\/p>\n The female runner behind me had a better dress sense for the occasion I think.<\/p>\n The other day we went to an outdoor eating area for lunch.<\/p>\n The tables were unreserved and it was a case of taking one as it became vacant or sharing if there were seats and space available.<\/p>\n We carefully surveyed the scene and observed one table where two people were having lunch and obviously not together.<\/p>\n One of the people finished up and left the table.<\/p>\n We waited to see what would happen and nothing happened so we moved to the table and signalled that we would share.<\/p>\n The person didn’t say anything and then sometime later two others arrived and the other person immediately got up and moved away.<\/p>\n We told the new arrivals that sharing was fine and then as soon as a spare separate table became vacant we moved to leave the other two in peace.<\/p>\n And soon after the original person who had got up when the two arrived came back and it turned out she was the wife of the man who arrived with as a twosome.<\/p>\n It was a very Japanese scene and the behaviour makes it very hard to non-Japanese people to get to the bottom of things.<\/p>\n I asked a friend about it – why would the woman get up when her husband and probably mother arrived rather than telling us that we couldn’t share the table in the first place?<\/p>\n It turns out that because the women thought she was not able to explain to us that the other two were coming a bit later she would rather exit the scene and leave us wondering what the hell was going on.<\/p>\n I think there are internationally acceptable ways of telling people that the seats are taken.<\/p>\n But in Japan, people are reluctant to do that.<\/p>\n I learned another thing which will help me in the future.<\/p>\n I visited a new temple in Kyoto last Sunday and found this rock – the sign said that one should rub the rock and make a wish.<\/p>\n I don’t know if it violates the karma to disclose what my wish was so I will keep it secret.<\/p>\n Suffice to say that it was big and I will keep my ears and eyes open to see if it was an elaborate scam.<\/p>\nThe rain came down<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThings that happen in shops<\/h2>\n
Make a Wish Rock<\/h2>\n