Self-Introduction First Uploaded June 9 1997



I have been called "pyonpyon," or "pyon" in short. Pyonpyon means a onomatopoeria word in Japanese. When a rabbit, fog, or bird hops along, we describe the sound as "pyonpyon."

I majored in physics in a university and have teached physics, mathematics, biology, and so on, in several "yobiko" or "juku."

Now, I'm teaching math and English to "ronin," high-school students in two "yobiko."

I wish to frankly exchange views about education, culture, thoughts or society with you.

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The Japanese Education System



Generally speaking, the Japanese Education System consists of primary school for 6 years, junior high school for 3 years, 3 years of senior high school, 4 years of undergraduate and a few years of post graduate courses.

Many Japanese children start their education, prior to primary school, at a nursery school or kindergarten, both of which are not compulsory, though.

At the age of 6, every child enters primary school, and 9 years of education up until the end of junior high school is compulsory.

In Japan, academic year starts in April and ends in March of the following year. There are three school terms a year; the first term (April-July), the second term (September-December) and the third term (January-March). Holidays are taken in Summer (40 days in July and August), in Winter (2 weeks around the New Year) and in Spring (about 2 weeks).

About 95% of junior-high-school students enter high school, though it is not compulsory. A few students go on to complete 5 years of college of technology after finishing junior high school.

Now that the number of senior-high-school students, who enter universities of 4 years or junior colleges of 2 years, has been increasing year by year, over 50% of those who are 18 years get into universities or colleges.

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Examination hell, Ronin, Yobiko and Juku


Contrary to that of U.S., Japanese universities are hard to enter and easy to graduate from. Since there is fierce competition to get into the presigious universities such as Tokyo, Keio or Waseda, high-school students are under the intense pressure of the "juken jigoku" (examination hell).

Those who failed college entrance exams and are preparing for the next chance are called "ronin," whose originally meaning is masterless (or lordless) samurai in the feudal system.

Ronin usually enter "yobiko," so-called cramming school to improve examination performance. A lot of high-school students also go to yobiko after school or during holidays.

A "juku" is a private extramural school in which schoolchildren cram outside school hours. Many children or teenagers go to juku so as to enter prestige universities, high schools, primary schools or kindergarten. In addition, as pupils and students are often given an oppresively heavy load of homework, they go to juku or are to be given private lessons at home to get better marks in school.

After school lessons, quite a few children also have extracurrricular lessons in activities such as piano, "shuji"(calligraphy), "soroban"(abacus) or swimming. Therefore, taken together above mentioned, their daily schedule is as hard as that of tipical Japanese "salary-men"(businessmen or company employees).


Problems such as Ijime and FutokokyUnder constructionz

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