Podcast summary and Notes on "crazyrules"

23 Why are school rules in Japan so strict?

On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Why are school rules in Japan so strict?

Topics Discussed

Experiences working at and attending Japanese schools
A selection of "weird" school rules (kōsoku) from across Japan
The history behind why school rules became strict in Japan
The case of a female high school student who filed a lawsuit after her school did not allow her to attend classes due to her refusal to dye her hair black
The paradoxes surrounding rules restricting dying and perming one's hair
Mandatory hair drying
Mandatory perms for students with naturally curly hair
Students having to prove that they were not born with black hair
A survey that sheds light on what some students and teachers think of Japan's school rules
The justifications behind the strict school rule "mentality" that is often seen in Japan
Trying to protect girls through the implementation of rules that shame and blame them
And much more!

Note: As always, there are many more aspects to this topic that we could have covered, including how modern day schools in Japan have been shaped by policies implemented during the Meiji and early Showa (before and during WWII) eras. However, addressing that aspect of this topic would have led to a far lengthier discussion and thus it was decided to focus only on recent history for this episode.

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Sources, Links, Videos, Etc.

Here are some of the main English-language articles that served as references for this episode.

To listen to the Kamon Tatsuo song mentioned in this episode, use the link below. The song is titled "Hontō ni Atta Kowai Kōsoku," which means "Scary School Rules that Actually Existed."

Hontō ni Atta Kowai Kōsoku

These are the main Japanese-language articles used as sources for this episode.

The Japanese-language article containing the information about the Procter & Gamble Japan survey that asked teachers and students about school regulations can be found below.

校則見直し、悩む教育現場　「すさまじい同調圧力」も

To listen to the latest episode of Japan Station, use the link below.

The Fascinating Life of Stand-Up Comedian Shuhei “Shoe” Murakami | Japan Station 45

Japanese Vocabulary List

Most episodes feature at least one or two interesting Japanese words or phrases. Here’s some of the ones that came up on this episode. All information is from Jim Breen's WWWJDIC.

Kōsoku
- 校則【こうそく】 (n) school regulations
Hizakake
- ひざ掛け【ひざかけ】 (n) lap blanket
Rappanomi
- らっぱ飲み : 喇叭飲み; らっぱ飲み; ラッパ飲み【らっぱのみ(喇叭飲み,らっぱ飲み); ラッパのみ(ラッパ飲み)】 (n,vs) drinking straight from a bottle
Tai'ikukai
- 体育会系に from 体育会系【たいいくかいけい】 (adj-no) sports-minded; sports-oriented
Bunkasai
- 文化祭【ぶんかさい】 (n) school festival; cultural festival; arts festival
Geta
- 下駄【げた】 (n) (1) geta; Japanese wooden clogs
Yukata
- 浴衣【ゆかた(P); よくい】 (n) (See 湯帷子) yukata (light cotton kimono worn in the summer or used as a bathrobe)
Fundoshi
- ふんどし (n) (1) fundoshi; loincloth; traditional Japanese men's undergarment made from a length of cotton
Tennen-pāama
- 天然パーマ【てんねんパーマ】 (n) naturally curly hair
Rīzento
- リーゼント (n) (abbr) (See リーゼントスタイル) Regent hairstyle; ducktail; Pompadour
Furyō
- 不良【ふりょう】 (adj-no,adj-na,n) (1) bad; poor; inferior; (n,adj-no,adj-na) (2) delinquent; hoodlum; hooligan

We Want Your Questions

Is there something about Japan that confuses you? Is there something about Japanese culture that you would like to learn more about? Is there something in Japanese history that you would like us to explain? We're always looking for new questions about Japan to answer, so if you have one, please send it to ichimon@japankyo.com.