Figure 1.-- Here we see the new students with their parents. I'm not sure who the adults in the center are. Notice that some of the mothers wear kimonos. |
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The First Day ceremony is a formal event and everyone commonly dresses up for it. We notice different options here, but we are not sure which are the most prevalent or how they have varied over time. At many schools the new boys wear suits and the girls dresses for the ceremony. For many boys these suits are purchased especially for the occassion. This may be the case at schools which do not have uniforms. Some schools have uniforms and the children wear their new uniforms. At schools without uniforms the boys commonly dress up in new suits. As far as we can tell, the boys' suits are almost always short pants suits. I assume the same is true for the girls' dresses, but I am less sure about this. This occurs even at schools where there is no uniform and he children wear casul clothes. Parents also dress up for the ceremony. The parents almost always dressup, an indication of the importance of the event. Fathers wear business suits. Mothers dress variously. Many wear Western dresses, but we see quite a number of the mothers at some schools wearing kimonos.
The new children commonly dress up in suits and prim dresses. The styles of the suits have varied over time. At many schools the new boys wear suits and the girls dresses for the ceremony. As far as we can tell, the boys' suits are almost always conservative short pants suits, often grey or blue. I assume the girls' also wear very nice, conservative dresses, but I am less sure about this. For many boys these suits are purchased especially for the occassion.
Many parents buy a suit for the occassion which afterwards is often rarely worn.The boys may not wear these suits very much after the First Day cremony. They may be worn for special events at the school, but I don't think the older boys also had suits. This may be the case at schools which do not have uniforms.
Of course at some schools there are uniforms which the new children wear their uniforms for the first time. Some of these uniform schools may have the boys wear suits instead of their uniforms, but I don't think that this was very common. Mostly we believe that the children wear their new uniforms. We note quite a number of schools where the boys do not wear suits for their first day at school. This seems to be mostly schools that have requitred uniforms. Only about a third of public schools have required uniforms. These tend to be simple uniforms of shirts and usully short pants. Some schools have blazers. Private schools can have more involved uniforms, including suits, caps, and required hosiery and footwear. The styles in some cases have a British look.
At schools without uniforms the boys commonly dress up in new suits. This occurs even at schools where there is no uniform and he children wear casul clothes. There may well be sgools where the children do not dress up for their first day of school. Japan is a large country and given the number of schools surely there must be some. As far as we can tell, however, this is not very common.
Parents also dress up for the ceremony. The parents almost always dressup, an indication of the importance of the event. Fathers wear business suits. Mothers dress variously. Many wear Western dresses, but we see quite a number of the mothers at some schools wearing kimonos.
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