Figure 1.--Here are the uniforms currently worn by Japanese Scouts. The basic change in the 1990s is that Scouts now mostly wear long pants.

The Scout Movement reached Japan in 1913 only a few years after it was founded in England during 1907 by Lord Robert Baden-Powell. The Japanese National Association was organized in Japan during 1922. Japan has since had an active if small Boy Scout movement. Since then, despite a short disruption during World War II, the Movement has steadily grown on the social, cultural and traditional soil of our country, and established an eminent place for itself in social education for young people. Scoting has been seen by some as part of the country's modernization process. By others it was seen as a Western asault on traditional Japanese values. It was banned by the Japanese militarists during World War II. After the War, however, the Japese embraced Scouting as they did all things America. The national association was re-admitted as a full member of International Conference of the Scout Movement in 1950. Scouting is currently a popular activity, although Japanese boys do not have the same amount of spare time as American boys, especially boys in secondary school.

History

The Scout Movement reached Japan in 1913 only a few years after it was founded in England during 1907 by Lord Robert Baden-Powell. The Japanese National Association was organized in Japan during 1922. Japan has since had an active if small Boy Scout movement. Since then, despite a short disruption during World War II, the Movement has steadily grown on the social, cultural and traditional soil of our country, and established an eminent place for itself in social education for young people. Scouting was still operating in 1938 in the years leading up to World War II. Scoting has been seen by some as part of the country's modernization process. By others it was seen as a Western asault on traditional Japanese values. I believe it was banned by the Japanese militarists during World War II, although I have no information on just when this action was taken. I also do not know if there was any natioanlist group like the Hitler Youth which replaced it. After the War, however, the Japese embraced Scouting as they did all things America. The national association was re-admitted as a full member of International Conference of the Scout Movement in 1950. Scouting is currently a popular activity, although Japanese boys do not have the same amount of spare time as American boys, especially boys in secondary school.

Chronology

We have little chronological information on Japanese Scout uniforms at this time. We do not know yet know the uniforms changed over time. Even though Japanese Scouting was founded in 1913, we do not yet have details on the pre-Worldwar II uniform. All of our information at this time comes from after Wold War II when Scouts were wearing a tan short pants uniform. They hve subsequently adopted long apnts uniform, but we do not yet know when this change was made.

Structure

The National Association is named as Boy Scouts of Nippon, and abbreviated as BSN. BSN has opened the doors to the girls/female youth in all Sections in 1995. The Scout Programme is divided into five sections by age: Beaver Scouts 6-8, Cub Scouts 8-11, Boy Scouts 11-14,. Senior Scouts 14-18 and Rover Scouts 18-24. The Progressive Training System in each section is arranged to suit the respective age groups as listedbelow. Each Scout progresses by taking part in weekly and monthly meetings, and their advancement is recognised by various Rank Badges, starting with Beaver Badge in Beaver Scouting and ending with Fuji Badge in Senior/Venture Scouting. In recognition of proficiency in various skills, Merit Badges are awarded to Boy Scouts and Senior Scouts. There are 72 Merit Badges, including traditional skills as Japanese Fencing, Sumo Wrestling, Judo, and Strawcraft.

Figure 2.--The Beaver uniform is more informal than the Cub or Scout uniform.

Uniform

Japanese Scouts have traditionally hiven great attentiin to uniform.

Beavers

Figure 3.--Japanese Scouts wear the Smokey the Bear hats first worn by earky Scouts.

Cubs

Japanese cubs wear blue shirts with yellow trim, similar to the old Cub uniform worn by American boys until the 1980s. Many countries copied the British Cub uniform, but the Japanese at least since the 1950s have used the blue American uniform. I'm not sure what the Japanese Cub uniform was like in the years before World War II. While American Cubs in the 1950s mostly wore long pants, Japanese Cubs always wore shorts. Japnese Cubs still almost always wear the short pants uniform and with kneesocks, unlike the Scouts who now mostly wear long pants.

Scouts

Japanese Boy Scouts have worn a uniform of tan shirts, short pants, and kneesocks. This was the year round uniform. Japanese Scouts did not wear long pants. One Japanese Scouter remembers shovelling snow in short pants after a heavy 1986 Tokyo snowstorm. He and other Scouts were helping elderly neighbors. Japanese Scouts, however, were virtually the only older Japanese boys, until recently, who wore short pants.

Japanese boys after graduating from elementary school almost always wore long pants. Only recently have older boys began to wear casual shorts. The long baggy shorts popular in the America are increasingly common in Japan.

Figure 4.--Japanese Scouts wear the Smokey the Bear hats first worn by earky Scouts.

Japanese Boyscouts in 1990 abandoned a year-round shortpants uniform for a long pants uniform designed by Ralph Lauren.

Senior Scours

Rovers