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Ochanomizu University has an affiliated elementary school. The University is one one of Japan's top women's colleges--many of the graduates go on to be teachers and the elementary school is essentially a "training school". The boys' uniform is the classic Prussian-sdtyle military school uniform. The pre-World War II Japanese uniforms were very similar to this one, except that tights wearing was common before the war and almost completely disappeared
afterwards except among the very young. The fact that Ochanomizu University has a large teacher training program probably explains the very tradition uniform worn by the children at the affiliated elementary school--an all boys school despite the fact the University is a woman's institution.
Ochanomizu University has played a major role in the development of Japan's much admired modern education system. Japan, despite its modenity, is still in many ways a very traditional society. The idea of higher education for women was even more of a novel idea in the 19th century in Japan than it was in the West. Thus the founding of the Tokyo Women's Normal School in 1875 at Ochanomizu was a major event. Teaching was at the time one of the few occupations open to women. An attached Kindergarten was opened in 1876. It was the first kindergarten in Japan. An attached Elementary School was founded in 1877 with classes starting in September 1878. An attached Girl's High School (the first of its kind in Japan) was founded with classes starting in September of 1882. These schools served essentially as training schools for the future teachers. The Women's Higher Normal School was renamed Tokyo Women's Higher Normal School in 1908 upon the establishment of Nara Women's Higher Normal School. Prof. Yasui in 1927 became the first female Ph.D in Japan.
The chool began moving to new facilities at its current location in 1932. Ochanomizu University in 1949 comprising Faculty of Letters, Faculty of Science and Home Ecolomics was officially established, and Tokyo Women's Higher Normal School was merged with the University. The University has since gradually expanded its academic program.
HBC noted the caps that the boys wear and had thought that the boys' uniform is the classic Prussian-style military school uniform. The pre-World War II Japanese uniforms were these military uniforms. The Prussian cadet uniform in black (or in a few cases navy) was once universally worn by Japanese high school boys and is still very common in high schools and junior highs. A Japanese reader reports, "It features gold buttons down the front, a tunic, a high stiff collar with celluoid inside (I once wore it so I know what it is like), and military-type hats." Before the war, that uniform was also common among university students, but is no longer worn today (except by students in a few far-right student political clubs and then they usally modify it--make the jackets longer, for example). That style of uniform exists today only in a small handfull of primary schools (differing from secondary in having short pants rather than longs), the best known of which is Gyosei. (The school has about the best children's choir in Japan). It appears the Keio junior high boys once wore a shortpants uniform of this style. Today, Keio junior high boys wear long pants uniform in this stye, except that unusually, at least in warmer weather, it is colored gray.
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The Ochanomizu uniform is a classic prewar primary uniform. It is not really a military or cadet style, with the exception of the cap. It differs from the conventional primary uniform in having the military hat and a very broad white collar. Typical primary school jackets do not have any collar or lapel--just ordinary white shirt requirement). Ochanomizu also obviously requires dark socks, which sets it off from ordinary primaries that either require white or do not stipulate. The length of the sock is stipulated; most boys appaer to wear midcalf to knee length, but that may vary seasonally.
The school does not have a special summer uniform. The boys generally wear their jackets in the winter, but do not wear them in the summer. There is no school requirement. The boys and their parents can decide about the jackets and coats during the cold winter weather. The caps, however. are required year round. Some boys do not wear their coats even on chilly days. The boys are wearing a variety of coats. While the jackets are a standard style, there is not uniform winter coat. The coat has to be dark and either duffle (duffle coats are very popular in Japan among boys and young men). Some boys wear duffle coats with hoods. Other boys wear the trench style. Beyond these restrictions it is up to the boys' parents. It is not part of the uniform--very few schools, if any, have overcoat uniforms, although many do seem to require that coats be dark and not down jacket or windbreaker type.
The Ochanomizu boys wear uniforms quite similar to those worn by pre-World War II boys.
One difference is that boys before the War commonly wore long the knee stockings during the Winter. Long stockings almost completely disappeared after the War, except among the very young--who started wearing tights rather than long stockings. The fact that Ochanomizu University has a large teacher training program probably explains the very tradition uniform worn by the children at the affiliated elementary school.
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