Figure 1.-- A national education system was one of the important reforms of the 19th century Menji Restoration that fashioned modern Japan. Thus it is understandable that the Japanese selected European styles for school uniforms. Here they chose Prusian cadet styles for the boys' uniform and British sailor styles for the girls uniform. |
Modern Japan is a wonderful collage of traditional Japanese and Western influences. Actually even more interesting is that the Western influences are not all modern imports, some date from the 19th century. A national education system was one of the important reforms of the 19th century Menji Restoration that fashioned modern Japan. Thus it is understandable that the Japanese selected European styles for school uniforms. Here they chose Prusian cadet styles for the boys' uniform and British sailor styles for the girls uniform. Curiously at the time the military cadet styles were being worn in some European schools, but sailor dresses were not being used as school uniforms. European girls were wearing sailor dresses, but they wre not school uniforms. What is interesting is how foreign influences once adopted become locked into and do not change. Thus these raditional styles are very common in Japan while they have disappeared in europe where they have originated. These are not the only school uniform styles, however tey are very common. Thus the situation in Japan is that while traditional Japanese clothing is not worn, school wear is today a mix of Western 19th century and 21st century styles.
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