Japanese Culture & Traditions
Thank for your interest in Japanese Culture & Traditions. Have you visited my other pages, such as Introducing Mary Ohno, Kabuki Academy, and Japanese Language?
On this page, I would like to introduce you to timely Japanese culture and/or traditional events. Almost every month we Japanese have an event to celebrate and I'm positive that you want to know what it is all about. You can visit this page every month and find it out.
The topic for April 2007 is the New School Term & Cherry Blossom Viewing Season.
The Japanese academic year coincides with the Japanese fiscal year. April through March of the following year constitutes one year which is divided into three semesters; April to July, September to December and January to March. In 1900, children were obliged to begin the four years of compulsory education from age six. In that year the percentage of children attending school was ninety percent. In 1907, when compulsory education was increased to six years, the percentage of children receiving compulsory education was about ninety-nine percent. In 1947 the educational system was completely revised, and compulsory education was extended to nine years (6 years elementary school and three years junior high school). The educational system of Japan is comprised fundamentally of six years of elementary school, three years of junior high school, three years of senior high school, and four years of university. The system was set up under the direction of the U.S. Occupation forces after World War II. With the numbers of college entrants increasing, the financial burden on parents for educational expenses has become much greater. Entrance examinations, competition for good jobs, and the insistence on educational background cause a lot of stress.
April is also the season to enjoy cherry blossom viewing. People go out on a picnic and enjoy singing and dancing while drinking sake or eating in the open air under the full blooming cherry blossoms to celebrate the arrival of spring. This is what we call "Hana-mi" (Flower viewing).
The cherry blossom (sakura) is the national flower of Japan and is the favorite of most Japanese. If you would like to feel that atmosphere, please come and join the Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura Matsuri) at Seattle Center House in Seattle, Washington (April 20, 21 & 22, 2007). Kabuki Academy will perform Japanese dance and shamisen music on Saturday, April 21st from 3:30-4:00 at the Seattle Center House. Please come and have fun with us. For further information, visit Kabuki Academy Performances.
If you have any comments or question about the New School Term or Cherry Blossom Viewing, please send
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