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-- School Calendar -- |
In the course of reading Hana yori Dango, I found myself quite confused as to the timing of certain events after a while. Usually in a story set among students, the plot touches upon common holidays and academic events (finals, graduation, etc.) that help to anchor events in time. In this story though, most of the students come to ignore school and classwork altogether, and academics commonly take a backseat to high drama. All the same, here's a rough academic timeline that might help keep things in perspective.
The Japanese Academic Year |
| early April - late July |
First semester (Spring) |
| late July - early September |
Summer break (6 wks.) |
| early September - late December |
Second semester (Fall) |
| late December - mid January |
Winter break (2 wks.) |
| mid January - late March |
Third semester (Winter) |
| late March - early April |
Spring break (10 days) |
Japanese Grade School Organization |
| Nursery School |
Day care/Kindergarten (optional) |
| Elementary School |
Grades 1-6 (mandatory) |
| Middle School / Junior High |
Grades 7-9 (mandatory, selective exams) |
| Senior High School |
Grades 10-12 (optional but necessary, selective exams) |
| University / Professional School |
4+ years (optional but probably necessary, admission requirements vary) |