High schools in Japan aren't all cramming for the college entrance exams. Sports are very important, as are all kinds of activity clubs. Of course, those kids who are really aiming at the top universities are probably not the stars of these after-school groups, because they indeed are grinding away to prepare for the exams. But most young people are not going on to college--only about 40% are--and they can take time to discover new interests, entertainment, jobs and each other.
There is also a range of schools. Remember that you test into high school, so how you do in those entrance exams determines the academic quality, pressure and standing of the school you enter. There are specialty schools too including agricultural high schools, technical schools, beauty schools and night schools for those working during the days.
For those in the higher ranked academic schools, work does dominate life. Teachers are hard-pressed to finish the curriculum established by the Ministry of Education, and in addition, many children go to after school private cramming classes to supplement regular school, or have a home tutor help them study.
Some who don't make it into the school of their choice in the first round of exams take a year off after high school to study full time for the next year's exams. The exams are given by each university and are not standardized across Japan, so taking exams for several schools may involve a lot of study and expensive travel as well.
Some city hotels near universities have special rooms set aside for exam-takers (and an accompanying parent) who can eat special exam-appropriate foods, study in special rooms, meet with hotel-hired counselors, and take vans to the exams. One hotel even had a room set aside for tension-release, in which you could throw plates at an effigy of the Minister of Education. -- Corky
*FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS
"I went to the [Hiratsuka] museum," said Shigeru, "but they don't have many photos of the burnt out city. The curator said they don't have many because pictures were not allowed to be taken during that period for fear of being called a spy. Pre-war pictures burned during the bombings. In fact, most family snapshots burned. The only photos that survived were formal snapshots kept in the bomb shelters."
*HADANO
City in Kanagawa Prefecture, about 9 miles west of Hiratsuka. Today it is a major center of the tobacco trade.
*CHARCOAL
Before the war the US had exported oil to Japan, but placed an embargo on oil after Japan seized Manchuria in 1931. By the end of the war, Japan was plagued with shortages and had serious trouble keeping its military supplied with fuel. Charcoal was a cheaper alternative for civilian transportation. In buses like the one Mrs. Miyagawa describes, called mokutan jiodosha ("woodburning automobile"), wood or charcoal was burned in a chamber attached to the back of the bus. When wood is heated, it generates gas. This gas was sent through a pipe to the front of the bus, where it fueled the engine.
Mrs. Miyagawa recalls that when American troops came to Japan and saw these buses, they were very surprised to see burning wood making an automobile move.
*LAST NAMES
When you use a persons last name only, it is normally followed by one of the many types of honorific titles, such as:
"san" - this is a basic form used for both men and women.
"sensei" - literally means "teacher," and is used to address lawyers, doctors, writers, artists, politicians, etc.
"kacho" - title for the managerial class. There are several other titles used among this class in business, based on rank within the organization. It can get quite complicated, especially when executives from one company are visiting another company.
