The Japanese school year starts in April and the long break is summer
学年は4月に始まり、長い休みは夏休み
- Applies to
- All of Japan
- Source last checked
- , Open the Japanese source
- Official source
- 外国人児童生徒のための就学ガイドブック（文部科学省）
A class newsletter (学級だより) and a holiday guide (長期休業のしおり) use the Japanese school year. The Ministry of Education's guidebook says the year starts in April and ends in March. Most schools split it into two or three terms. The names, the events, and the dates differ by region and by school. The guidebook's example is a three-term year. Your school's paper is the one to follow.
The example year
- First term: April to July. An opening ceremony (始業式) starts the term. An entrance ceremony (入学式) in April is for the new first years, and their parents attend. The term ends with a closing ceremony (終業式) in July.
- Summer break: about 30 to 40 days, from late July to late August. The number of days differs by region.
- Second term: September to December, then a winter break of about two weeks, late December to early January. That length also differs.
- Third term: January to March. Graduation (卒業式) is in March for the oldest year. A completion ceremony (修了式) closes the year.
- Spring break: late March to early April. When it ends, children move up a grade or on to the next school.
Saturdays and Sundays are usually not school days. One lesson is generally 45 minutes in elementary school and 50 minutes in junior high. In elementary school the class teacher teaches most subjects. In junior high the teacher changes with the subject.
A sports day, an excursion, and a school trip appear in this example year. Their dates are on the school's own notice, not in this national guide.
Your child's dates, not the general ones
Add your child and ward. The timeline does the rest.