School life

A Japanese school has its own furniture and rituals, and several words here have no close English equivalent because the thing itself is missing from English-speaking schools: the indoor shoes, 上履(うわば)き, put on at the shoe lockers, 下駄箱(げたばこ); the pupil on duty, 日直(にっちょく), who runs small parts of the day; and a ceremony to open and close every term. The school year starts in April. Clubs (部活(ぶかつ)) are led by a teacher, the 顧問(こもん), and fill most afternoons.