The disruption and change to daily life cannot be overstated

ドタバタした日々になりそうです

it's not just the kids who have to learn a whole new system — it's the parents too!

子供だけでなく 親にとっても新たな経験です

Here's what Life in Japan is like when your kids enter a new Japanese school.

今日は日本の入学式を紹介します！

[Life in Japan Theme Song]

桜が新生活の始まりを告げています

Sakura marks not only the beginning of Spring in Japan, but one of the times of greatest change within society.

4月は異動や引越しも多いです

Yes, great transitions often come right at the beginning of April, when people start new jobs, move to new places

入学式もその一つです

or, in our case, start attending different schools

我が家も準備の最中です

You do your best to prepare for it, but are we truly ready?

どうした？

What's going on?

小学校と中学校で使う 道具の準備

Um, Joshua's getting stuff for shyogako (elementary school)

そうなの？

Becca and Anna are getting stuff for chuogako (junior high)

私は無し

Oh my goodness, really?

サラは進級だけだね

And I don't need anything.

日本では入学時に 色々な用品を揃える必要があります

And you don't need anything this time, you're all set.

学校により異なりますが

This store specializes in selling things needed for our local schools, and there's a lot a things you have to buy in preparation.

制服や水筒 体育着やカバンなど

Depending on the school, you will need not only school supplies,

沢山の用品を準備します

but also uniforms, water bottles, P.E. clothes, special backpacks and outerwear,

ジョシュアの場合は？

bags and containers, not to mention all kinds of other speciality equipment.

それがいい？

We'll show you all what goes in Joshua's backpack.

いいね

Is that cool? Yea, I want that one.

ジョシュアが好きそうな柄だね！

Oh K.

入学の準備です

Oh that looks like the perfect one for you, let's get it? Yep.

ギリギリの買い物ね

It's time to get ready for school, that means going to the bank

ロマンチックな雨？

And finishing the last-minute school supplies.

給食費の手続きをしたわ

Well, at least the rain is romantic, huh?

くろがねやで アイロンシールを買うわ

OK, so Joshua, we got him registered for his lunches.

ママのお気に入り

Now we need to go to Kuroganeya to buy some last-minute...I need some iron-on name tags.

ルースがお気に入りの店です

Momma likes this store. She does.

見つけたわ

Ruth will find a way to get this store, but we actually do need it.

名前を書いて アイロンで接着するの

I found what will work

ジョシュアの入学の為に揃えました

You write their names on there, you can stick it on their things

まずはランドセル 6年間使います

OK, so Joshua starts 1st grade tomorrow and these are the supplies he's going to need.

明るいブルーは ジョシュアが決めました

First of all he needs a randoseru, this is the backpack he will wear/use for the next 6 years.

カバーも使えます

I know it's a bright blue, but we let him pick it and helpfully he likes it for 6 years

防災頭巾も必要です

If not, we'll put a cover on the top.

地震の時に被ります

And then every kid needs this... this is your earthquake [hat]

普段は袋に入れて

If there's an earthquake, you put it on your head and you follow your teacher.

椅子の後ろに付けます

But then it goes inside of this bag,

6年間使います

And then this goes over the back of your seat.

袋にも種類があります

All these things he'll use for six years.

これは用具袋です

This is the bag—and it's tons of bags—

これはお弁当用

This is the bag, he needs a bag like this just to carry all his supplies in to and from school.

ランチョンマット付き

This is for lunch. This is his little lunch bag and this is his place mat.

ランドセルの外にぶら下げます

And he carries this, it hangs on the outside of his backpack everyday.

こんな感じ

Like this...

上履き袋と上履き

Ta-da.

金曜日に家に持ち帰ります

And then his uabaki bag and his uabakis (inside shoes)

これに入れます

He takes these to school on Monday and brings them back on Friday and we wash them.

体育着用の袋

And this he carries in that bag.

シャツとズボンと帽子

And then this bag is for his sports clothes...

入れます

He has his shirt, his pants and his hat

家に持ち帰って 洗濯します

And they all go in there

完了！

And he also, he takes it on Monday and brings it back on Friday and we wash it.

次は文房具

And send it back.

教科書をもらったら この箱に入れます

OK, and now for supplies.

これはサラの箱です

When he goes tomorrow and he gets all his books, he'll also get a box like this where they put a bunch of things in it.

宿題をメモする 連絡帳もあります

This is Sarah's, I'm not going to open it because it's a disaster inside of it.

新しい鉛筆箱

This also get their renrakucho which is a notebook where they write down their homework everyday.

鉛筆と消しゴム

And they also need pencils and stuff, so this is his new pencil case

マーカーも入れます

He puts his pencils in it and an eraser.

クレヨンとのり 予備の鉛筆

Permeant marker goes there.

色鉛筆・はさみ・テープ・折り紙

He needs crayons, he needs glue, these are extra pencils.

自由帳もあります

Uh colored pencils, scissors, tape, origami

質問があれば コメント欄にどうぞ！

And usually also a notebook that they can just draw in if they're bored or sitting around.

小学校は4人目だから！

Hopefully that answer a lot of your questions,

中学は初めてだけど

If not you can mention them in the comments and I can try to answer them for you

明日からね

Yeah, this is my 4th kid, so I've got this down.

入学の準備を終え 桜の下で一息つきます

Now what they need in junior high, that is just not known yet.

とても綺麗です！

We'll find out tomorrow

飛び石になっているね

And with things ready to go, we decided to enjoy one last picnic under the cherry blossoms before the school year got going again.

サラは得意？

Look at this, so pretty! So cool!

綺麗です！

It's the rocky-rock crossing! Oh Sarah, do you like the Rocky-rock crossing?

昼食にピッタリの場所です

Oh this is cool — so pretty!

花びらをキャッチする！

We found a good spot! A good spot for lunch.

アヒルが見てるよ

I'm going to try a sakura Oh are you? That could be tough.

昼食です

[imitating duck sounds]

落としちゃった

Some ducks are like "boy, that looks good! Yum!"

- 大変だ ベッカ！ - ヤバい！

It's chow time. Chow.

岩の上！

I dropped it.

カメラで撮って

Oh no Becca! Emergency, Emergency! Sad news!

オンエアするよ！

Oh look, it's standing on a rock!

明日は遂に入学式です！

Give me more camera! If you don't, you know what's going to happen!

明日から中学生だね！

I want to be on Life in Japan!

伸びたわね

And with that, we made our way back home — tomorrow would be a big day.

入学式前の散髪だね！

The big sisters are going into Junior High school,

入学式は日本ならではの 文化を感じる行事です

He's got such crazy hair...

ジョシュアの入学式の後に 娘達の中学の入学式です

Oh, a nice haircut for the first day of elementary school, oh yea!

ワクワク ドキドキです！

Japan's culture is full of ceremony and tradition, and no where can you see that better than in the first day of a new school.

準備できたね

Today we will have Joshua's entrance ceremony in the morning and soon after the girl's junior high entrance ceremony in the afternoon.

転ばないで！

There's a mix of excitement and a little bit of nervousness over what is about to happen.

気を付けて

Oh my goodness! Ready to learn.

いいね

Whoa! Or fall over! Don't fall over.

どうする？

That's not a good... Start.

持つわ

Good start. OK, stand here in front.

私も入る？

What should I do with this?

前に立って

Right here, give it to me.

桜も散り始めて いよいよ新学年が始まります

Wait, am I going in it?! Yea.

今日はサラだけですが 明日はジョシュアと登校です

Right here in front of them

緑が芽吹いてきたね！

Here we go — that Sakura is practically done, and we're heading off to the new year of school.

サラの登校後 ジョシュアの入学式です

It's just us today Sarah Bara, but tomorrow Joshua and your official graduation to older sister.

ジョシュアは準備万端です

Oh what a difference from before! Look how everything is blooming and green!

カッコいいよ！

A little after walking Sarah to school, it was time for Joshua's entrance ceremony,

通学路は？

and Joshua was ready to move up in the world.

お姉ちゃん達が通った道を ジョシュアが通う番だね！

Oh, you look so cool Dude! Oh my goodness!

楽しみ？

Joshua, look where you're walking here, huh?

いいね！

Your sisters walked the same way before you, and now you get to walk this way.

入学式の厳粛な雰囲気が 新生活の始まりを告げます

Are you excited? Yea.

色々な書類を受け取ります

Oh yea.

小学校には慣れましたが 中学校は我が家も初めてです

The entrance ceremony introduces the parents and students to the school and staff,

ジョシュア 終わったね

and with a lot of formality lets you know that things are different now.

遂に小学生

You go home with a head swimming in information and tons of paperwork to fill out.

いよいよだね！

At least this is our 4th kid doing this, but what comes next will be all new to us.

登校中です 桜の木が綺麗です！

OK Dude- you did it, didn't you?!

書類は？

Officially in Elementary school.

入学式の雰囲気には 共通したものを感じます

Oh girls, the big moment comes!

しかし中学校には 違う部分もあります

Here we go, we're walking. We're on our way. Look at the pretty Sakura trees, my goodness!

ベッカとアナの新生活であり 親にとっても新たな旅です

Are you swimming in papers?

中学の入学式はどうだった？

We were immediately struck by how similar the Entrance Ceremonies were — even the gymnasiums looked alike!

楽しかった？

There was a sense of familiarity with it, and yet you can tell that Junior High is a different experience all together.

- 担任の先生は？ - 女性の先生

It's the next step of the journey, new for Becca and Anna and new for us as parents in Japan.

いいね

What did you girls think about your entrance ceremony? Fun.

娘達の先生は女性で ジョシュアの先生は男性

Was it fun? Uh huh.

綺麗に分かれたね

And the classes and your teachers?! Girl teachers!

明日は？

I was excited for that!

お弁当を作らないと

So all our kids have— Sarah, Becca and Anna have girls [teachers] and Joshua has a boy.

5日間！

Wow, just right, isn't it?

幼稚園の時みたいに？

So then tomorrow?

そう！

Mommy has to make lunch Lunch!

制服とお弁当に大きな鞄

For five days!

徒歩45分

For five days?! Are we back in preschool?!

今夜は何で祝う？

Yes! Uniform, bento... Big backpack...

くら寿司

And 45-minute walk. Oh my.

くら寿司！

What are we going to do tonight to celebrate?

この公園でよく遊んだね

Kurazushi. What?

バイバイ

Kurazushi! Oh, Kurazushi.

もう大人ね

Girls, this is the park where you grew up. And now you're walking by it.

でも遊びたい

Saying goodbye to it.

昼食はたった20分

Playtime is over.

10分の休憩もあるでしょ

Aw, I need playtime. You need playtime, I know.

このままくら寿司に行く？

[Everybody talking]

- うん！ - ダメ

There's only a 20-minute break for lunch...

醤油こぼしたら大変

But you have 10 minute breaks in-between...

くら寿司で 小学校と中学校への入学を祝います

Should we go to Kurazushi with your uniforms on?

サラの進級もお祝いします

Yes. No!

来た！

Mommy doesn't want to have to wash it, or get dirty with soy sauce.

サーモン

Alright, Kurazushi, a celebration of Rebecca, Anna and Joshua going into new schools

4皿注文

And Sarah moving up into the third grade as the big sister.

お箸を上手に使います

Yes! There's yours

私も！

Seared salmon and cheese. Do it — 4, order, thank you.

- サラも？ - 3年使ってるよ

She pulls it apart, let's see: pro! Chopstick pro.

ベッカも上手だね

Hashi pro. I am too!

おっと！

You too? I've been using it for 3 years.

少し失敗

Is she pro? She's pro!

でも大丈夫！

Becca, the whole thing, no problem. Whoops!

- みんな上手 - もう6年目

Lost some points— oh! But recovered!

6年経つね

Chopstick pro. I've been using this for 6 years.

パパのサーモンオニオン

Six years, huh?

ぜひ "チャンネル登録" でご支援下さい

Oh, Daddy's salmon with onion came. Yum! Yum!

視聴者の皆様の為に 少しでも励みになるような 番組を目指して頑張っています

Do you like these videos? Then please show your support by subscribing to our channel.

パズ・コーヒーショップや 私達の教会にも遊びにいらして下さい

We work hard to make them for you, and we want to do more than just entertain

また次回 お会いしましょう！

we want to be a source of life and hope for everyone who comes across this channel, no matter what your background is.

So whether you live in Tokyo or are just visiting, please stop by Paz Coffee Shop, or come on a Sunday to Paz Church — we'd love to meet you!

Until next time, we'll see you on Life in Japan!