Image source:Official website of All about
(https://www.all about.co.jp)
Have you ever dreamed of experiencing the student life depicted in Japanese anime and films?
Sailor uniforms, school blazers, blackboards, school lunches, cleaning duties, graduation ceremonies…
Such ‘typical Japanese school experiences’ can be realistically experienced at a location in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
Its name is ‘Kimi no Koukou (Your High School).’
Set in a former middle school, it offers a unique cultural experience where people from around the world can relive their ‘youth’ for just one day.
Image source: All about.co.jp
What is Kimi no Koukou?
It is an experiential facility redeveloped from the former Kameyama Middle School in Kimitsu City, Chiba Prefecture, where you can experience a full day of school life.
Main experiences include:
- Changing into school uniforms (gakuran or sailor uniforms)
- Attending homeroom and classes (such as calligraphy or English)
- Eating lunch with classmates
- Participating in sports day events or rope skipping in the gymnasium
- Experiencing cleaning duties
- And finally, the graduation ceremony!
All of these are the very essence of the ‘school life’ that everyone in Japan once experienced.
It’s like stepping into the world of an anime for a day.
Image source: All about.co.jp
Why is it so popular with foreigners?
- You can actually participate in the ‘Japanese school life’ you’ve seen in anime and dramas.
- The uniforms and school lunches are ‘culturally shocking and interesting.’
- Classes are available in English, making it a satisfying combination of tourism and cultural experience.
- There are plenty of photo spots that are perfect for social media (blackboards, desks, gymnasiums, group photos, etc.).
Comments like ‘I didn’t expect it to be this authentic’ and ‘I got to experience a bit of Japanese youth’ are flooding social media and note.
Image source: All about .co.jp
Why is ‘school life’ so special to Japanese people?
This experience isn’t just ‘cosplay.’
Japanese school life has this cultural background:
- Preparing, serving, and cleaning up school lunches together = teamwork education
- Cleaning duties: Cleaning the areas you use yourself = fostering a sense of public responsibility
- Uniforms and class systems: Emphasising the value of collective unity
- Graduation ceremonies: Expressing ‘farewell’ through quiet rituals and choral singing, reflecting Japanese aesthetic sensibilities
The absence of litter on Japanese streets despite the lack of trash bins, and the habit of Japanese supporters collectively picking up trash after soccer or baseball games, are habits learned through Japanese school education.
In other words, your high school experience is a package that encapsulates the essence of being Japanese.
A model for regional revitalisation and school regeneration
This initiative is highly regarded not only as a tourist attraction but also for the following reasons:
- Utilising abandoned schools in depopulated areas → Attracting people to the region
- Local residents as staff → Creating employment and interaction
- Multicultural exchange → Foreigners experiencing the ‘real Japan’
Why does the ‘one-day student experience’ captivate the world?
It’s because what is ‘ordinary’ for Japanese people is filled with exciting “mysteries” and ‘beauty’ from a global perspective.
It’s something you can’t learn from textbooks, but you’ll never forget.
As a unique cultural experience brimming with Japanese essence, ‘Your High School’ is truly a Riddlique-style ‘mystery-solving spot.’
Why not try the ultimate cross-cultural experience in Japan?
Unlocking Japan’s everyday riddles
-Where Japan’s quirks make sense-
