This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

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While, from what we have seen in numerous Hollywood films and sitcoms, American high schools are full of intense drama where romance and teenage tears meet the kind of gossip you only see in the headquarters of a super cool fashion magazine, Japanese schools offer a very different kind of student life.

Thanks to Japan’s high educational standards, school there is a place to learn structure and discipline. This Japanese school teacher known as Hito Bito on TikTok is sharing a rare glimpse from her firsthand perspective about how amazingly different Japanese schools are from the schools you and I went to.

Hito Bito’s TikTok channel boasts an audience of 427.9K followers and her videos have amassed a whopping 16.2M likes in total. Below we wrapped up some of the most interesting things about Japanese schools Hito Bito shared on her TikTok channel, so pull your seat closer!

More info: Braid.network/Hitobito

This American TikTok creator is revealing things about Japanese schools that would seriously shock Americans

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

“Things about my school in Japan that could send Americans into a coma. We all have to change from outdoor to indoor shoes as soon as we enter the school. And no, I’ve never seen any love notes or confessions in the shoe cubbies.”

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

“Also, you don’t know clean until you’ve been to a Japanese school because these kids clean the school from top to bottom every single day.”

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

Bored Panda reached out to the creator behind the Hito Bito TikTok account, who was happy to share with us about the Japanese lifestyle.

“Ever since I was young, I watched videos of YouTubers living in Japan (Abroad in Japan, Rachel and Jun, etc.),” the creator recounted. When she was graduating, she decided it was time to shoot her shot at becoming an English teacher in Japan. “I had visited Japan prior to living here, and realized I’d always regret it if I didn’t live in Japan for at least a year.”

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

“They also serve themselves lunch and clean their trays. This admittedly blew my mind but definitely in a good way.”

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

“Now, what sends me into an absolute spiral almost daily is that they leave the windows open and there’s no heating or cooling in the hall so I have to walk around in a coat.”

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

“Then, probably the most coma inducing part is the dress code. Girls either have to wear their hair above their shoulders or in a low pony. Definitely no dyed hair, so no anime protagonists.”

“And I don’t follow these rules, but no piercings and no makeup.”

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

The Hito Bito creator said that although she did a minor in Japanese, the shock after moving to Japan was real. “I think the real shock is piecing all the rules together at once. I knew about a lot of the intricacies of living in Japan before living here thanks to my many Japanese teachers, but as soon as you step foot in Japan, you’re flooded with rules — some rules are obvious and explicit but some are learned by accidentally stepping out of line and having to learn from it,” she explained.

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Image credits: hito.bito

According to the creator of Hito Bito, a lot of people in Japan really trust the established rules and the system. “Many aspects of life are very smooth and convenient as long as everyone knows what’s expected of them,” she said.

Having said that, “if you have an issue that is even slightly exceptional or isn’t outlined in the rule book, then that can be difficult.”

Here’s the full video Hito Bito shared on her TikTok channel

@hito.bito Had a stroke when the school lunch was this good #japantravel #japanlife #gingerinjapan #japaneseculture ♬ Sakura Kiss (From “Ouran High School Host Club”) – AmaLee

If you’re planning on moving to Japan, the TikTok creator has some advice. First, “don’t just watch videos about the robots, vending machines, and bright lights of Japan!”

According to the author of Hito Bito, it’s best to prepare yourself by watching different content. For example, “videos about countryside life, traditional forms of theater or tea ceremony, and the everyday Japanese life experience.”

“This way, you can come to appreciate the deep history influencing the way Japanese society works,” the creator of Hito Bito concluded.

And this is what people had to say about her viral video

This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

Liucija Adomaite is a creative mind with years of experience in copywriting. She has a dynamic set of experiences from advertising, academia, and journalism. This time, she has set out on a journey to investigate the ways in which we communicate ideas on a large scale. Her current mission is to find a magic formula for how to make ideas, news, and other such things spread like a virus.

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I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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What do you think ?

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Feathered Dinosaur 1 year ago

There are two sides to the coin as usual. Everyone is very well behaved in Japan, yes. On the other hand - societal rules are so stifling, depression and suicide, especially among young adults, are a huge problem. Also as a woman you have to practically give up your career when you get married and have children as you're expected to be a stay-at-home wife from thereon.

51points

T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago

Japan emphasizes conformity. Some of their ideas are good, yes, but many are only there to make sure no one stands out in any way. South Africa has a lot of similar rules: uniforms, no elaborate hair styles, yadda, but learners can still be individualistic within that structure. Although they don't clean their classrooms themselves (well - we make them pick up papers, wipe up, etc.) so things can get dusty or a bit messy. I'd rather have that than a colony of drones.

22points

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Q B F T 1 year ago

Domestic abuse seems to be pretty rife there too, but it's hard to get data on it because it's vastly underreported. When I lived there, though, I heard it through the walls far more often than I have in various European countries

10points

similarly 1 year ago

Yes, there ARE two sides. 1. There's a common belief that Japan's suicide rate is much higher than in other countries. However, Japan is 25th in the world for suicide rate (with 15.3/100,000 people). The US is 23rd (with 16.1/100,000 people). 2. Women really are no longer expected to give up their career when they get married and have children. Most of the women I work with have husbands and children. According to statistics from Brooking, Japan has passed the US in prime-age women's labor force participation, with 74.3% of American women working in 2016 vs. 76.3% of Japanese women, and these days, Japan is talking more and more about equality, and there is a lot of encouragement for women to keep their careers. So I'd have to say these points are no longer true.

3points

DrBronxx 1 year ago

Women giving up their careers when they get married and have children is becoming a thing of the past. It's true, Japan are behind on things like this, but most people who I know with children have gone back to work at the earliest opportunity. My wife is about to give birth, and she plans to go back to work as soon as her maternity leave is over.

2points

Tunk 1 year ago (edited)

As opposed to record rates of depression and suicide amongst youths globally? People here are saying conformity is the issue, but the opposite with the rise of individualism in the west has bought about similar pressures. The only difference is from what I can make out is that Japanese work together out of consideration for each other and the greater good of society. The west on the other hand is looking like a dumpster fire. Only observation though.

2points

GoGoPDX 1 year ago

As I like most of the rules, the whole dress codes and restrictions on appearance is just to much. People need to be able to express themselves and be themselves and not have to always fit into what is deemed "acceptable". This is a tactic used to gain control of people at an young age. There needs to be a balance of learning responsibility to community, like the cleaning, and freedom to be yourself

1point

HubertMcGonagle 1 year ago

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Krysta Pandoo 1 year ago

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Yugan Talovich 1 year ago

BP's blind infatuation with Japan continues. Recently Tokyo rescinded the rule that any high school student whose hair was not naturally black enough had to dye it jet black so they'd look like everyone else, so there is progress. Teachers and schools are forbidden to deviate from strictly planned schedules, so for example at 10:20 on Wednesday morning, every teacher in every school in Japan teaching the same subject should be saying roughly the same words. Of course in history class these words never touch on WWII. High school girls can get jobs after class, sitting in a booth so middle aged salesmen can look at them.

33points

2x4b523p 1 year ago

I don’t understand the admiration either. Yes they have nice things and yes they keep their country clean. But I have spent some time in Japan and went from blind fascination to reality check very fast. I grew up in communist country behind the iron curtain and their culture is scarily similar in demands for uniformity, not standing out, no complaining, just fall in line and do your part in the hive. Add this weird polite hostility towards foreigners and medieval approach to women…. I’m not so keen going back there in a hurry.

34points

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Feathered Dinosaur 1 year ago

Uniformity so big every little bit of individuality must be snuffed out.

11points

Becky Samuel 1 year ago

How is this article "Infatuation wtih Japan"? If something wih exactly the same format was written about the US, people would be jumping all over it complaining about how BP is "always US bashing". These are facts about schools presented in a neutral manner, we can decide for ourselves if they are admirable or not.

5points

afoben 1 year ago

And working with japanese colleagues in a multinacional is a freakin nightmare. Most are straight up xenophobic and make absolutely no effort to collaborate with (or respect) "overseas people" and that seems to be fine with them, sorry to say. I used to be fascinated with Japan but not anymore. They need to join us on the XXI century. Very sad.

4points

similarly 1 year ago

I'm not sure Japan actually works that way. Yes, all public schools have a pre-defined textbook for their course, and they have a schedule of teaching that textbook, the same as the USA does, but I find the USA and Australia are MUCH more strict about following content. Japan is quite a bit more flexible. Also, I don't know fo ANY school in Japan that allows high school girls or boys to have jobs. Jobs are forbidden to all high school students. That's not to say that they DON'T get jobs. Only that it's not allowed. As for "middle-aged salesmen" ... you do realize that while Japan as a nation does not have age of consent rules, the age of consent law in every prefecture is 18, and the nation has laws against the exploitation of minors or contributing to the delinquincy of minors ...

2points

Silke 1 year ago

Your last sentence is a stereotype that can easily be disproven. Downvoted for racism

-1point

Doctor Strange 1 year ago

Doesn't Japan also have one of the highest suicide rate among students in the world?

11points

Loki's_Lil_Butterknife 1 year ago

I believe that they used to, however, the rates have been dropping. It is an incredibly strict culture for many people who don’t fit with societal norms. Furthermore, they also have a word in their language for death from overwork. I truly home that the younger generation is working toward eradicating some of the more intense social pressures.

8points

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Feathered Dinosaur 1 year ago

51points

T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago

22points

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Q B F T 1 year ago

10points

similarly 1 year ago

3points

DrBronxx 1 year ago

2points

Tunk 1 year ago (edited)

2points

GoGoPDX 1 year ago

1point

HubertMcGonagle 1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Krysta Pandoo 1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Yugan Talovich 1 year ago

33points

2x4b523p 1 year ago

34points

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Feathered Dinosaur 1 year ago

Uniformity so big every little bit of individuality must be snuffed out.

11points

Becky Samuel 1 year ago

5points

afoben 1 year ago

4points

similarly 1 year ago

2points

Silke 1 year ago

Your last sentence is a stereotype that can easily be disproven. Downvoted for racism

-1point

Doctor Strange 1 year ago

Doesn't Japan also have one of the highest suicide rate among students in the world?

11points

Loki's_Lil_Butterknife 1 year ago

8points

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This Woman Shared The Rules Schoolkids In Japan Must Follow, And The Rest Of The World Should Take Notes

This American TikTok creator is revealing things about Japanese schools that would seriously shock Americans

Here’s the full video Hito Bito shared on her TikTok channel

And this is what people had to say about her viral video

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Liucija Adomaite

Liucija Adomaite

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Ilona Baliūnaitė