Japanese Cram Schools Are Not What You Think — An Interview with Takahiro Goto

Takahiro Goto is the director and a teacher at the cram school “GS Shingaku Kyoshitsu” in Hachioji City in the Greater Tokyo Area. Cram schools (“juku” in Japanese) are schools where young students study hard to prepare for their desired school or university entrance exams.

Before talking to Mr. Goto, I did not quite understand why Japanese kids had to study there for hours after school (sometimes even on weekends and holidays). However, after this interview, I understood why these schools are necessary for Japanese kids and how they can make them grow and be happier. Read on to know from the inside what these schools are.

How the Japanese Educational System Creates the Need for Cram Schools

For our readers who may not be familiar with it, please explain how school education in Japan works?

The first difference with the Western system is that school starts in April and ends in March. Most entrance examinations usually take place in February.

In Japan, compulsory education includes primary school and middle school. Children enter primary school at seven and study there for six years. Then, there is junior high school for three years.