Japanese graduation ceremony

How is commencement ceremony in Japan!?

The commencement ceremony(graduation ceremony) in Japan is the school event ordained by the law called School Education Act. It started by Meiji Goverment since 1872, and is established as the school event.

Though commencement ceremony in USA is held in December or May, most commencement ceremony in Japan is held in May. Only Hokkaido prefecture which is known as cold region held it in February. Elementary school and junior high shool held it in the middle of March, university held it in the end of March.

In addition, students wear an academic dress in USA. Japanese students wear and dress various clothes, suits, hakama(skirt for formal wear), kimono(traditional Japanese garment), school uniforms with with a stand-up collar and more. College girl students often do up one's hair in beauty salon.

Japanese students also do hat toss into the air. The origin of it is the commencement ceremony of military academy in annapolis is in 1912. Students in this academy do hat toss because they change hat after graduation. This story was introduced into Japan before Japanese knew, and that was popular in Japan. However, Japanese students don't always do hat toss. As mention above, they wear various clothes.

There is a commencement ceremony custom peculiar to Japan, the second button called Daini-botan. Some girls ask for it of their favored boy's uniform after commencement ceremony. This custom is done in a junior high school or high shool because of uniform, and is not done in a collage. Boys are asked by not only calssmates but also lower-calss students. This custom is a way to confess her love, but she can't always be dating her favored boy if she gets the second button. It is very interesting.

There are several theories about the second button love. One of them is soldiers gave girls and wives their second button of military uniform as a keepsake before going to battlefront. They thought wearing military uniform without the first button is slovenly, so they gave the second button. The other theory is the second button is near the heart.

You can experience Japanese culture through looking students if you travel Japan in March.