Japanese School Uniforms

Japanese school uniforms are inspired by naval uniforms from Europe in the late 19th century, when they were introduced to Japan. Currently, school uniforms are a part of daily life in public and private schools in Japan. These types of uniforms are called seifuku (制服).

Since many schools do not have locker rooms or lockers, students often change clothes for sports activities in their own room or classroom. Because of this, many students wear their sports uniforms under their casual uniforms. Some schools regulate the type of haircut, hairstyles, shoes, and even backpacks, but these rules are usually tied to “special occasions”, such as the beginning or end of the year, student picture day, etc.

It is very common to see students wearing their uniform even outside of school, although this is less popular every day and many students prefer to wear their casual clothes. Although many primary or elementary schools do not wear uniforms, many private schools and public schools run by the central government do.

What are the uniforms like at your school? Would you like to wear Japanese school uniform?