This article is written by a Japanese local.
While tuition at Japanese public schools is free, the rules regarding “designated school supplies” and school life required upon enrollment or transfer are exceptionally unique and strict. If you freely purchase school supplies based on your home country’s common sense, you risk violating the school’s regulations and having to repurchase everything.
This article provides an objective preparation list and practical procedures to help foreign parents overcome cultural and infrastructure hurdles, from purchasing a Randoseru to navigating the unique school lunch system and detailed stationery rules.
1. Preparing a “Randoseru” and Its Unspoken Rules
[Summary] The average price of a Randoseru is 50,000 to 70,000 JPY. As more schools now permit regular backpacks, you must verify the regulations with the destination school before making a purchase.
The “Randoseru” (a rigid leather backpack), a symbol of Japanese elementary school students, is the most expensive school supply. The average price is between 50,000 and 70,000 JPY. For new first graders, the purchasing activity (“Randokatsu”) begins half a year before enrollment.
There is no legal obligation that dictates “it must be a Randoseru.” However, because the vast majority of students use them, many families purchase one to ensure conformity in group life. Recently, however, due to issues with weight and cost, an increasing number of schools recommend standard backpacks or lightweight bags designated by the municipality. Given the high cost, avoid purchasing one prematurely before your assigned school is finalized.
2. The “Kyushoku” (School Lunch) System and Allergy Accommodations
[Summary] Bringing a packed lunch is generally prohibited, as everyone eats the same school lunch. Dietary restrictions for religious or allergy reasons absolutely require advance application based on a doctor’s certificate.
In Japanese public elementary schools, everyone is provided with “Kyushoku” (school lunch), eating the exact same menu in the classroom. A lunch fee of approximately 4,000 to 5,000 JPY is automatically deducted monthly. As a general rule, it is not permitted to “bring a packed lunch (Bento) every day” out of personal preference.
If your child cannot eat certain ingredients due to food allergies or religious reasons (e.g., Halal or Vegan), it is an absolute requirement to declare this during the pre-enrollment interview and submit a designated “Allergy Action Medical Certificate (signed by a doctor).” The school will respond by providing alternative meals or allowing the child to bring a packed lunch only on specific menu days.
Additionally, parents face the practical task of ensuring their child brings a “Lunch Bag” (containing a placemat, chopsticks/spoon, and mask) every day, and on weekends, washing and ironing the “Kyushoku Hakui” (a white lunch-serving coat) that children take turns bringing home.
3. Strict Rules for Designated Supplies: “No Characters” and “Uwabaki”
[Summary] Stationery and gym clothes must follow the school’s meticulous specifications, and anime character designs are generally prohibited. Indoor shoes (Uwabaki) are also mandatory.
Japanese public schools maintain strict rules regarding the design and specifications of school supplies to prevent distractions from learning.
- Stationery Specifications: There are millimeter-level specifications, such as “pencils must be plain B or 2B,” “pencil cases must be box-type and plain (no pouches),” and “notebook grid sizes.” Supplies featuring anime or video game characters are generally prohibited.
- Uwabaki (Indoor Shoes): Japanese schools strictly prohibit outdoor shoes inside. You must prepare separate “Uwabaki” for walking indoors and “Gym Shoes” specifically for the gymnasium.
- Gym Clothes and Disaster Hoods: Gym clothes worn during physical education and “Disaster Hoods” (Bousai Zukin, which double as seat cushions to protect the head during earthquakes) must be purchased from a school-designated vendor (such as a local uniform shop).
4. Practical Q&A (Initial Costs and the Absolute “Naming” Rule)
[Summary] Even at a public school, initial costs reach 50,000 to 100,000 JPY. Additionally, there is an absolute rule that all belongings must be labeled with the child’s name in Hiragana.
Q. Even though tuition is free, what are the initial setup costs upon enrollment/transfer?
A. If you purchase a new Randoseru, gym clothes, Uwabaki, tool box, math set, melodica (keyboard harmonica), and paint set, the initial setup cost generally ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 JPY. Since some municipalities or NPOs provide recycled (hand-me-down) items, inquiring at the city office before enrollment is an effective approach.
Q. When writing my child’s name on their belongings, can I use the English alphabet?
A. As a rule, names must be written in “Hiragana” or “Katakana.” In Japanese schools, parents are burdened with the monumental task of writing their child’s name on absolutely every belonging, down to “each individual pencil, eraser, and tiny block in the math set.” Because other children cannot read the English alphabet, pre-ordering “Name Stickers” or “Name Stamps” in Japanese characters is the optimal defense to minimize your labor upon relocation.
Conclusion: Do Your Shopping “After the School Orientation”
The rules for school supplies in Japanese public schools are designed to emphasize “uniformity within the group” rather than rational convenience. Designated vendors vary by school, and even notebook specifications are heavily detailed. Therefore, “buying everything overseas before arriving in Japan” or “buying randomly at a Japanese supermarket before the interview” is completely irrational. Ensure you receive the “School Supplies List (printout)” during the enrollment interview or orientation with the principal, and proceed with preparations exactly as instructed.