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Free compulsory education was introduced in 1900, and in 1908 it was extended to a period of 6 years. Our information on school clothing and uniforms during the early 20th century is still very limited. Japan in the 1920s began to be increasingly dominated by the military. We are not yet sure to what extent this was redlected in school uniforms. After the turn of the century we see boys at some primary schools repacing knee pants with longish shorts and long stockings with knee socks. There appear to be substantial differences between rural and urban schools. We are unsure to what extent schools had dress codes and uniforms. These clothing changes may simply reflect overall fashion shifts. Many primary schools adopted uniform that was less overtly military--usually lapelless jackets, shorts, and broad white collar. One common feature was often a military-styled cap. Secondary education was also expanded, although it was still not free. Uniforms continued to be the same Prussian cadet uniforms and English middy blouses. The growing power of the Japanese military was clearly evident in Japanese schools. It was not just the uniforms. The ethos of the warrior was extolled throughout the curriculm. Military drill was employed and expanded for the older boys.
Japan began to build a modern education system in the late 19th century as part of the Menji reforms. Free compulsory education was introduced in 1900, and in 1908 it was extended to a period of 6 years.
Japan in the 1920s began to be increasingly dominated by the military. We are not yet sure to what extent this was reflected in school uniforms, but we have some limited information. The growing power of the Japanese military was clearly evident in Japanese schools. It was not just the uniforms. The ethos of the warrior was extolled throughout the curriculm. Military drill was employed and expanded for the older boys.
Our information on school clothing and uniforms during the early 20th century is still very limited. We are unsure to what extent schools had dress codes and uniforms. Ans we do not have sufficient information to follow changing school rules ober time. We think a range of factors were involved suchh as level and location. Urban and secondary schools appear to have more commonly had uniforms. We do not have detailed information at this time. We do have some images that clearly show uniforms in at least some urban schools. Uniforms in secondary schools had Prussian cadet uniforms for the boys and English middy blouses for the girls. We seem some schools having portraits taken in tradition clothes, suggesting that this was a kind of dress outfit for special occassions. We also see what look like uniforms at some primary school, mostly what look like tan shirts and long shoprt pants worn with cadet caps for the boys. We are less sure about the girls. Uniforms seem much less common in rural areas. We mostly see children in rural towns and villages wearing traditional clothes. The boys wore cadet caps with them. We see some girls wearing straw hats.
We note Japanese boys wearing a variety of clothes in the early 20th century. We see Japanese boys wearing both traditional and Western clothing. We note a variety of Western clothes. After the turn of the century we see boys at some primary schools repacing knee pants with longish shorts and long stockings with knee socks. These clothing changes may simply reflect overall fashion shifts. Boys seem to have worn Prussian-military caps even at schools that did not have uniforms. We note images showing boys wearing traditional clothes. We do not know how common this was or what the conventions were. This also changed over time. It appears to have been much less common by mid-century than it was at the beginning of the century.
There appear to be substantial differences between rural and urban schools. Traditionsal clothing was almosdt universally worn in rural schoolsd, perhaps with a mikitary cap added. Dress at urban schools was more varied.
Most Japanese children wore traditional clothing in the early 20th century. This was especially true in primary schools. Some primary schools in cities adopted uniforms that had a military look. This was collar-buttoning lapelless jackets, and knee pants. One repor suggests a broad white collar. One common feature was often a military-styled cap. Secondary education was expanded, although it was still not free. We see mostly single gender secondary schools. A dew images shoew small numbers of girls. This may have been small schools in rural areas that fid not have a separare schools for girls. We sre unsure aboiut the uniform. Some formal portraits show traditiional clothing, but we are not entirely dsure what was everyday wear in the classroom. We also see the caset iniforms that became stafard at secondary schools.
We have very limited information on early 20th century Japanese schools before World war II. Nor do we have many early images and those we do have often are not dated. We hope to expand this section of the HBC Japanese school section so we can better understand what was happening in Japan before Wotld War II. A great deal hs been written about Germany before the War, but much less about Japan. It would be very interesting to better understand what Japanese children were being taught and how. And how this changed over time. Most Japanese children, especially boys, seem to have worn Western-styled clothes to school, but we seem some children in traditional clothes. The prevalence of traditionl clothes gradually declined over time.
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