Figure 1.--Here we have boys a a Japanese junior high school wearing the white military style cap. The blue cap was more common.

The caps worn by primary and secondary school boys are quite different. Headwear at primary schools tend to be quite varied. We note both full-brimmed hats, often soft hats, but some with rounded crowns. We also notice a range of caps, including baseball caps. Another characteristic of primary school headwear is the choice of yellow or other bright color as a saftey feature for Japan's crowed streets. Secondary schools, both junior and senior high schools often have a military-style cap. A few primary schools also have these military caps, but this is not very common. We notice two tyoes of military caps. The most common is a blue cap. We also notice a white cap, These caps and military uniforms in general are not worn at all Japanese seciondary schools, but they are the traditonal style and still very common.

Primary (Elementary)

Headwear at primary schools tend to be quite varied. We note both full-brimmed hats, often soft hats, but some with rounded crowns. We also notice a range of caps, including baseball caps. Another characteristic of primary school headwear is the choice of yellow or other bright color as a saftey feature for Japan's crowed streets. Cap wearing is almost universal among Japanese primary children. Younger children wear a wide variety of headgear. This is in sharp contrast to American and European children that wear a very limited number of styles. Some younger children wear a rounded cap with narrow brim, held on with an elastic chin strap. Japan is the only county I know where elastic chin straps are widely worn. There are several other styles, some with rounded crowns. Other elementary boys often wear American-style baseball caps. Although the baseball cap is now seen worldwide, baseball is actually a popular sport in Japan. There does not seem to be any age spesialization here. All the boys and sometimes boys and girls at a school wear the same hat style. There are also some soft cap styles. A few elementary schools have a peaked military style hat, but it is only worn by the boys. Many are quite colorful and designed to help motorists spot the children. They vary greatly in style. The caps for the kindergarten and younger children are the most common. The younger boys and girls commonly wear the same style caps. Some of the caps are actually hat with moderate-sized brims, sometimes with short streamers. Some cap styles come with elastic chin straps to help keep the caps on in the windy weather. Again schools with the chin straps have them for both the younger and older boys.

Secondary

Middle school and highschool boys at which boys wear the military style uniform also wear a comparable military cap as do the girls wearing sailor dresses. Secondary school boys mostly wear the Prussian cadet caps to match their military-styled uniform. Secondary schools, both junior and senior high schools wear this military-style cap. A few primary schools also have these military caps, but this is not very common. We notice two types of military caps. The most common is a blue cap. We also notice a white cap, These caps and military uniforms in general are not worn at all Jaopanese secondary schools, but they are the traditonal style and still very common. Secondary-level boys wear a army style peaked hat and the girls various versions of a sailor hat. The uniform difference betweeen boys and girls show the difference in the formation of the Japanese military. The navy was strongly influenced by the British navy and the army the Prussian army. Thus the uniforms for boys are based on Prussian uniforms and the girls wear British inspired uniforms. Some secondary schools have begun to move away from the military style uniform, but the Prussian cadet hat it is still very common. Some secondary schools have adopted a new English-styled uniform with a blazer and tie. The schools that have moved to blazer uniforms generally do not have a cap requirement.

Created: 6:29 PM 11/14/2004
Last updated: 6:29 PM 11/14/2004