Dutch

The word randoseru is said to originate from the Dutch word ransel. Ransel means “a bag for carrying on the back” and is believed to have been introduced to Japan during the Edo period. It later developed in Japan into the bag used by children for going to school, taking on the form we see today.

Because it was stipulated by the curriculum standards.

In 1967, the Ministry of Education established curriculum standards that required the display of portraits of musicians. Until then, portraits of musicians were apparently distributed as bonuses by Zen-On Music Company Ltd. It seems that the rules have since changed, and nowadays portraits are often not displayed.

Because it's easy on the eyes

The main reason blackboards turned green is that the color is easier on the eyes. Green is considered to cause less eye strain even when looked at for long periods, so it was chosen to reduce the burden on students who spend a long time looking at the board during class. Compared to black, it produces softer reflected light and makes writing stand out clearly, which also improves readability and visibility.

Calcium

In school lunches, the goal is to ensure that children receive the nutrients necessary for their growth, providing about one-third of the daily required nutrients. However, because calcium is especially important for children’s development, the menu is designed so that they can get half of their daily calcium requirement from the school lunch.

Improving safety during experiments

In science labs, backless stools are used so that people can stand up quickly in an emergency, since various experiments are conducted there. This is a precaution to prevent accidents during experiments and to ensure student safety.

Big Ben

The sound of school chimes is modeled after the bells of Big Ben, the famous clock tower in London, UK. Big Ben’s bells are known worldwide for their distinctive tone, and that resonance is reproduced in school chimes.

about 95%

In recent years, as a measure against extreme heat caused by climate change, air conditioners have been installed in public elementary and junior high schools nationwide. As a result, the adoption rate of air conditioners has increased significantly, reaching about 95%. This has made it possible to provide a comfortable learning environment even during the summer.

principal

In school lunches, sample tasting for inspection is extremely important for quality control. It is stipulated that a school official must conduct it, and in many cases the principal is the one who does so. They check for foreign objects and verify that the food has been prepared properly.

To prevent hand shadows from forming in sunlight

The reason windows are installed on the left side when facing the blackboard in classrooms is to prevent hands from casting shadows on notebooks in sunlight. Since most Japanese people are right-handed, this layout is designed so that when they take notes with their right hand, sunlight coming in from the window won’t cause their hand to cast a shadow on the notebook.

It clearly shows the growth process.

Isn’t it common for first graders to grow morning glories? Many schools assign observing morning glories as a summer vacation project. One reason morning glories are chosen as teaching material is that their growth stages—germination, flowering, and fruiting—are easy to observe. Since children are the ones growing them, another reason may be that they are relatively hard to kill.