School Clubs

School clubs play a very influential role in Japanese schools. Between karate, baseball, or music clubs like band or choir it's up to the students to find their niche. Once they settle in their selected clubs it is their home for the rest of their high school career. It is very unusual to have a kid in more than one club. This would make it quite hard for me to decide because I am very active in marching band and show choir. If I went to a Japanese high school I'd have to choose.

In the club, students become very attached to each other and form life long friendships. As well as student bonding with other students, students often become extremely close with their instructors. It is common for a kid to feel like their instructor is a second parent of sorts.

Because students only have to be responsible for one club and their school work clubs meet a lot. Clubs typically meet everyday after school gets out and meet anywhere from two to three hours. Sometimes select clubs like baseball meet before school during tournament season. The practice schedule may seem rigorous but it is very doable and the coaches and instructors are very flexible. However, conflicts rarely arise because of one's sole dedication to that club.

In middle school, school clubs are taken a little more lightly. It is a place to test the waters and try all of the different clubs the student might be interested in before it's time to pick the student's home for their high school life. Before high school it is common that each high school has a club fare of sorts. At this club fare students from the high school attempt to lure the younger kids to join their clubs. Often this is the biggest recruiting event for the clubs and they get most of their membership at these fares. It is also a way for clubs to show off their achievements from the year in front of the other clubs and aspiring members of the clubs. This is also a rather good marketing strategy to gain membership.

In conclusion, clubs in Japan are used as a recruiting tool to get kids to come to the schools. They also teach kids a team dynamic and help develop strong bonds of friendship between students and other students as well as students and their instructors.