JAPAN IN
ONE MINUTE 
~The Truth About Japanese School Clubs: A Unique Tradition Facing Serious Problems~
The culture of “Bukatsu” is wonderful!
I wish it would spread to other countries too!
That’s true. “Bukatsu” are not just hobbies or entertainment.
They’re considered a place for spiritual growth and social development.
When I was a student, the daily training was so tough that I often wanted to quit,
but I kept going thanks to the encouragement of my friends. But actually, it’s not all good things.
Huh? Why not? You can try so many things without spending money, right?
That sounds awesome!
There’s been criticism that club activities are too excessive,
both for students and for teachers.
Too excessive?
Do you mean the schedule is too packed?
Exactly. For students, it’s common to have practice almost every day, even after long hours of studying in class.
By the time they finish practice and get home, there’s barely any free time left.
Some people argue students need more time to rest or pursue other interests.
It sounds exhausting… no time left for playing or relaxing!
And the problem isn’t just for students. “Bukatsu” are supervised by regular teachers, not outside professionals.
But many teachers are assigned to “Bukatsu” they’ve never actually practiced before.
Imagine a teacher with no swimming background suddenly being responsible for the swimming “Bukatsu“!
Wait, so teachers have to coach sports or arts they might not even know themselves?
That sounds stressful.
It is. Teachers spend hours after class supervising these activities.
Since practices are often held six days a week, plus competitions on weekends, their working hours become very long.
It’s almost impossible to prepare for the next day’s lessons while also managing clubs.
When I was a middle school teacher, I worked nearly 12 hours every day and I was the coach of the baseball team even though I didn’t even know the rules of baseball!
Because of this, it’s said that Japanese teachers have the longest working hours in the world and Japan is now facing a serious shortage of teachers.
Both students and teachers are overworked.
That doesn’t sound healthy at all!
Yeah, I can see how “Bukatsu” builds discipline and teamwork but if it pushes everyone too hard, maybe balance is missing.
Summary
“Bukatsu” faces criticism for being too demanding. Both students and teachers often struggle with the long hours and heavy responsibilities, raising concerns about balance and well-being.
