Ok first of all I’m sorry if this is the wrong category I’m posting this in 
I got curious about the cost of a gakuran and I started searching here and there on the internet.
Sadly every site I visited had different prices and I got soo confused. I’m not talking about the cheap cosplay ones nor a fashion-gucci one…
So my question is how much does a student has to pay to get his uniform in Japan?
I’m especially curious about the gakuran but also the uniforms in general
Since every school in Japan has its own uniform, the price is going to depend on the school itself. I imagine schools in big cities like Tokyo or Kyoto will have more expensive uniforms than schools in small villages.
I’m trying to understand the whole concept with the uniforms because I obviously know nothing.
The thing is while I was searching I found prices like 30,000 円 (not the complete set) but I also found way cheaper.
Just like you said it depends the school but since the japanese uniforms are specifically categorised how can a school in a village that requires for ex a gakuran has a different price than a school in Tokyo. Don’t they have a specific way of being made? Or is the material different every time? Because I’ve also heard that there is a specific (and expensive way) of them being made/sewn? Or that there’s a difficulty in the pattern… something like that
Just flipped through my schools supply list for the upcoming year, and couldn’t find the uniform(formal, sports, or backpack) on there, oddly enough. If their elementary school backpacks are anything to go off of (ranging from ４万円 to １０万円), I wouldn’t be surprised at all if most of them fell around that ３万円 mark you found. Especially since (at least at my school) the uniform is supposed to last them all 3 years of JHS. I also imagine that HS uniforms are more expensive, so there’s that as well.
I’ve seen High School students who have small scuffs and stains on their uniforms. When I’ve asked them about it they said it’s their only one, so there’s not much they can do…!!
I’ve also seen the elementary school backpacks they need on sale for 5-8万円 at a local shop, it kind of blew my mind.
At one of my high schools (and I live pretty rural but not a ‘village’) its １０万円. So this includes the uniform, shoes, bag, PE clothes etc, and I assume probably at least one or two changes of them since they wear it everyday. There is a different shirt for warm weather, and sweatpants for PE uniform. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but considering its all the accessories (shoes, bag, PE hat, etc) that sounds about right to me.
My friend who knows someone’s daughters that go to a private middle school in the town said the price is about the same there as well, but they also have options to rent used uniforms for cheap/free.
Am I reading this right? Even at its cheapest, 40,000 for a backpack…
I can only wonder why. It probably costs less to send your kid to an elementary school in total costs in America.
I work a highschool in Nara and it’s 5 万円 just for the uniform and around 10万円 for the full kit (uniform, shoes, gym clothes, etc.).
Man that’s a lot for a supposed to be free education system. It’s really unfair for middle schoolers that they are naturally going to get taller, gain/lose weight…
I also know that the uniforms are being sold in regular shops like where all this money goes? Shouldn’t at list go to the school?
every time someone adds something I have more questions 
Well, clothes aren’t really part of an education though. I grew up in Germany where the education system is free as well but we still had to pay for our books and other small things.
As someone else mentioned, renting is usually an option, so that should be much more cost efficient.
If the shops are making the uniforms, then they should be getting the money. Why pay the school for something they’re not making?
Yea, I couldn’t believe it either. Had no idea until I saw them on sale at a mall in the city. Asked some coworkers and they confirmed this. I think it’s generally supposed to last them from 1-6 grade though, and they’re usually handmade from some kind of leather and are really pretty sturdy. I’m sure cheaper options exist, somewhere.
I mean, I don’t know this for sure, but I would assume it’s similar to the US where “free” really means it’s paid for by taxes. Don’t get me started on what was on that list I mentioned earlier. It was nearing １０万/student/year, and I teach at a little school in the mountains. I imagine parents in the US probably spend a decent chunk on school over the course of the year, as well, it’s just all up front here.
Yup, you’ll often see JHS 1st graders running around in uniforms that are way too big for them. Same for 3rd graders and way too small. Then there’s the poor occasional 3rd grader whose uniform is still too big, and you know they’ve hardly grown since 1st grade.
Well I’m a student in a greek uni and the taxes we pay don’t even go to our schools. We don’t even have the basics to be able to study
But I hoped for a better system in Japan since from what I understood you can’t go to school without a uniform…
crying me eyes out just want 400 BC athens back
I work at a what would be considered an average high school. Its about 40,000 yen for the set. They buy their uniforms big so the kids grow into them. If they dont grow, they just get it altered. Our school uses blazers and dress pants, the uniforms are of very good quality and last the full 3 years easy. So if you break it down over a yearly basis it really is not that bad.
On the flip side, in America, kids dont have to wear uniforms but they end up spending what I think would be a similar yearly amount on clothing anyway. But then they have to worry about whats in style and how they look, etc.
Yeah I was surprised about the 40,000 yen elementary school backpacks but as others said, they are really top notch quality and last the full duration through 6th grade. Break the cost down per year and it really is not bad. Also, the backpack has a cultural meaning. Once a kid becomes a first grader, its like a rite of passage. They become a student (education is valued in Japan) and they kinda leave the nest (start commuting to school without their parents). So kids actually look forward to that shiny backpack.
Its all in perspective I guess. Upfront costs seem high, but it all balances out in the end.
Also, schools without a uniform are more common than one would think.
I think the whole unifomr business is a huge racket.
I just bought my son’s middle school uniform and that cost me 8万 which included a discount because of my connections with the owner of the shop. The uniform included the winter jacket/pants, two long sleeved polo shirts, two short sleeved pol shirts, two sets of summer gym uniform and jacket/long pants for the winter gym uniform, bike helmet, and cheap inside and outside shoes. We didn’t buy the required bag as we have one from a cousin or the rain gear because we live close enough to the school, he’ll walk every day. There is a slightly cheaper place, but I find the quality poorer as well. At 26,000 yen for the jacket, I need that thing to last the full 3 years without falling apart from use. My kids went to a elementary school that also required a uniform and that set was probably close to 3man. We have no choice, but to buy these uniforms, yet the places we can buy them are very limited.The white polo shirts my son could wear at elem school cost me about 1000yen, but the one’s I need to get from the uniform shop that have a little red ribbon with the school name sewn on is 2700!
My son’s randosel cost almost 5man yen and lasted all 6 years. It’s still in good shape and could last another 6 years, but of course, there is no resale value here. Grandparents all foot the bill for brand new bags. That’s why after the heavy rains and flooding in parts of Jp last year, they were inundated with bags for kids who’d lost their homes because everyone has these old bags lying around.
I try to remind myself of this. My nieces and friends’ kids back in Canada all want the latest Under Armour/Nike/ ‘insert latest trendy brand’ gear for back to school and those aren’t cheap. If you add up those costs over a few years, it probably ends up being fairly similar to what I paid for my son’s uniform. Still it makes a dent in your wallet all at once. I’m just happy I don’t have twins!
This is why I would gladly pay for school uniforms that should last a few years.
What?
Do Japanese kids only have growth spurts every 3 years or something?
If JHS is the same as here, then between entering 1st year JHS and finishing the 3rd year, a kid will grow at least 15CM.
The idea is that the kids grow into them, so they’re universally too big when the kids first get into JHS (equivalent to American 7th grade). If a kid outgrows them too much, then they’ll cave because they have no option. But they try to avoid that if at all possible because, as mentioned, they’re quite expensive.