Congratulations Rina On Graduation and Passing The Exam!

The Japanese school year starts in April and ends in March. Rina, my younger daughter, graduated junior high school last week.

She is going to go to the same high school as that of my elder daughter Emi goes to.

I was very relieved that Rina passed the entrance exam. Because, even just one week before the exam, she kept going to tennis school, kept morning jogging and kept watching TV anime program seriously.

I could not go to her commencement ceremony, but I heard Rina was very happy to have been able to attend the ceremony with her close friends and teachers.

Congratulations Rina on both her graduation and passing the entrance exam!

Commencement of Junior High School

The first nine years of education, six years elementary school and three years junior high school, are compulsory in Japan. My elder daughter Emi has graduated a junior high school last week. I thought that someday the day would come, but it really came to her.
She goes to a senior high school in Utsunomiya coming April, so our life style does not change much.
But, my friends’ twin daughters go to a high school in different prefecture. The fifteen-year old sisters will live together in different town apart from their parents… sigh. I understand their father’s feelings very much and sympathize him.
The sisters are also my friends. I play tennis with them once or twice a week for more than one year. They used to quarrel each other in every occasion. I thought it was annoying, but to think about that it’s impossible to play tennis with them makes me sad.

I want to congratulate my daughter and the sisters on the graduation and wish their wonderful high school days.

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A Randoseru or a school bag for primary school kids.

Most elementary school freshmen are given a new Randoseru from their parents or grandparents before starting school in Japan. Children become excited while touching it, wearing it and smelling the new leather of the bag in the end of March. They want to go to school and have new friends as soon as possible. That happened to Rina exactly six years ago.
Upper two pictures were taken six years ago and following two pictures were taken today. The Randoseru has become smaller, hasn't it? I think a Randoseru or a school bag has a special meaning to evey elementary school kid. It keeps a lot of good and painful memory in thier school age.
I don’t know when such a custom that classmates write blessing or comments on their friend’s bag has started in Japan.
What kind of memories in your elementary school days do you have?
Is everything wonderful for you?