Info about Japanese schools!

[Joyfulldreams]

I am planning to transfer to Japan for my junior year in high school, and I have been a bit confused about some basic schooling know-how for Japan.

I know that there are three years of middle school and high school, and I think there is kindergarten and 1-6 for elementary or primary school.

But I DON'T know when the school year technically starts or not. Does the school year start at the end of winter break or summer break? When do schools generally start in the morning and end in the afternoon? How long is the school day? How does the class and/or period system work? (This is all for the average public high school.)

Seeing as I am going to be going to school for a year in Japan, I want to be able to know all this so I can plan better. I have no worries about my language skills, as I am currently building them up and I am taking a course at my local community college.

If maybe a native or somebody who knows about this stuff could help me out, I'd be very thankful! ^_^

[MMM]

What program are you going through to do this?

The Japanese school year runs from about the start of April to the end of March.

School usually starts at 8:00 and classes start about 8:30 (after morning meetings, etc.) Classes end around 3:00 but many students stay on for club and sports activities, often unto 5 or 6 at night.

[Keaton421]

Shouldn't your school counselor or the representative from your "transfer" school have told you this stuff?