If you are used to watching anime, you must remember that in Japanese schools there are school clubs. In this article, we will talk about various curiosities about school clubs in Japan known as bukatsu or simply kurabu.
These clubs provide tons of experiences and unforgettable memories! School clubs are taken seriously because they serve as training for your career and adult life. In some schools, it is mandatory to be part of a club.
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What are Kurabu and Bukatsu?
The school clubs called kurabu (クラブ) are extracurricular subjects that the students themselves develop and organize; it is also common to use the term bukatsu (部活 – club activity) in high school.
Each club usually receives its own room or facility; it needs a counselor (teacher) to supervise and advise the club and also a president (kaicho). Some schools require clubs to have a minimum number of members (usually 5).
Many do not like the idea of clubs because it can take a lot of time depending on the club you are part of. Some stay at school until night, others need to participate in meetings even on weekends.
The activities of school clubs take place after school hours and last for about 5 to 7 hours; sometimes you need to meet even before school.
That is why some students end up creating and joining a club that does practically nothing and has few attendance obligations, such as the reading club and even the napping club.
It is very common for students to feel stressed when entering or choosing a club because that will determine their academic performance and the friendships that will be made among all koukousei (high school students).
Many clubs run campaigns to recruit new members since there is a danger of the club closing due to lack of members. You can leave and join a club at any time. The main goal of clubs is not only to stimulate activities such as sports, games, arts, music, and others; but also to promote intense socialization.
How school clubs work in Japan
Some schools require participation in club activities. Others do not require it or it depends on the club you belong to; many high school students have part-time jobs, which slightly hinders attendance in clubs that require a lot of dedication, such as sports clubs.
Students who do not belong to any club or miss club activities are called kitakubu (帰宅部). There are endless possibilities to create a club. There are sports clubs, art clubs, cooking clubs, kendo, manga, animation, or anything else that students are interested in doing.
To set up a club, you just need to have the necessary number of members, a counselor, a proposal and objective, and sometimes a sponsor or volunteer from the college.
The limits and rules for creating and managing clubs are defined in each school. Sometimes the student council is responsible for approving and monitoring the creation of a club.
The level of commitment required for bukatsu is notoriously rigorous. Some foreigners criticize the idea due to the trends and time that students spend.
In school clubs, in addition to the bonds between students, the senpai and kouhai culture is also applied. Many newcomers who join sports clubs wait for years to participate in competitions between schools.
Some members develop their skills to a professional level, and some schools have teams that become national. Some participate in clubs just as a hobby or to be with friends.
Nowadays, when entering higher education, you can often earn credit for achievements in school clubs. In some schools, there is no minimum member limit, but there is usually a maximum limit.
Sometimes some members are removed from the club due to lack of experience or for having joined last.
Curiosities about school clubs in Japan
The suffix -bu (部) is used to refer to clubs like the baseball club (yakyuubu). Others prefer to use the suffix -kai which means association or society. Let’s see some more terms below:
- undou-bu – 運動部 (sports clubs);
- bunka-bu – 文化部 (cultural clubs);
Sports clubs are clubs that require physical activities; cultural clubs involve any club that does not require physical activities. Even sports like shogi or classical music fall into the cultural category.
Are Japanese school clubs really not supervised? If you watch anime, you should notice the little importance of the counselors or teachers who sponsor or are responsible for the club.
The reality is that many Japanese schools want to allow children to learn to be autonomous, make their own decisions, do the paperwork, manage money, and gain leadership skills.
- School clubs are also available in college;
- Club members often take trips for activities during vacations;
Let’s list some school clubs?
- Basketball, dance, badminton, handball, rugby, baseball, swimming, athletics, table tennis;
- Arts (theater, cinema, photography, painting, dance, literature);
- Traditional Japanese arts (kimono, tea, floral arrangement, Japanese calligraphy);
- Human relations (history, philosophy, politics, sociology) common in colleges;
Animes about school clubs
Every year, several animes are released that show the activities of school clubs. Practically every anime set in a school shows the kurabu or bukatsu. Making a list of animes about this is unlikely. Now let’s mention the best animes that show the life of a student in a school club in Japan.
- Suzumiya Haruhi (SOS);
- Kuroko no Basket (basketball);
- Ace of Diamond (baseball);
- Haikyuu (volleyball);
- Free! (swimming);
- Charlotte (Student Council);
- Hyouka (classic literature);
- Love Live! (Idol);
- K-on (light music);
- OreGairu (services);
- Chihayafuru (Karuta);
- Haganai (Neighbor Club);
- Kokoro Connect (cultural research);
- SKET Dance (help club);
Have you ever participated in a club? Is there a club you would like to be part of? Did you remember any anime about school clubs in Japan that was not mentioned in this list? We would love your comment and sharing! Thank you! We also recommend reading:
- Japanese School Uniform – Are the skirts really short?
- Are Japanese schools the same as in anime? Comparisons
- Sukumizu – School swimsuits in Japan
- School subjects in Japan – Vocabulary in Japanese
Are School Clubs mandatory?
In Japan, “school clubs” (or “bukatsu” in Japanese) are not strictly mandatory, but they play an important role in students’ lives and school culture. Participation in clubs is strongly encouraged and highly valued, both by schools and by Japanese society in general.
Some schools may require you to choose an extracurricular activity, but if you do not want to spend a lot of time at school or go on weekends, there are clubs that do not require as much dedication.
Time Requirement
The time and effort requirement varies from club to club, and some clubs may be less demanding than others. Generally, clubs that involve more recreational and casual activities tend to require less from students in terms of time commitment and effort, while highly competitive and specialized clubs may demand more dedication. Some clubs that typically require less from students compared to others include:
- Recreation Clubs: Game clubs, hobby clubs, or other clubs that focus on recreational activities are usually less demanding. This includes chess clubs, photography clubs, cooking clubs, etc.
- Cultural Clubs: Clubs that focus on culture, language, or artistic activities, such as theater, music, dance, or poetry clubs, generally offer a creative environment and, although they may require practice and rehearsals, can be less competitive in terms of time.
- Volunteer Clubs: Volunteer clubs often have flexible schedules and allow students to participate in volunteer activities on their own time.
Remembering that the availability of clubs and the intensity of participation can vary between schools and depend on student demand. Therefore, it is advisable to check the available club options at your specific school and talk to club leaders or advisors to understand the requirements and expectations for participation.
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