A Day in the Life of a Japanese Wagyu High School Student

Introduction

• Focuses on a 17-year-old high school student in Kagoshima, southern Japan
• His family runs a Wagyu beef cattle farm

Morning Routine

• Responsible for feeding cows before school
• Kagoshima is Japan's leading producer of Wagyu beef, specifically Japanese black-haired cattle(kuroge wagyu)
  • Approximately 321,000 cattle in the area
• Wagyu celebrated for exceptional meat quality

Getting Ready for School

• Lives in a traditional Japanese house
• Breakfast prepared by his mother
• Students typically wear uniforms (gakkō no seifuku)
  • Schools updating regulations and designs to reflect diversity

Commute to School

• Commutes by scooter, which is rare in Japan
  • 45% of students use trains
  • 31% use bicycles
  • Only 8% ride motorcycles
• Motorcycle licenses available at age 16
• No student cars due to licensing laws (can use a motorbike at the age of 18)

School Environment

• Attends a public school (named soo high school) with around 360 students and 60 teachers
  • Specializes in livestock food agricultural program
• Importance of home room classes
  • Teachers visit homerooms to teach specific subjects
  • Close bonds formed among students

Morning Studies

• Morning study time before first class
• First-period class is Information Science
  • Students learning Excel
• Grading system on a scale of 1 to 5, with recent inclusion of criterion-based assessments

Specialized Programs

• Offers mechanical and electronic engineering courses
• Students work on thematic research projects
• Emphasis on practical skills and teamwork

School Farm

• Located 15-minute walk from campus
• Home to 36 black-haired Wagyu cattle and 97 Berkshire pigs
• Students gain hands-on experience in livestock management
  • Class activities include weighing cattle and barn cleaning

Lunch Break

• Students typically bring Bento boxes for lunch
• Students also have the option to buy from a school bread shop
• Lunch is a social time with peers

Afternoon Classes

• After lunch, students clean the school as part of teamwork
• Math class in home room after lunch
  • Open environment encourages interaction and exploration

PE and Extracurricular Activities

• Physical Education involves running long distances
• After school activities include sports teams and cultural clubs
  • Student involved in livestock farming club

Farming Experience

• Students learn the art and science of raising Wagyu cattle
• Participation in competitions focused on beef quality and cattle appearance

Post-School Activities

• Student attends an Abacus and mental math school
• Extracurriculars are common in Japan

Evening Routine

• Assists father with farming tasks before dinner
• Family dinner includes Kushima Wagyu beef
• Reflects on the importance of family and tradition in farming

Conclusion

• Interest in continuing the family legacy
• Global appreciation of Japanese Wagyu beef can benefit farming families

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