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Most high schools in Japan these days are co-ed, but there are still some single-sex institutions too. The ostensible logic is that single-sex schools make it easier for students to keep their minds on their studies by preventing the daily distractions of teen romances between classmates.
However, the administration at Seisoku Gakuen, an all-boys’ high school in Tokyo’s Kanda neighborhood that was founded in 1896, doesn’t want its student body to devolve into uncouth, uncultured ruffians either. So earlier this month, all first-year students at Seisoku were required to attend a special lecture on personal grooming.
▼ Video of the lesson
The purpose of the grooming seminar, as it was officially called, was to “promote and understand grooming as an aspect of proper etiquette.” Seisoku invited a representative from men’s grooming product maker Mandom to speak to the 150 students, who are 15 or 16 years old, about skin care lotions and hairstyling wax, and the lesson included instruction and practice in using both.
The grooming seminar is the newest addition to the school’s “gentlemen’s education” curriculum, which was first instituted for the 2020 school year. Toru Kojima, the Seisoku faculty member in charge of the program, says: “We started the program with the strong hope of helping Seisoku students enjoy an active and cool student lifestyle in the heart of Tokyo. Being conscious of and skilled in grooming and how to take care of their uniforms and dress shoes imparts a fresh, hygienic atmosphere, and styling their hair allows them an avenue for self-expression even if they are all wearing the same uniform.”
▼ Speaking of coolness, Seisoku Gakuen’s promotional video is filled with scenes of not just studying, but also music, martial arts, and even flower arrangement.
Online reactions to the grooming lesson have been overwhelmingly positive, with comments for the event’s video including:
“It’s awesome that a school is taking the time to teach this.”
“I hope other schools will start doing the same.”
“It’d be nice for schools to have classes like these for girls too. A lot of schools don’t allow the students to wear cosmetics, but then a lot of companies’ dress codes say women can’t come to work without any makeup on.
“The kids would probably be too embarrassed to figure things out on their own, but if they’re all learning together, no one has to feel awkward.”
“If you don’t already have proper grooming experience, it can be really hard to have to suddenly catch up when you’re going to job interviews.”
It’s worth noting that the focus for the lesson seems to have been more on “grooming” as opposed to out-and-out stylishness. As many commenters pointed out, being able to make yourself look presentable is an important job-hunting skill, especially in Japan where visual first impressions often carry a lot of weight and potential employers put a lot of importance on how seriously the candidate seems to be taking the application.
Granted, you could argue that a lot of kids already know how to groom themselves by the time they get into high school, but since the late teens are when a lot of lifestyle habits really become set, for those kids that could use some pointers, this is an important time to give them.
Source: Kokusai Shogyo, YouTube/【公式】日テレNEWS via Hachima Kiko
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© SoraNews24
17 Comments
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virusrex
It may seem silly and weird, but at least in this shape (as in a single time special lecture) it can be a very positive thing. Many high schooler boys have no idea of proper grooming and if one small investment of time can prevent a few bad experiences learning I think it is a time well spent.
Sven Asai
That won’t work in most cases. lol They’ll might be meet with them , but then finally chose a more dirty and muscular guy who potentially looks like he can also do some hard work, sports , good (you know what) and bring in all the big money for a living, not those hair waxed cosmetics lovers with clean shoes, who never have seen a girl in their whole school time.from less than 30m distance. That’s for hundreds of thousands of years the same, so this high school won’t change anything of that.
Suretto
At that age, males tend to need skin/pore degreasing scrubs, not extra grease aka lotion
purple_depressed_bacon
Except they didn't factor in the fact that some people like others of the same sex, making this a bit of a moot point.
Grooming classes aren't such a bad idea though. Some boys this age just aren't that aware of how much BO they have and aren't fussed with maintaining a certain level of hygiene.
tooheysnew
What about manscaping ?
David Brent
Can we add to this:
How to brush your teeth.
How to use deodorant.?
gokai_wo_maneku
I went to an all-boys junior and senior high school here in Shinjuku in the early and mid 1990s. I wish we had some grooming lessons because we were all kind of dorky. It might have boosted our confidence in our looks or self-presentation.
GBR48
Schools are supposed to help socialise kids. Single sex schools can only do half that job without getting boys into skirts in drama classes.
They need to concentrate on healthcare - dealing with acne etc, rather than tarting up kids to improve their sex appeal. That may not end so well. Do they call it JK Studies? Maybe it is just Mandom grooming future customers. Will they be inviting other manufacturers into classrooms to drum up trade?
I'm neither dirty nor smelly, but I've never used face cream, hair gel, or the perfume for blokes that they now flog. That must have saved a few quid and a chunk of the environment over the decades.
If you want soft hands without hand cream, wear a pair of thin plastic gloves at night. Turn them inside out in the morning, clean and dry them. Despite being advertised as disposable, they will last for a good while and stop your hands cracking in winter - a problem that affects me more in Japan than in the UK. Remember to recycle them with your soft plastics when they are no longer useable.
BackpackingNepal
What's really happening to Japanese men since the millennium? There were so tough looking until 90s but now they want to follow Korean idol look? Not so different than lady boys of Thailand.
Aly Rustom
should rename it to Soushoku Gakuen