Why are Japanese schools too cold in the winter but also too hot in the summer? Experts are astonished by the “shoddy state of Japanese public buildings,” calling it “unbelievable for a developed country.”

Because a lack of proper circulation and central AC. It’s not that complicated. Most AC in Japan are just the normal East Asian units that are designed for a single room.

Obviously haven’t seen New Zealand. 

One of the schools I worked in Japan in the Kansai region was in an appalling state of repair. The flooring was worn out, paint peeling from the dirty stained walls, toilets were ancient and smelt constantly, the exterior’s magnolia paint had long turned to a stained grey concrete hulk. One year, I saw one of the teacher’s tasked with putting down new floor tiles to replace the ancient worn away ones outside the staff room and the BOE had gone to the extravagance of at least replacing the flooring on the landing between floors where it had previously been worn away. That and the vice principal painting some of the corridors.

And yet I worked in some schools that were virtually brand new (say 15 years old), beautiful in every single way in rural locations that got shut down, understandably, due to depopulation — but why was the replacement even built, it never had that many students even in 2005, and by 2020 having just 6 students in the whole school…

I’m astonished

In urban centers where the heat island effect has reached its absolute peak, air conditioning is pretty much mandatory now, but I actually think the idea of “mental training” isn’t all that bad. I reckon it really builds character.

Also, I’m pretty sure they also frankly admitted that the government just doesn’t want to shell out the cash.

That being said, their school architecture is completely standardized, so the moment a decision is made to introduce central air conditioning, everything regarding new construction will instantly become a thing of the past.

I recall some years ago going to Kobe University to take the Japanese proficiency exam on a very cold winter day. Walking through a frigid building looking for the test room, I was amused by the sight of a bunch of college students huddled around some kind of small portable heater in the hallway. Looked more like a scene from a refugee camp than a top university.

Ha. Here’s the thing. Some schools in Japan are in an incredible state of disrepair. I’ve seen some that were old, broken, smelly, rusty, discolored, you name it. Absolutely horrible environment to let kids spend their formative years. It’s a disgrace. Then look at what sorta rooms the government convenes in. When you go to some schools you’d think Japan was a poor third world country. It’s that bad. 

But then sometimes they spent some money on fancy aircons. They equipped every room with them in my schools. And now they’re too stingy to use them. If the temperature gets over like 30 or what the Aircon will be set to 26 or something. But only during the allowed times. I’ve had class in the spring in classrooms that were 12 degrees. That temperature wouldn’t even be legal for a classroom in other countries. You’d get sued for abuse. Can we turn on the heat? No. Why not? Not the time yet. No one is allowed to use common sense to heat when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. 

It’s infuriating. 

I teach with a winter jacket sometimes.

Shoulda seen them 20 years ago.