However, the schools throughout Japan share a similar design. The teacher has a small stage at the front of the class and the desks are arranged in six rows of about seven each. The students bow at the beginning and end of each class while asking and thanking the teacher for the lesson. Also, the students always wear school uniforms and name pins. Boys have dress pants and short sleeves in the summer but add a suit jacket and long sleeves in the winter.
Girls wear a skirt and a blouse.
In winter, they can add a jacket and sometimes a sweater but they still must wear the skirt. Japanese winter conditions are drastically different depending on the region but how people cope with the season is generaly the same. While household air conditioners are more common than hot water in the kitchen, central heating is extremely rare. Instead, two or three small electric heaters are used in each room. Kerosene heaters are also popular but a window needs to be opened to let the gas escape which then reduces the small amount of heat produced.