Closing time

A time when emotions duel each other for excitement and tears.

I was just party to my first Japanese Junior High School graduation.

The graduation consisted primarily of what you might expect. The handing out of certificates. The official seal of completion from a school. With 300 students this took about as long as you would expect, with the calling out of the names (about an hour). But what surprised me most was how efficient and orderly the students were. There was always a line of only 5 people ever waiting, who would mount the stage one at a time preceding their call and face the audience. At that time they would respond 'Hai!' to the calling of their name, cross the stage, bow to the principal, receive their diploma, and exit stage front. There were certain pathways they took which all made it seem very orderly, I really wonder just how must practice went into it.
The stage itself was decorated with a very elaborate arrangement of flowers, styled with symbolic meaning in a very Japanese traditional fashion. In addition it also had the school flag as well as the Japanese flag.
The students themselves were decked out in their usual. The winter school uniform. They also had a special addition of a fake flower corsage that decorated their name pin. This corsage was blue for the male crowd and pink for the ladies. In addition their teachers had corresponding real flower corsages pinned upon their breast.
When Japanese suit up they really suit up. Of course I was wearing a suit, what are you talking about. But they wore suits. They have elaborate silk ties with blingy chains adorning them and sparkly hair decor for the ladies. Nearly everyone had their finest piece of jewelry on.
Nextly, speeches were made...in Japanese...of course
I sat next to the new student council who sniffled and made soft noises the entire ceremony.
For the last act the 3rd years set up and mounted the bleachers and sang the school song. Now this is apparently a singing school and as such they sang a bit more and a bit more. A nice total of 3-4 songs. But if you look closely, I am pretty sure some of the men are just faking it.

Afterwards
There is a tradition that is pretty familiar to most schools where the students teachers and parents all form two rows making a pathway for the 3rd years to walk through. This is their grand exit. The pathways starts out in the field and leads straight out the front gate, where they should never have to enter again.
During this walk there is much hugging and crying and gift giving. The young ones give gifts as memorials and well wishes to their sempais as forget-me-nots. Photos, towels, cards, and small gifts were seen in everyone's hands. And finally they reach the outer limit, where all their parents are waiting, camcorders at the ready, their eyes glistening at the corners. And to home they go.
Goodbye my 3rd years. And good luck!