For many of these city dwellers work begins at about 9:00 am and ends at about 5:00 pm. Life for many begins and ends on the public transportation systems and at work order and hard work are demanded. The country is a leader in technological progress and there is a great number of jobs in this industry, both in manufacturing as well as in the services sector.
For many students life is similar to that of their parents as school days generally begins at about 8:00 am and end at about 3:00 pm as all students wear uniforms, and have some time off, including a summer break from about July to August. However, schools have vastly different schedules from one to the next. Organization and discipline are important to the Japanese and it appears this way with the school children. Despite this, children are free to be children and much of the discipline is done to encourage their children to succeed.
Although Japan may seem uniform in some ways, particularly in appearance as so many people dress in like fashion and public transportation fills up at the same times each day, the Japanese are also individuals and this is best seen in their free time or when out for drinks with colleagues. Life during these times can seem chaotic, particularly when out drinking, but it is also a time for the people to let go of the societal pressure to succeed and work hard and just relax.
Free time in Japan is highly individualized as everyone enjoys something different, but family is very important to the Japanese and much of the free time is spent with family, often times supporting and encouraging children as they pursue their interests, studies, hobbies, and lives.