How lunch time works
When the lunch bell rings, the children on duty that week (kyūshoku tōban) put on white smocks, caps and masks. They collect the food from the school kitchen or the delivery room and serve their classmates at a counter made of desks.
Nobody starts until everyone has been served. Then the class says "itadakimasu" together. The homeroom teacher eats the same meal at their desk. At the end, the class says "gochisōsama deshita", and the children rinse and fold their milk cartons and stack the trays to return.
What is on the menu
A typical lunch is rice, a main dish, a soup or side dish and milk, with bread or noodles on some days. Favourites include curry rice, fried bread (age-pan) and local dishes. Menus often feature produce grown in the area, and there are special meals for seasonal events.
A monthly menu (kondate-hyō) comes home with the ingredients and calories for each day. Children are encouraged to try everything, but forcing a child to finish their food is now discouraged.
Why lunch is part of school
Under the School Lunch Act of 1954, lunch is treated as part of a child's education, not just a meal. Since the Basic Act on Food Education (shokuiku) of 2005, many schools also have a nutrition teacher who plans the menus and teaches about food, farming and table manners.
Who pays
Families have traditionally paid for the ingredients, usually a few thousand yen a month. Since April 2026, the national government has covered ingredient costs at public elementary schools, up to ¥5,200 per child a month and with no income limit. Where a city spends more than that, it can still ask families to pay the difference.
The national scheme does not cover junior high schools yet, but many cities and towns make junior high lunch free with their own money.
Tips for families in Japan
- Tell the school about any food allergy before your child starts. Schools usually ask for a form filled in by a doctor and agree a plan for each meal.
- For religious or other dietary needs, talk to the school early. Some schools let children bring a packed lunch (bentō) on days the menu is unsuitable.
- The serving smock usually comes home on Fridays to be washed and goes back on Monday.
- Children often need a lunch set: a cloth placemat, a napkin, a mask and sometimes their own chopsticks.
Words you will hear
- 給食 kyūshoku
- school lunch
- 給食当番 kyūshoku tōban
- lunch duty, the children serving that week
- 献立表 kondate-hyō
- the monthly menu
- 食育 shokuiku
- food education
- いただきます itadakimasu
- said before eating
- ごちそうさまでした gochisōsama deshita
- said after eating
See also
More on School culture
- Cleaning time (sōji) Every day, students sweep and wipe their own classrooms, corridors and often toilets.
- The randoseru and school supplies The famous leather backpack, indoor shoes, a yellow cap and a name on absolutely everything.
- School events through the year Ceremonies, sports day, school trips and festivals that mark the Japanese school year.
- Club activities (bukatsu) After-school clubs that shape junior high and high school life, and the reform moving them to the community.
Sources: School Lunch Act; MEXT guidance on reducing school lunch costs (2026). Rules, costs and dates vary by city and school, so check with your local office or school.