Every school from elementary through high school hold the entrance ceremony in early April, when the new school year starts in Japan. All the new students attend this ceremony accompanied by their parents. Though the attendance of the parents is not mandatory, almost all of them attend even though they have work to do that day.
The ceremony is usually held in the school gym surrounded with red and white curtains. Red is believed a happy color and the same curtain is used when the graduation ceremony is held in March. Parents of the elementary school kids are especially good photographers. Many of them attend the ceremony with a camcorder to take pictures of their kids during the ceremony.
Students in elementary schools shoulder a school bag called 'randoseru'. Boys usually have one in black, while girls prefer one in red or pink. They keep using their bag for six years until they graduate from elementary school.
