From monastic training and a “boot camp” for bankers, we turn our attention to children and the entrance to public school. Considering the radical shift in context and purpose of this new direction, we should not expect to find much similarity of philosophy or practice. But similarities do exist. In fact, some of the most glaring incongruencies in descriptions of Japanese teaching can be uncovered by comparing studies of different levels within the public school system. Compare Rohlen's 1983 description of high schools with Peak's 1992 description of early learning. We can begin our detailed exploration of the Japanese landscape in earnest by trying to see what essential foundations the Japanese lay and expect will be sustained throughout life.

Our choice of the word “emotional” in the title of this section deserves comment. For us it contrasts rather neatly with the cognitive, drawing attention to the important matters preschool teachers focus on: the inner world of the child; connections between the child and the whole class; and integrating aspects of the child's personality. Japanese preschool and early elementary education have been generally portrayed as nurturing and “child centered” (White, 1987; Peak, 1989). Teachers try to gain the attention of the learners and engage them in in-depth questioning. In elementary school, the emphasis is on the class (kumi) and small group (han) as organizational units.