Q.

What is the concept of "ronin"?

A.

Ronin (浪人) is a word describing a gap year between high school graduation and starting university. It indicates a person who did not get accepted to the university of their choice and is willing to dedicate an additional year to study for the entrance exam.

The Kanji 浪人 can be roughly translated as “uncertainty of waves”. The word describes the state of people and situations changing without knowing where to head.

As education is a high priority, going to a “prestigious” university is a huge deal in Japan. Students put a lot of pressure to get into a university of their choice!

What do you think about this culture?

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