Schoolchildren are expected to learn 1,006 kanji while in elementary school, more than half the 1,945 that have been specified as being kanji for daily use. The children have to learn not only the correct stroke order but must also master the different readings that the kanji have.

When a new kanji comes up in a textbook, children memorize it by practicing writing it dozens of times in their notebooks.

Kids also get homework over summer and winter vacations. They frequently undertake a project of their own choosing, like studying the growth of plants or researching the history of their community, and write compositions on the books they read.