My French professor used to say that France is a nation where children try to become adults as soon as they possibly can, while in Japan, adults try to extend their childhood for as long as they possibly can.
The truth of this statement can be seen in izakaya salaryman conversations round this time of year. From the 23-year-old shinjin-kun (rookie) to the 50-year-old bucho (general manager), everyone's talk turns to what they used to do during natsuyasumi (summer holidays) when they ran around as shogakusei (elementary school students). Their gazes drift into midair as if upon some faraway memory, they sigh, and order another beer.
The very word natsuyasumi seems to belong to the shogakusei, who enjoy the only years of Japanese school life that are relatively free of exam and juku (cram school) anxieties. The shogakusei natsuyasumi is a time of pure joy, tempered only by spurts of discipline. Indeed, it's this balance of kan (loosening up) and kyu (buckling down) that makes the holiday so special.