Education in Shimane, Japan: official figures
The number of primary schools per 100,000 children aged 6 to 11 in Shimane was 570.7 in 2024, 2nd highest of 47 prefectures.
How many junior high schools are there in Shimane?
The number of junior high schools per 100,000 children aged 12 to 14 in Shimane was 527.1 in 2024, 3rd highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many high schools are there in Shimane?
The number of high schools per 100,000 young people aged 15 to 17 in Shimane was 245.7 in 2024, the highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat is the class size in primary schools in Shimane?
The number of primary school pupils per teacher in Shimane was 10.6 pupils in 2024, 3rd lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many pupils per teacher are there in junior high schools in Shimane?
The number of junior high pupils per teacher in Shimane was 9.2 pupils in 2024, 2nd lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many students per teacher are there in high schools in Shimane?
The number of high school students per teacher in Shimane was 9.7 students in 2024, 2nd lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big are primary school classes in Shimane?
The average primary school class size in Shimane was 16.8 pupils in 2024, tied for 2nd lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big are junior high school classes in Shimane?
The average junior high school class size in Shimane was 20.8 pupils in 2024, 2nd lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many pupils in Shimane go on to high school?
The share of junior high leavers who go on to upper secondary education in Shimane was 95.8% in 2023, 9th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many students in Shimane go on to university?
The share of high school leavers who go on to further education in Shimane was 50.1% in 2023, 9th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many adults in Shimane left school after junior high?
The share of graduates whose highest education is primary or junior high school in Shimane was 18.2% in 2020, tied for 6th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many adults in Shimane went to junior college?
The share of graduates whose highest education is a junior college or technical college in Shimane was 12.9% in 2020, tied for 13th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much is spent on education per person in Shimane?
Public spending on education per resident (prefecture and municipalities combined) in Shimane was 209,500 yen in 2022, 2nd highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much is spent per primary school pupil in Shimane?
Public spending per public primary school pupil in Shimane was 975,800 yen in 2022, 8th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much is spent per junior high school pupil in Shimane?
Public spending per public junior high pupil in Shimane was 1,221,200 yen in 2022, 3rd highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many graduates in Shimane find jobs?
The share of new university graduates who went straight into work in Shimane was 71.4% in 2023, 15th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many libraries are there in Shimane?
The number of public libraries per million people in Shimane was 61.7 in 2021, 2nd highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many primary schools are there in Shimane?
The number of primary schools in Shimane was 180 on 1 May 2026 (preliminary figures), 7th fewest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 18,383.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow many primary school pupils are there in Shimane?
The number of primary school pupils in Shimane was 29,777 on 1 May 2026 (preliminary figures), 3rd fewest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 5,654,461.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow many primary school teachers are there in Shimane?
The number of full-time primary school teachers in Shimane was 2,906 on 1 May 2026 (preliminary figures), 5th fewest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 424,351.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow big are primary schools in Shimane?
The average number of pupils per primary school in Shimane was 165 pupils on 1 May 2026 (preliminary figures), 2nd smallest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 308 pupils.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow many pupils does each primary school teacher teach in Shimane?
The number of primary pupils for each full-time teacher in Shimane was 10.2 pupils on 1 May 2026 (preliminary figures), 2nd lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 13.3 pupils.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow big are primary school classes in Shimane?
The average number of pupils per primary school class (including special-needs classes) in Shimane was 16.5 pupils on 1 May 2026 (preliminary figures), 4th smallest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 21.0 pupils.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow many primary school classes in Shimane mix different years?
The share of primary school classes that combine more than one school year (multi-grade classes, found where there are few children) in Shimane was 6.6% on 1 May 2026 (preliminary figures), 4th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 1.6%.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow many special needs classes are there in primary schools in Shimane?
The share of primary school classes that are special-needs classes in Shimane was 24.1% on 1 May 2026 (preliminary figures), 24th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 22.6%.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyAre there fewer young children in Shimane?
Shimane had 4,390 first-year pupils and 5,325 sixth-year pupils in its primary schools on 1 May 2026 (preliminary figures), so the youngest year group is 82.4% the size of the oldest, 12th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 85.3%.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow many students leave high school in Shimane each year?
5,396 young people left high schools in Shimane in March 2025, 4th fewest of 47 prefectures; 2,835 of them (52.5%) went on to a university or junior college. Japan overall: 929,157 leavers.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow many school leavers in Shimane go to vocational college?
The share of high school leavers who went on to a specialised training college (vocational school) in Shimane was 20.3% (March 2025 leavers), 4th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 14.8%.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow many school leavers in Shimane go straight into work?
The share of high school leavers who went straight into a job in Shimane was 20.2% (March 2025 leavers), 16th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 13.7%.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow many school leavers in Shimane are not in study or work?
The share of high school leavers who neither went on to study nor into a job, nor went to a training course (the official category "others") in Shimane was 4.7% (March 2025 leavers), 11th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 4.7%.
Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat · saved copyHow Shimane compares with other prefectures
Primary school pupils per teacher (2024)
Shimane ranks 45 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Primary school pupils per teacher |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Hokkaido | 11.6 pupils |
| 42 | Yamanashi | 11.2 pupils |
| 43 | Kagoshima | 11.2 pupils |
| 44 | Tokushima | 11.0 pupils |
| 45 | Shimane | 10.6 pupils |
| 46 | Kochi | 10.6 pupils |
| 47 | Wakayama | 10.3 pupils |
High school leavers going on to further education (2023)
Shimane ranks 39 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | High school leavers going on to further education |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Yamagata | 51.0% |
| 37 | Fukushima | 50.9% |
| 38 | Kumamoto | 50.4% |
| 39 | Shimane | 50.1% |
| 40 | Iwate | 49.9% |
| 41 | Nagasaki | 49.7% |
| 42 | Akita | 49.4% |
Primary pupils per full-time teacher (May 2026) (2026)
Shimane ranks 46 of 47, highest first. School Basic Survey, preliminary 2026 figures; students per teacher count full-time teachers only
| Rank | Region | Primary pupils per full-time teacher (May 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Hokkaido | 11.1 pupils |
| 42 | Yamanashi | 10.8 pupils |
| 43 | Kagoshima | 10.7 pupils |
| 44 | Tokushima | 10.5 pupils |
| 45 | Kochi | 10.5 pupils |
| 46 | Shimane | 10.2 pupils |
| 47 | Wakayama | 9.8 pupils |
Share of primary school classes that combine school years (May 2026) (2026)
Shimane ranks 4 of 47, highest first. School Basic Survey, preliminary 2026 figures
| Rank | Region | Share of primary school classes that combine school years (May 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kagoshima | 9.6% |
| 2 | Kochi | 8.2% |
| 3 | Yamaguchi | 6.6% |
| 4 | Shimane | 6.6% |
| 5 | Wakayama | 6.4% |
| 6 | Iwate | 5.1% |
| 7 | Ehime | 5.1% |
High school leavers going on to university or junior college (March 2025) (2025)
Shimane ranks 36 of 47, highest first. Counts leavers of full-time, part-time and national, public and private high schools located in the prefecture (not where they live), so prefectures with many private schools or colleges can look different
| Rank | Region | High school leavers going on to university or junior college (March 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Hokkaido | 53.9% |
| 34 | Oita | 53.3% |
| 35 | Fukushima | 52.6% |
| 36 | Shimane | 52.5% |
| 37 | Tottori | 52.3% |
| 38 | Kumamoto | 51.2% |
| 39 | Saga | 50.9% |
High school leavers going straight into a job (March 2025) (2025)
Shimane ranks 16 of 47, highest first. Counts leavers of full-time, part-time and national, public and private high schools located in the prefecture (not where they live), so prefectures with many private schools or colleges can look different
| Rank | Region | High school leavers going straight into a job (March 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Oita | 22.6% |
| 14 | Tottori | 20.6% |
| 15 | Tokushima | 20.3% |
| 16 | Shimane | 20.2% |
| 17 | Tochigi | 19.1% |
| 18 | Okayama | 18.9% |
| 19 | Gifu | 18.8% |
More on Shimane: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · Japan
Sources
- Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Prefectures 2026 (Tōkei de miru todōfuken no sugata), full volume, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b69774a5f40c…)
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat: School Basic Survey fiscal 2025, table ey-289: what high school leavers did next, by prefecture and sex (graduates of March 2025), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 554ef7b4107e…)
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), via e-Stat: School Basic Survey fiscal 2026 (preliminary, 1 May 2026), table 4: primary schools, classes, pupils and staff by prefecture, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7f5e434b3617…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.