[samurai007]

I had to go to school during the summer when I first got there too. From what I know it's mostly a high school/prefectural ALT thing, since the Jr High ALTs got the time off. Also, they were worried that since I was new to the country and didn't speak Japanese (unlike the previous ALTs at that school) that I would be rather lost and helpless and sure to get into trouble. Well, by winter break they realized that I was far more adaptable and able to get by than they first thought, so they relaxed the rules and I was able to travel a bit within Japan, but they strongly suggested I don't go to Asia, since it was dangerous, they said. That was ok with me... there were plenty of places I wanted to see in Japan.