Nike Japan - Juku Academy

The world’s first program that focuses on mental clarity and focus, instead of more cramming.

Japan's entrance exams are notoriously difficult. In the years leading up to college, kids may study an extra 7.5 hours on top of the school day, often attending "cram schools" (jukus), cramming even more information in their already overwhelmed minds. With hours and hours of studying every day, there is no room for sports.

However, many studies show that even short exercises positively affect your academic performance. For example, 12 minutes of exercise can improve concentration and reading ability for an hour. Ten minutes can improve test scores by 5.5%.

Introducing Nike Juku, a program aiming to help students refresh their brains through short, simple study breaks where they get their bodies moving.

In collaboration with ATARASHII GAKKO!, a popular youth band with over 3.5 million followers on TikTok. we welcomed students to the world of Nike Juku and directed them to try special study breaks through its online lessons. The song reached the top charts on Spotify and the dances were widely shared on TikTok and Instagram.

Beyond the study break curriculum, Nike Juku includes free athletic and academic gear for students, and we are currently recruiting schools and private Juku academies to be part of the program.

The program included stress-easing meditation sessions by skateboarding gold medalist Yuto Horigome, the comedian Yuriyan Retriever teaching a massage to soothe hands tired from taking notes, a Tik Tok workout challenge, and many other exercises.