Many schools reopened Monday after being closed for an extended period due to the coronavirus pandemic, taking steps to reduce the risk of infections.
In Tokyo, students at Katsushika Elementary School were divided into three groups that arrived at different times to avoid crowding.
"I'm happy I can meet my friends again after what's been a while. I want to play a lot while avoiding bunching up as much as possible," said Kaito Fukuda, 8.