Japanese school club activities (Bukatsu) often appear healthy and disciplined from the outside, yet their internal structure can normalize conformity pressure and even physical danger. Through two personal experiences—one in basketball and one in Shorinji Kempo—this report examines how hierarchical roles, competition-oriented goals, and an ideology of mental toughness can override safety, restrict the freedom to quit, and shape student behavior and identity. While modern reforms have improved the system, certain structural tendencies remain difficult to eliminate.
