Schooling and childcare in Tokyo

Public schools

Elementary and junior high schools are free, of consistently high quality, and allocated by catchment from your registered address, which means the ward office effectively assigns the school when you register. Teaching is entirely in Japanese, and support for children who do not speak it varies considerably between wards. There are real costs beyond tuition: school lunch, materials, uniform items and the PTA, and there are expectations of parental participation that come as a surprise.

• Enrolment is arranged through the ward office when you register your address.
• Free tuition, but budget for lunch, materials, uniform and PTA contributions.
• Japanese-language support for foreign pupils differs sharply by ward — ask before choosing where to live.
• The school year runs April to March, with entry in April.

International schools

Tokyo has a well-established international sector covering American, British, IB, French, German and other curricula, mostly in the western and central wards, plus schools serving specific national communities. Fees are high and there are additional charges for registration, facilities and buses. Places at the well-known schools are limited and applications generally run the winter before an August or September start, with assessment, reports and interviews.

• Apply from roughly November to February for the following academic year.
• Registration fees, facility levies and bus charges sit on top of tuition.
• Most international schools run on a September start, unlike the Japanese April year.
• Confirm any accreditation you need for the child's next system before committing.

Nursery and kindergarten

Licensed nurseries (ninka hoikuen) are heavily subsidised and heavily oversubscribed, allocated by the ward on a points system that weights both parents working full time, single parenthood, siblings already enrolled and other circumstances. Applications go in around November for an April start, and results arrive in the new year. Unlicensed and international nurseries fill the gap at much higher cost. Yochien kindergartens cover roughly three to six and run shorter hours, which is a poor fit for two full-time jobs.

• Ninka hoikuen applications go to the ward around November for an April start.
• Points weight working hours, so part-time work scores lower than full-time.
• Unlicensed and English-medium nurseries are available immediately and cost several times more.
• Some wards publish the previous year's cut-off scores by nursery — worth reading before choosing an area.
• Licensed nursery and kindergarten fees are free nationally for children aged three to five.
• Tokyo has also made licensed nursery free for children under three since September 2025; confirm the details with your ward.

After school and Japanese support

Elementary school days end early, so working families rely on gakudō, the after-school clubs run by the ward or private operators, which also have waiting lists. Some wards run Japanese-language classes or send support staff into schools for children who arrive without Japanese; ask what yours offers before you choose where to live. International schools run their own after-school programmes at extra cost.

• Gakudō applications go to the ward, often alongside the school registration.
• Ask the ward about Japanese-language support for foreign pupils.
• Summer holidays run from late July to the end of August.

In order

1. 1Decide between the Japanese system and an international school before choosing a ward.
2. 2For international schools, apply between November and February for an August start.
3. 3For public school, register your address and ask the ward office to assign the school.
4. 4For a licensed nursery, apply to the ward around November for April.
5. 5Ask about after-school care (gakudō) if both parents work.