# TokyoParents

> Your Guide to Raising Kids in Tokyo.


## Posts

- [Earthquake Preparedness for Families in Tokyo: School Pickup Rules, Kits and a Family Plan](https://tokyoparents.com/earthquake-preparedness-families-tokyo/): After a major earthquake, Tokyo asks commuters to stay put for up to three days, and schools and daycares keep children until a registered adult collects them. Here's how to plan pickup, build a kit for kids and stay in touch.
- [Enrolling Your Child in a Japanese Public Elementary School in Tokyo: A Guide for Foreign Families](https://tokyoparents.com/enroll-japanese-public-elementary-school-tokyo-foreign-families/): Foreign children can attend Tokyo's public elementary schools free of charge, but enrollment doesn't happen automatically. Here's how to apply, the autumn health check and after-school club deadlines, and what to expect in the first year.
- [Flying Home for the Holidays on a Dependent Visa: Re-Entry Permits Explained](https://tokyoparents.com/re-entry-permit-japan-dependent-visa-family-travel/): Leaving Japan without re-entry permission can cancel your family's status of residence. Here's how the special re-entry permission works, when you need a full re-entry permit, and the traps for families with expiring cards or newborns.
- [Shichi-Go-San in Tokyo: A Practical Guide for International Families](https://tokyoparents.com/shichi-go-san-tokyo-guide/): Shichi-Go-San celebrates children at ages three, five and seven with a shrine visit, kimono and photos. Here's how international families in Tokyo can take part: which ages, when to go, booking studios and rentals, and how to keep the day enjoyable.
- [International Schools in Setagaya, Tokyo: A Guide for Families (2026–27)](https://tokyoparents.com/international-schools-setagaya/): Setagaya is home to St. Mary's (boys), Seisen (girls), BST's secondary campus and the small Tokyo International Progressive School. Here's each school's location, curriculum, ages, 2026–27 tuition and admissions notes.
- [International Schools in Minato, Tokyo: A Guide for Families (2026–27)](https://tokyoparents.com/international-schools-minato/): Minato has more international schools than almost any other Tokyo ward, including Tokyo International School's new Takanawa campus, Nishimachi and BST's primary school at Azabudai Hills. Here's each school's location, curriculum, ages and 2026–27 tuition.
- [9 Tokyo Indoor Play Areas Kids Will Love: Tickets and Costs](https://tokyoparents.com/indoor-play-areas-tokyo-kids/): Beyond the big play centres: nine indoor play spaces in Tokyo, from PLAY! PARK and the Tokyo Toy Museum to free earthquake simulators and the fire museum, with ticket prices, age rules and how to book.
- [Child Benefits in Tokyo for Foreign Families: Jidō Teate and 018 Support Explained](https://tokyoparents.com/child-benefits-tokyo-jido-teate-018-support/): Foreign residents in Tokyo can receive Japan's child allowance and Tokyo's 018 Support payment on the same terms as Japanese families. Here's how much you get, the 15-day rule that costs newcomers money, and how to apply.
- [International School Admissions Calendar 2027–28: When to Apply in Tokyo](https://tokyoparents.com/international-school-admissions-calendar-tokyo-2027/): Several Tokyo international schools close kindergarten and Grade 1 applications for 2027–28 as early as October 31, 2026. Here are the official dates for St. Mary's, Nishimachi, Sacred Heart, KIST, BST, ASIJ and more, plus a month-by-month plan.
- [British, American, Canadian or French? Choosing a Curriculum in Tokyo](https://tokyoparents.com/international-school-curriculum-tokyo/): Tokyo's international schools follow British, American, Canadian, French and IB curricula. Here's which schools teach which, how each system works, and how to choose based on your next move and your child's university plans.
- [Tokyo Kids' Play Centres: Compare Prices and Book Your Visit (2026)](https://tokyoparents.com/kids-play-centres-tokyo-prices/): How much does a Tokyo play centre really cost for a family? We compare pricing at ASOBONO!, BorneLund, Fantasy Kids Resort, PLAY! PARK and Kids Land US, with a worked weekend cost for one adult and two children.
- [IB Schools in Tokyo: PYP, MYP and Diploma Programmes Compared](https://tokyoparents.com/ib-schools-tokyo/): Which Tokyo schools offer the International Baccalaureate, and which programmes? Here's a verified comparison of IB schools in Tokyo, how the PYP, MYP and Diploma work, and what to ask before you apply.
- [Flu Shots for Kids in Tokyo (2026–27): Doses, FluMist and Ward Subsidies](https://tokyoparents.com/flu-shots-for-kids-tokyo/): Flu vaccination isn't part of Japan's routine schedule for children, but most Tokyo wards subsidize it. Here's how many doses your child needs, the FluMist nasal option, this season's subsidy windows and when to book.
- [Where to Book Indoor Activities for Kids in Tokyo: 11 Top Picks](https://tokyoparents.com/book-indoor-activities-kids-tokyo/): How and where to book Tokyo's most popular indoor activities for kids, from KidZania and teamLab to the Ghibli Museum and LEGOLAND, with booking windows, age rules and tips to avoid sold-out days.
- [Most Affordable International Schools in Tokyo (2026–27)](https://tokyoparents.com/most-affordable-international-schools-tokyo/): Looking for a cheaper international school in Tokyo? Here are the lowest-cost options with verified 2026–27 fees, the trade-offs to weigh, and other ways families bring the cost down.
- [International School in Tokyo: A Worked First-Year Budget (Entry Fees, Levies, Buses and Extras)](https://tokyoparents.com/international-school-first-year-budget-tokyo/): Tuition is only part of the cost. Here are three worked first-year budgets for Tokyo international schools, built from official 2026–27 fee schedules, plus the extras parents most often forget and when each payment falls due.
- [Daycare Sick Days in Tokyo: When Your Child Can Go Back (Flu, RSV, Norovirus and More)](https://tokyoparents.com/daycare-sick-day-return-rules-tokyo/): Japanese daycares follow national guidelines on when sick children must stay home and when they can return. Here's how it works for flu, COVID-19, RSV, norovirus and other common illnesses, plus sick-child care and leave options for working parents.
- [Best Indoor Playgrounds in Tokyo for Kids: Prices and Booking Guide (2026)](https://tokyoparents.com/indoor-playgrounds-tokyo-prices/): Tokyo's best indoor playgrounds for babies to tweens, with 2026 prices from official price pages where available, booking tips, age rules and what to bring.
- [International School Fees in Tokyo 2026–27: Every School Compared](https://tokyoparents.com/international-school-fees-tokyo/): What Tokyo's international schools charge in 2026–27, from each school's official fee schedule: annual tuition, recurring fees, one-time entry fees and a worked first-year cost for Grade 1.
- [Tokyo Hoikuen Deadlines for April 2027: Ward-by-Ward Guide](https://tokyoparents.com/tokyo-hoikuen-deadlines-april-2027/): First-round hoikuen applications for April 2027 close between mid-November and early December, depending on your ward. Here are the official dates for central Tokyo wards, plus how to get the employment certificate in time.
- [International Schools in Tokyo (2026–27): IB Schools, Fees and Admissions](https://tokyoparents.com/international-schools-tokyo-admissions-guide/): Yes, Japan has many international schools, and Tokyo has the most. Here's which Tokyo schools offer the IB, what the best-known schools charge in 2026–27 according to their official fee schedules, and how admissions and waitlists work.
- [Raising Bicultural Kids in Tokyo: Language, School, and Identity](https://tokyoparents.com/raising-bicultural-kids-tokyo/): Bilingualism in a bicultural household doesn't happen by default. Here's what actually works, based on strategies families in Japan use.
- [A Parent's Guide to Japanese Festivals and Seasonal Events with Kids](https://tokyoparents.com/japanese-festivals-seasonal-events-with-kids/): Setsubun, Kodomo no Hi, Tanabata and Shichi-Go-San: what each festival actually celebrates, and how families in Tokyo take part.
- [Registering Your Family at the Ward Office: Your First Two Weeks in Tokyo](https://tokyoparents.com/ward-office-registration-first-two-weeks-tokyo/): You have 14 days to register your family's address once you move in. Here's exactly what that visit unlocks and what to bring.
- [Japan's Dependent Visa Explained: Bringing Your Spouse and Kids to Tokyo](https://tokyoparents.com/japan-dependent-visa-explained/): The Dependent Visa is how most families get to Tokyo together. Here's what it actually requires, and what it does and doesn't let your spouse do.
- [Finding an English-Speaking Pediatrician in Tokyo](https://tokyoparents.com/english-speaking-pediatrician-tokyo/): English-speaking pediatric care exists in Tokyo, but it's concentrated in specific neighborhoods. Here's how to find it and what to check before you book.
- [Japan's National Health Insurance for Kids: What Foreign Families Need to Know](https://tokyoparents.com/japan-national-health-insurance-kids-guide/): Tokyo covers child medical care well beyond the national minimum — but only if you apply for the right certificate. Here's what to know and do.
- [How to Apply for Licensed Daycare (Hoikuen) in Tokyo: Step-by-Step](https://tokyoparents.com/how-to-apply-hoikuen-tokyo-step-by-step/): The hoikuen application runs through your ward office on a points system, not first-come-first-served. Here's exactly how to prepare.
- [Hoikuen vs. Yochien: How Tokyo Daycare and Kindergarten Actually Work](https://tokyoparents.com/hoikuen-vs-yochien-tokyo-explained/): Hoikuen and yochien solve different problems for different families. Here's the real difference in hours, cost, and who they're built for.
- [Moving to Tokyo with Kids: A Family Relocation Checklist](https://tokyoparents.com/moving-to-tokyo-with-kids-checklist/): The order you do things in matters. Here's the practical sequence for relocating a family to Tokyo, from visa paperwork to your first week at the ward office.
- [Best Neighborhoods in Tokyo for Families: Minato, Meguro & Setagaya Compared](https://tokyoparents.com/best-neighborhoods-tokyo-families-compared/): Minato, Meguro and Setagaya are the three wards expat families ask about most. Here's how they actually differ on schools, space, cost and commute.

## Pages

- [Editorial Policy](https://tokyoparents.com/editorial-policy/): How TokyoParents researches, sources, and updates its guides for raising a family in Tokyo.
- [Contact](https://tokyoparents.com/contact/): Get in touch with TokyoParents — questions, corrections, or topic requests.
- [About TokyoParents](https://tokyoparents.com/about/): TokyoParents is a practical guide to raising kids in Tokyo, built for families navigating visas, schools, healthcare and daily life in a new city.
- [Family Life & Culture in Tokyo](https://tokyoparents.com/family-life-and-culture-in-tokyo/): Seasonal festivals, bilingual parenting, and the everyday culture of raising kids in Japan — once the logistics are sorted, this is what daily life looks like.
- [Visas & Moving to Tokyo](https://tokyoparents.com/visas-and-moving-to-tokyo/): Dependent visas, Certificates of Eligibility, and the 14-day ward-office deadline that unlocks everything else — the paperwork side of moving a family to Tokyo.
- [Healthcare for Families in Tokyo](https://tokyoparents.com/healthcare-for-families-in-tokyo/): Insurance enrollment, child medical subsidies, and finding a pediatrician you can actually communicate with — Tokyo's family healthcare system explained.
- [Education & Childcare in Tokyo](https://tokyoparents.com/education-and-childcare-in-tokyo/): From licensed daycare to international schools: how Tokyo's early-education system actually works and how to apply.
- [Living in Tokyo with Kids](https://tokyoparents.com/living-in-tokyo-with-kids/): A practical guide to choosing a neighborhood and relocating a family to Tokyo, from ward comparisons to your first weeks of paperwork.
- [Privacy Policy](https://tokyoparents.com/privacy-policy-2/): How TokyoParents collects, uses, and protects visitor data, including analytics, comments, and newsletter sign-ups.
- [Homepage](https://tokyoparents.com/)
- [Thank you](https://tokyoparents.com/thank-you/): Start with our family relocation checklist.

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