Hello everyone!

I have just found this forum and it is wonderful!

My husband and our two children are considering moving to Japan in the next 3 years. We will be visiting first and I am teaching my children Japanese, but I can't find anything about a school for 5-6 year olds. I was wondering what is the protocol, do they need to go to a foreigners school or will they be accepted into normal school?

Thank you in advance for any help, it will be much obliged.

Welcome

Do you mean if you are living here or when you are visiting?

If you are living here and the kids can speak and understand enough Japanese to follow teacher's instructions you should be able to get them into a mainstream school..
if not, they will need an international school..

Thank you Petina, I mean when we are living in Japan. We are going to visit first to make sure that we do like it and can adjust, but I like to plan ahead and if everything goes well *fingers crossed* we should be living there.

Are international schools common? or are they just in Tokyo?

Also may I ask another question? I am wondering how much do you think a family would spend on grocery's? I'm wondering ball park numbers, I realize everyone has different needs and wants.

Thank you so much

Most of the bigger cities have some sort of international school..
But you might want to check while you are here and consider it when deciding where to live..

Groceries will cost a family about 20,000 yen a week maybe.. depending on your lifestyle it could be less..

I am guessing you have already researched the job/visa info??
If not, there is lots about it here on the forum

Thank you so much for the quick reply, We have checked out all the different visas and we will be going to the Japanese embassy soon. Although we have to visit first, I can't move to a country I don't know.

This forum is amazing, it is so informative, I love the video's they really help when you are trying to get used to the culture.


Thanks again

You are very wise to come here first and check it out..
So many people decide to "move here" and when they get here they find it is not what they imagined..

Our man's videos will help too.. particularly the "how to" ones.