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My daughter, age 4, has been attending a Japanese kindergarten for the past 6 months. The first two months were hard--she was very frustrated at not being able to communicate. But now is doing very well and has learned a lot of Japanese. We'll be here for another year, but for future reference, does anyone have ideas on helping kids retain Japanese after leaving Japan?

I have a 4 1/2 year old who has been attending a Japanese yochien since she was three and has adapted very well. For the most part she seems very comfortable moving back and forth between yochien and Japanese and home and English. Although, there are times when I see the stress of navigating two languages/cultures. We moved to Japan when she was just a year old so she had a lot of exposure to the language before she started school. But I would say that her English comprehension and expression is still higher than her Japanese skills. I'm looking ahead a year and trying to decide whether to enroll her in a Japanese elementary school or make the switch to an "international" school. Anyone out there have any experience or insights ? Thanks.

Hi! My husband is Japanese he just moved back to Japan from Hawaii. He is now residing in Oyama, Tokyo. I am Japanese-American. we have a 5yr. old daughter who is now attending Kindergarten in Hawaii and I am afraid of the Japanese School schedule might be to hard and tiring on her do you know what time school is finish and do the parents commute with their child to and from School everyday? Like how it is done in the US for the younger age children? Is there a good Japanese School (Yochein) in the Oyama area? Do you think she will be able to adapt to the Japanese School system and also, the Japanese language she only speaks english and is there School on Saturdays? What ages does kids attend Yochein?

I'm still delaying time to go to Japan due to my Daughters well being I am very worried. Please see if you could assist me.

If you are planning to reside in Japan permanently, I see little reason to be concerned about adapting to Japanese schools. I think the American media overplay the less-attractive aspects of the Japanese education system, just as here in Japan all we see about American schools is gun shootings.

My children went to yochien 8:30-1:30. School on 1st and 3rd Sats, but this will be phased out completely over the next few years. How vigorous the curriculum is depends on the school. Our yochien was public; the children played. Most private yochiens offer a more structured environment.

Yochien is either the two or three years before starting first grade. The children are walked to school or a school bus comes to pick them up.

My own personal opinion is that you NOT delay your move here. The sooner you and your daughter interact within the Japanese community the sooner you'll adapt.

I would like to know more about putting an english-speaking child into a Japanese public or private kindergarten. I'm not worried about the language barrier at this young age, but I would like to know how many in the english-speaking community have children in Japanese schools, and if the language barrier is a problem for the parents?

My son attended for two years a Japanese, shrine-run yochien which he adored. The teachers did not bend over backwards to help with communications--and without at least some Japanese ability, I would have been lost -- but the teachers did go out of their way to make my son feel welcome, happy, secure, and, in the end, loved. I found that if you have language barrier
problems, you need to find a Japanese mother who can help fill you in on the nitty-gritty, or you'll miss out on a lot.

In the near future, I plan to write a feature for this website on my and my son's experience with the yochien, and in particular about a short overnight camp the shrine organized; perhaps that will offer you a bit more data to go on. All in all, though, here's another foreigner saying the experience was worth the effort.

Thank you Kit! I didn't even understand that there were shrine associated kindergartens vs. public kindergartens for a couple of years. I still am very unclear as to the differences/advantages/ disadvantages and so on.

It might be better to think in terms of quality of care instead of "Japanese" versus "Foreign". The public and semi-private nurseries around my area did not appeal to me because they seemed to adhere to a schedule and a pre-set order of how things should be done. Instead I chose a home-run Japanese private nursery where my daughter has been very happy and very well cared for. The "Sensei" has several assistants, including her own mother whom the children also adore. The schedule is flexible and outdoor activities are given priority. I feel that it offers a continuity with the way we are raising our child at home. By the way neither of us is Japanese and we speak two different languages at home, yet we find it great that our baby is picking up so many words at the nursery and including them in our conversations... Good luck in your search!

Our son is 2 1/2 and ready to start pre-school. We are
looking for something near Seijyou-gakuenmae on the Odakyu
line. Any recommendations would be most helpful. (Ideally, we would like the education to be in both English and Japanese.)

Thanks.

Does anyone have experience with Musashino-Higashi Preschool. We are considering enroling our daughter there but would appreciate hearing comments from other parents. Thanks.

Can anyone tell me how to find a Japanese kindergarten for my two year old daughter, anywhere that is no more than 10 - 15 minutes train ride from Roppongi or Nogizaka.

She is currently in an International School but we are finding the cost almost impossible to bear, I am assuming that a Japanese Kindergarten or pre-school would be much cheaper, only I don't speak or read Japanese.

So any help is greatly appreciated!!!!!

Thanks
Steph

Hi Steph,

I can't give you any direct help, but a few general pieces of information (my son has been through nursery, kindergarten and is now about to start international school, so I've been around the system):

Japanese kindergartens (yochien) only take children who are already three years old in April, which is the start of the school year; some only take four-year-olds and up. They run from around 9am to 2pm, and are generally quite reasonably priced. Some are ward-run, and some are private (attached to private schools, churches etc).

Japanese nurseries (hoikuen) take children of 0-6, for all-day care, but usually only if you are working or have any other "valid" reason (eg illness) for needing to put your child into daycare. At least, that applies to officially registered hoikuen run by the wards, which nearly always have waiting lists. Private ones, if they have space, may accept children for any reason. In general, a hoikuen is there to provide daycare, and doesn't do any specifically educational activities, just play, food, naps etc. Fees for ward-run hoikuen are means tested, and capped at around Y57,000 a month; private ones are usually more expensive.

The best place to start finding out about yochien and hoikuen is the ward office; I guess if you live in Minato-ku they must have someone English speaking (not necessarily in the right section, but in the foreign residents' advisory office) who may be able to talk you through it. The ward office may have lists of private hoikuen as well as the ones they run themselves. Dealing with a hoikuen/yochien if you don't speak Japanese is tricky, but not impossible (it has been done), and again, in Minato-ku you would expect most places to have experience of foreigners.

There is also a chain of places called Kidsworld (I think - you could check in the phone book) which offer flexible daycare/preschool type activities and are meant to be bilingual. I think there is one in the Shirokane area, and possibly others in Minato-ku. I've heard they are quite expensive, but maybe less than regular international schools.

Apart from that, it doesn't seem to be the custom in Japan to send children as young as two to any kind of preschool on a daily or very regular basis. The few things that do exist for that age group either tend to be classes in which the mother also participates, or very short, once-a-week sessions, usually with a specific educational agenda (introducing kids to English, music etc). That kind of thing is also pretty expensive - probably in the same range per hour as an international school.

Hope this is of some help,

Bethan

Hi Steph,

I know one International School in Azabu Juban and the price is affordable and everbody there speaks english and this summer they have exciting activities for kids and it's just 5 minutes train from Roponggi using Namboku Line. Try calling this no. 03 5730-9767 and look for Bron and just mention my name. Hope this is some Help.

Marie

Dear Steph,
Your local ward office will offer you all the information you need on local schools including yochiens. It was my experience that once I had a baby (I live on local hire and am not an expat), I was finally forced to start learning Japanese, in order to navigate the necessary channels for childcare, education, childhood immunizations and many other child-rearing related matters. Even so I was able to get most things done with practically no Japanese ability, due to the patience and sporadic English ability on the part of various Japanese people that I had to try to communicate with at the ward office, the health department, the daycare center, the hospital, and so on.

The phone number that Marie Kawachi put down correlates to:
Mz International Preschool
Maxim Building 3F, 2-13-5 Azabu Juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0045
Tel: 03-5730-9767, Fax: 03-5730-9796
Website: http://www.mzip.co.jp

The person named Terry who designed the early childhood curriculum at Mz, has now opened her own school. If possible, I always suggest trying to get information about any private school you might consider from other parents.

My son has been going to Andersen Kindergarten on Sobu Line, Ichikawa Stn for the past 2 years and its been a great experience. They have 2 staff which are native English speakers, usually only one but there's always someone. It's a private Japanese Kindy and the curriculum is 90% japanese. My boy spoke a little Japanese before going but didn't know much else, this Kindy has taught him and us the little things about the Japanese Culture. Next year my son will go to a public school now that he has a good grounding in the language and culture.
Having an English speaking staff member has been great for me particularly and has maintained my son's english.

The website is http://www1.interq.or.jp/andersen/indexen.htm
ANDERSEN KINDERGARTEN
Horinouchi 1-9-17, Ichikawa City, CHIBA JAPAN
Phone 047-374-1751
Fax 047-374-1752

I'm interested in connecting with anyone who has experience sending their children to yochien in the Tomigaya, Shoto or Kamiyamacho areas. We are moving to Kamiyamacho in June and are looking into yochiens for my 3 year old daughter. Any advice gratefully appreciated.

Linda

well, if you are moving there, you aren't poor.

Try "yoyogi international preparatory school". Its in Tomigaya.

http://www.yoyogiinternationalschool.com/

what about amici international preschool
in komaba?

or if you are looking into real japanese
yochien, shoto yochien is highly
reputable, especially well-known for
higher chances of being able to send
your kid onto the prestigious japanese
elementary schools.

Thanks to Peter E and Tokio who posted info about amici and yoyogi preschools. These are very good quality international preschools, however Japanese language lessons are only 1/2 and hour a day, which is good, but not enough to become truly proficient in my view. Bilingualism is important to us because my husband is Japanese and my parents in law speak very little English. At the moment my daughter understands and speaks some Japanese but she is far more proficient in English. So thank you very much Tokio about the information regarding Shoto Yochien, it was very helpful.

Linda

Linda, what about Nishimachi and Aoba? I
heard they both are bilingual international
schools.

Your second option is finding a preschool
that has half-day course and have your
daughter spend the morning in a Japanese
yochien, and then in the afternoon going
to international. Most Japanese yochien
are morning classes only.

Linda -
well, if money is no object, then I guess nishimachi is the place for you, _IF_ you can get in. Last I heard, even if mummy was a film star and bilingual and daddy was on tv every week, you still can't get a place.

Personally, I think all these "international" schools are becoming overly snooty and definitely overpriced.

I hear that "K international school" is supposedly reasonably priced, but its the other side of tokyo ...

I recommend you use Google to search a bit. there are quite a few places near shibuya. (I think a friend's family run nursery is in shoto somewhere too ^^;)

My daughter seems to be fine in either language on just 1/2 an hour of japanese class a day, maybe I am missing something.

tokio -
There are after school english places, I had a URL somewhere for one run by a friend's sister, but I can't find it now -.-;


In the end, I suppose one should also consider factors like:

A) Are you staying or are you going to be just another ex-pat, gone after 2 years.
B) Which language matters more? Do you want your daughter speaking American like a Japanese, or Japanese like an American? (american/british/australian/etc)
C) How much money you have to burn on your child's education.

Well to do Japanese take their kids to Hawaii for the summer ...

Thanks Peter E,

I do agree with your idea and options,
etc. The larger international schools are
not overly priced, I think. They have to
keep maintaining their buildings and pay
high wages to the staff/faculties. Keeping
the western standard quality of life and
environment is quite costly in Japan.
They also have to pay an enourmous
amount to the insurance company to
cover the unexpected events their foreign
staffs and children might encounter.

These are not very common in Japanese
schools, where each classroom holds 40
-50 students (standard) with 1 teacher.
You may hear public schools with less
students... In addition, they get monetary
funds from the government, where the
international schools do not get this
directly. (Exceptions, if the school is run
by a Japanese School.)

Some of the smaller and newer schools
may just want to line up their fees with
the other... but the rent and salaries are
something to care as well, by not
recieving much or none donations.

Without donations, even with that price,
the schools won't be able to run.

Education is investment. I believe the
more you invest money and your life
(time) with caring love, without spoiling,
negligence, or selfishness... is the key.

Hi Linda,

The best starting place to find out about yochiens in your new area is the ward office - the children's section should have a list of all the public/private ones in your new area. It should be no problem getting your daughter into a public one part-way through the year; private ones can be more difficult, depending on how popular they are. A friend in Yoyogi got her (Western) daughter into a local private yochien in February with no difficulty.

If you're looking at putting her in from April next year, you just do the application process in October/November this year like everybody else. Presumably, with a Japanese husband to help, you'll be able to negotiate the paperwork OK. From the summer onwards, you can also find guides to the best Tokyo yochien and the whole application process in the children's/education section of bookshops, though these tend to concentrate on the ones with a good academic reputation.

My son went to Japanese yochien for a year or so, and on the whole it was a good experience, and obviously good for his Japanese, which is your priority by the sound of it. My only two caveats would be that if you have a choice between one kindergarten with no other foreign/mixed kids, and one with a handful, go for the one with other "different" kids. My blond, blue-eyed son was the only non-Japanese at his kindergarten, and did feel rather conspicuous. He wasn't overtly bullied, but did get comments which emphasized his difference.

Also, a lot of kindergartens don't do much directed activity - it's just free play. We found this was fine when he was three or four, but by the time he turned five, he seemed to be getting bored with yet another day in the sandpit, and when we switched to an international school with a much wider range of activities he really thrived on it. I think if we had kept him at kindergarten till age six and eight months, according to the Japanese system, he would have been bored out of his mind. Obviously this depends on your child's personality and the kindergarten you pick.

Good luck.

Linda, we're a Japanese family based in Yokohama so it might be slightly different, but with all respect to the other postings, as far as I know the best thing to do is to visit some yochiens in mind with your child and see for yourself. Believe me, a half an hour visit will tell you almost anything.

Unlike public elementary schools, Each yochien has slightly different views on education, and you should pick the one which is most comfortable for you and your child. You can't really generalise and say that a certain education is best for all people.

Also if you have time, asking moms at your local park or neighborhood really helps. Again you can't say that a yochien fit for one person is best for another, but you can get the idea of what type of people prefer that yochien.

Tokio, for a bilingual education sending children to yochien in the morning and international school in the afternoon is definitely worth considering. My daughter is too young for Nishimachi however I must agree with Peter E that it is elitist, and I would hesitate putting my daughter through the interview process because I have heard from quite a few different people (some native English speakers, some Japanese speakers )that their children found the interview process very intimidating and on the whole a negative experience. To me, this sets such a negative tone for the whole school. Sorry to say that, and I know I'm opening a can of worms here, and I know lots of people love Nishimachi, but get your kids prepared for the interview experience!! Not only that, it's inconvenient to get to from where we live by public transport (especially during rush hour).
Aoba International school I have not heard anything about, but looks good on their website, and I did make enquiries, however it would apparantly take about an hour and a half to get from Kamiyamacho to their school in Suginami-ku by school bus.
On the subjuect of schools, I must say that I have only heard good things about New International School in Ikebukuro and I have contacted the headmaster there quite a few times for information about different things and each time I have got an email personally from him within hours, (not days). It seems to be a caring, very well run, unpretentious school that encourages bilingualism and multiculturalism. If we lived closer that would probably be my choice of school.
Anyway, getting back to yochiens, Beth's idea regarding the ward office as a place to start, and the guides to Japanese yochien in the bookshop are much appreciated and I will definitely get these.
And of course visiting the yochien's themselves and talking to other Mum's, thank you Yuko.

Just wonderingif anyone knows what the maximum child to teacher ratio is in yochiens? A Japanese friend of mine visited many yochiens in Tokyo before deciding on one for her daughter and she said that the child to teacher ratio was quite different depending on which one you went to.

Also to Peter E, your daughter is doing very well if she is fluent in Japanese on a half an hour lesson a day, particularly if you and your wife/partner are both native English speakers. How long has she been learning Japanese for? I guess you must be doing all the right things, any hints?!

Thanks everyone,

Linda

Linda,
Aoba Japan International School in Meguro is closer to you and I hear great stories.
Probably driving down the Yamate dori for 5-8 minutes would do. Suginami is too far.

By the way, Linda, the NIS in Ikebukuro (where my son goes and is very happy) will be easier to get to from about the time your daughter finishes kindergarten: the new Ikebukuro to Shibuya subway line (don't think they've named it yet, except "Line 13") is due to open some time in 2007.

One of the stops on the new line will be Zoshigaya, a few minutes' walk from the NIS. So if you're living in Shoto, you'll just need to walk down to Shibuya to get the train. Or if you're living more towards Tomigaya or Kamiyama-cho, within walking distance of Yoyogi-koen station on the Chiyoda Line, all you'll need to do is go one stop on the Chiyoda line, change on to the new line at Meiji Jingu-mae, and it'll be another three stops or so from there.

A bit far in the future, I know, but worth bearing in mind...

Thank you to Tokio for information regarding Aoba Japan International School, it is closer much than I thought. Also thank you to Beth for information regarding the new subway line to be built in 2007 close to NIS, this is going to make travelling to NIS much easier. I will be researching both of these options for my daughter.

Regarding the ratio of teachers to children at public daycares, my daughter is at a daycare where children between ages one to two have one worker for every three or four kids, and three or four workers for the twenty kids aged three (my daughter's group). I don't know the maximum teacher to child ratios at kindgergartens, but it's gotta to be higher, and it does vary widely depending on the yochien (not just based on cost and the programs offered but also on the facility's size and layout--which can help or hinder the positioning of workers when kids are engaged in free play).

Steve

Just wondering if any of the Japanese parents out there know if there is a good website in Japanese for discussions on education in Japan, particularly one where parents share their experiences of different yochiens and Japanese elementary schools. Thought it might be an interesting read for my (Japanese) husband.

Well, this may sound ordinary, but of course the yahoo or 2 ch. (ni-channeru) keijiban are the most well-known and well-used forums in Japanese. I've never used 2 ch. but here is a whole list of yahoo topics from the "yochien/hoikuen" category.
http://messages.yahoo.co.jp/bbs?action=topics&board=552018764&sid=552018764&type=r

Your husband may also be interested in other categories like "ikuji (child-raising)" or "chichioya (father)" as well, although father categories sometimes tend to become dominated by mothers :)

But I think that forums, especially where there are many users, sometimes tend to mislead parents and make them worry unnecessarily. It can be better to just jump into a yochien, and come to a forum only when you have worries that friends or teachers can't solve. Also, children-related Japanese forums tend to have a special "cute" tone that fathers or even dry parents like me find it difficult to fit in :)
Anyway here is the "chichioya" list of yahoo.
http://messages.yahoo.co.jp/bbs?action=topics&board=552018419&sid=552018419&type=r

Also, this is one of my favorite Japanese websites run by a grown "half German half Japanese" gentleman. He has a forum as well as a link list that shows some popular mix-married parents' sites.
http://www.h5.dion.ne.jp/~platz/

We have just moved to Tokyo, Kichijoji to be precise. My husband is Japanese (I'm not)and I would like to send my son to a public pre-nursery school. I need to expose him to more Japanese. I know there are heaps of International pre-school around. Does anyone know of any public pre-school around Kichijoji? My son has just turned 1 year old.

My family and I are moving to Negishi in Yokohama. My wife is Japanese and I am American and we have a 4 year old daughter who speaks both Japanese and English fluently. We are looking for recommendations on pre-schools in Nigishi.