Moving to Tokyo with kids: the complete family guide

Why families choose Tokyo

Tokyo combines three features that are unusual in combination at the global family posting tier. It is one of the safest cities in the world, with petty crime so rare that children of nine or ten typically use the train system independently in a way that arrivals from Western capitals find startling. The public infrastructure is genuinely excellent: the train and underground network is the densest, most punctual and most comprehensive in the world, the healthcare system delivers high quality care at modest cost, and the city's services from refuse collection to municipal administration run on famously reliable timetables. And the international school market is deep, mature and academically strong, with several schools that have been operating in Tokyo for more than seventy years.

The pull on expat talent is structural. Tokyo remains the regional headquarters for many of the global investment banks, asset managers, insurers, technology firms, automotive groups and consumer goods companies operating in East Asia. The yen has been weak against the dollar and pound through the mid 2020s, which has pulled significant new corporate investment into Tokyo and supported the recovery of the senior expat community after the pandemic years. Japan's targeted skilled migration reforms have made the residency route more attractive, particularly the Highly Skilled Professional visa, which offers a fast track to permanent residency. The trade-offs are well known. The Japanese language barrier is real, family housing is materially smaller than the equivalent budget would deliver in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, summers are hot and humid, and the cultural adjustment for the spouse and children can run longer than in more English friendly Asian capitals. None of these are deal breakers, and most expat families settle into a stable rhythm inside the first three to six months. See the Tokyo city guide for the wider lifestyle picture.

The 6 to 12 month relocation timeline

The constraints on a Tokyo family move are the work visa processing route and the school admissions cycle at the top international schools. For a corporate transfer, the Japanese work visa typically takes four to eight weeks from Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issuance to visa stamping at the embassy of departure. The COE itself is filed in Japan by the sponsoring employer and takes one to three months to issue. The Dependent visa for spouse and minor children follows the principal and is usually issued within one to two months of the principal visa. School waitlists at the top international schools (American School in Japan, Nishimachi, Saint Maur, British School in Tokyo) routinely run twelve to eighteen months for popular year groups, particularly at primary entry points and the Year 7 step up.

The practical sequence: months 12 to 9 before move, school shortlist with two or three candidates per child, COE application initiated by the Japanese employer, school applications submitted with registration fees. Months 9 to 6, formal school assessments scheduled, COE received, visa application lodged at the embassy of departure, Dependent visa applications prepared. Months 6 to 3, school offers received and accepted, capital levies paid, housing search initiated via expat agents in Tokyo. Months 3 to 1, rental contract signed (often with key money), shipment booked, temporary serviced accommodation arranged. First month after arrival, residence card collected at Narita or Haneda, ward registration completed within fourteen days, National Health Insurance enrolment, school induction, Suica card and household setup.

Schools: the deepest market in East Asia

Tokyo has roughly twenty five accredited international schools serving the expat community. The market splits cleanly across four tracks. The American curriculum tier is led by the American School in Japan (ASIJ) in Chofu, one of the oldest and largest international schools in Asia, with a long established AP programme and a credible IB Diploma pathway. Other American curriculum options include Christian Academy Japan, Seisen International School (Catholic, girls) and Sacred Heart International School (girls). The British curriculum tier is anchored by the British School in Tokyo (BST), which now operates from a flagship Azabudai Hills campus. The IB curriculum tier covers Nishimachi International School (primary IB PYP), Aoba Japan International School (full continuum), K International School Tokyo (full continuum), and Yokohama International School. The French and German curricula are well represented by Lycee Francais International de Tokyo and the Deutsche Schule Tokyo Yokohama.

Children arriving from a British system transition cleanly into BST. Children from an American background fit naturally at ASIJ. Children from an IB background land at Nishimachi for primary or Aoba or K International for full continuum. For families considering the local Japanese system, the requirement to attend a designated catchment school (gakku) and the cost of supplementary Japanese language tuition for non native speakers are the practical constraints. For the IB specific picture see IB schools in Tokyo; for fees see international school fees in Tokyo; for the wider market see best international schools in Tokyo.

Where expat families actually live

Tokyo's expat family neighbourhoods cluster across four broad areas: the historic Hiroo and Azabu enclave in Minato Ward, the Setagaya cluster favoured by ASIJ families, the bay side districts around Kachidoki and Toyosu, and the western corridor along the Chuo Line toward Chofu.

Hiroo, Azabu and Roppongi (Minato Ward). The historic expat family heart of Tokyo, anchored by Nishimachi, Saint Maur (in Yokohama but with a Tokyo following), Sacred Heart and BST's old Showa campus. Densely served by family friendly supermarkets (Nissin, National Azabu), international clinics, English speaking dentists, and the diplomatic infrastructure of Minato Ward. Rents run JPY 500,000 to JPY 1,400,000 per month for a 3 to 4 bedroom apartment, and substantially more for the larger expat compounds. Suits diplomatic, finance and senior corporate families wanting walkable lifestyle and proximity to the embassies.

Setagaya, Denenchofu and Seijo. Tokyo's leafier residential wards, favoured by ASIJ families because of the school bus routes serving Setagaya, Denenchofu and Seijo. Larger apartments and houses than Minato, often with garden space, and a quieter family rhythm. Rents JPY 350,000 to JPY 900,000 per month. Suits ASIJ families and those wanting more space at a longer commute to the central business districts.

Bay area (Kachidoki, Toyosu, Harumi). The newer high rise residential clusters built on reclaimed bay land, increasingly popular with younger expat families wanting modern apartments and shorter commutes to the Otemachi and Marunouchi business districts. Rents JPY 350,000 to JPY 750,000 per month for newer family stock. Suits dual income families and those prioritising new build amenities.

Western Tokyo (Mitaka, Musashino, Chofu). The corridor along the Chuo Line and the Keio Line, popular with ASIJ families because Chofu is the school's home base. Lower rents (JPY 280,000 to JPY 600,000 per month for a family apartment), bigger units and a quieter residential feel. Trade off is a longer commute to central Tokyo, although the train links are excellent.

Housing, leases and key money

Most expat families rent in Tokyo. Standard residential leases are two years, signed in Japanese with an English translation summary, and renewed for further two year periods. The Japanese rental market has historically required reikin (key money), a non refundable payment to the landlord equivalent to one or two months rent, alongside shikikin (the deposit, usually two months rent), agency fees (one month plus tax) and the first month paid in advance. Total move in cost can therefore run four to six months rent. The expat targeted segment, particularly the larger apartments in Hiroo, Azabu and Setagaya, increasingly waives the reikin in line with international practice, but the practice persists in the wider Tokyo market.

Apartments come unfurnished in most cases, although serviced and furnished options exist for shorter postings. Air conditioning is universally fitted but central heating is rare; most Tokyo apartments rely on room by room reverse cycle units. The documentation pack is comprehensive: passport and residence card, employer letter confirming salary, sometimes a guarantor (the employer often provides a corporate guarantor), and the deposit. Most expat agents work in English; the underlying contract is in Japanese with an English summary attached. The market is broadly stable in 2026 after modest rent growth of three to five per cent across the Minato and Setagaya wards.

The all in cost of family life

The all in monthly cost for an expat family of four in Tokyo runs JPY 950,000 to JPY 2,200,000 (USD 6,200 to USD 14,500) once housing, schools and lifestyle are included. Components: housing JPY 350,000 to JPY 1,100,000, international school fees JPY 220,000 to JPY 480,000 spread monthly (two children at JPY 2.8M to JPY 5.5M each per year), groceries JPY 100,000 to JPY 200,000 (imported groceries at National Azabu, Nissin and Meidiya add up quickly), utilities JPY 18,000 to JPY 35,000, healthcare JPY 30,000 to JPY 80,000 (NHI plus optional private cover), transport JPY 20,000 to JPY 50,000 (most families do not own a car), and lifestyle JPY 100,000 to JPY 250,000.

Tokyo sits roughly fifteen to twenty per cent below Singapore on the all in family number and around ten to fifteen per cent above Taipei. International school fees and rent are the two largest lines. The Tokyo fees explainer covers the school side in depth, and the fees explorer models specific combinations. For the broader curriculum picture see the curriculum hub.

Work visas, the Dependent visa and the family route

Japan's work visa system runs on category codes. The Engineer Specialist in Humanities International Services visa is the standard route for most expat professionals and is sponsored by the Japanese employer. The Intra Company Transferee visa covers transfers within multinational groups and typically issues faster than the standard work visa. The Business Manager visa covers founders and executives. The Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa awards points across qualifications, salary, age and Japanese language ability; applicants scoring above 70 points become eligible for permanent residency after three years (one year for 80 plus points), making the HSP route particularly attractive for senior professionals. The Dependent visa attaches to the principal work visa and covers spouse and unmarried minor children.

For most expat families the practical route is the principal Engineer Specialist visa or Intra Company Transferee visa with the spouse and minor children attached as Dependents. The Dependent visa permits part time work up to 28 hours per week with separate authorisation. Permanent Residence is granted after ten years of continuous residency, accelerated to three years on the HSP route. The visa checker covers eligibility for the main Japan visa categories in more detail.

Healthcare and the National Health Insurance system

Japan operates a universal National Health Insurance (Kokumin Kenko Hoken) system. Expat residents enrol through their ward office within fourteen days of receiving their residence card. NHI covers 70 per cent of medical costs at any participating clinic or hospital with the remaining 30 per cent paid by the patient at the point of service; monthly premiums are linked to household income and typically run JPY 20,000 to JPY 60,000 per family per month. The system covers GP visits, specialist consultations, hospital stays, prescription medicines, dental care and a substantial portion of paediatric care.

Most expat families combine NHI with a private international health insurance policy for English language access and for elective care not covered by NHI. Family international cover typically runs USD 4,000 to USD 10,000 per year. English speaking medical care is concentrated in Hiroo and Azabu, with the Tokyo Midtown Clinic, the American Clinic Tokyo, Hibiya Tokyo Clinic and the King Clinic anchoring the English language network. The major hospitals including St Luke's International, Aiiku and the Red Cross have English speaking departments.

Daily life, transport and the school run

Tokyo's daily rhythm is one of the strongest features of the posting. The train and underground network is comprehensive, punctual and inexpensive (most family journeys cost JPY 200 to JPY 400 per person), and school buses cover the main international schools. Most expat families do not own a car. Taxis are expensive but reliable, and ride hailing through Go and S Ride covers most family journeys cheaply. Weekends settle into a pattern of parks (Yoyogi, Showa Memorial, the Imperial Palace gardens), the family attractions across Odaiba and the bay area, day trips to Yokohama, Kamakura and the Izu Peninsula, and the wider regional travel network through Haneda and Narita.

The climate is four season. Summers are hot and humid with daily highs of 30 to 35 degrees from late June to early September. Autumn from October to early December is dry, clear and one of the most pleasant family seasons in the world. Winters are dry and cool with occasional snow. Spring brings cherry blossom from late March. School days run 8:00am to 3:00pm at most international schools. The Japanese working week runs Monday to Friday with Saturday and Sunday as weekend; commercial life is dense across both weekend days.

Settling in: language, food and culture

Tokyo's cultural adjustment is one of the more substantial in Asia for English speaking families. Japanese is the working language of most administrative interactions, although English signage and English support are far better than they were a decade ago. Most expat families with children at the international schools can navigate daily life with minimal Japanese, but learning the basics (greetings, food vocabulary, train and shop interactions) substantially improves the family experience. The children typically pick up enough Japanese to navigate the train and the playground inside the first six months.

Food is a defining feature of family life in Tokyo. The breadth and quality of restaurants is unmatched globally. Family meals run JPY 1,500 to JPY 3,500 per head at mid range restaurants and JPY 700 to JPY 1,500 per head at the everyday restaurants and noodle bars. Halal, vegetarian and dietary restriction options are easier to find in central Tokyo than in the suburbs. Most expat families develop firm neighbourhood loyalties within the first three months.

Social rhythms in Tokyo are warm but professional. Friendships develop through the school parent association, the children's after school activities, the international clubs (Tokyo American Club, Hiroo Club, the various chambers of commerce networks) and the corporate networks. Expat families who engage actively in the first three months settle far faster than those who keep social life within their immediate corporate circle. For curriculum transitions see switching international schools.

First three months: the practical checklist

The first three months in Tokyo focus on documentation, household setup and the social network. Week one: receive the residence card at Narita or Haneda on arrival, complete ward registration within fourteen days at the local ward office, enrol in National Health Insurance, set up the local mobile number. Week two: open a Japanese bank account (Mizuho, Mitsubishi UFJ, or the increasingly popular Sony Bank), set up household utilities (Tokyo Electric, Tokyo Gas, NTT for internet), register the children at the local paediatric clinic. Week three: complete school induction, arrange school bus enrolment or commute training, hire household help if planned. Week four: build the initial social network through the school parent associations and the corporate networks.

Month two and three: deeper integration into the school community, weekend travel within Japan, decision on car or no car (most expat families skip the car entirely), and gradual familiarisation with the food, the climate and the rhythm of the city. By the end of month three most families have established a stable rhythm. The remaining adjustment, mostly around the language and the cadence of social life, settles within the first year. See the relocation cost calculator for ongoing budget refinement.

Related guides

• Best international schools in Tokyo
• IB schools in Tokyo
• International school fees in Tokyo

Frequently asked questions