Nursery and preschool tuition at Tokyo international schools runs roughly JPY 0.8 million to JPY 3.0 million per year in 2026. Premium early years sits at about JPY 2.2 million to 3.0 million (USD 14,400 to 19,600), the mid tier at JPY 1.3 million to 2.2 million, and bilingual programmes at JPY 0.8 million to 1.5 million. Many premium schools also charge a one off facilities fee on enrolment, which is the line families most often overlook. The full picture is in our Tokyo international school fees guide, and the fuller Tokyo city guide covers schools, neighbourhoods and admissions in detail.
Tokyo has quietly become one of the better value premium markets for early years, and the reason is currency. Yen weakness across 2022 to 2025 cut Tokyo international school fees in US dollar terms by roughly a quarter for dollar paid families, so a premium nursery place that once cost well over USD 25,000 now lands closer to USD 18,000. The deep market of established schools, from the American School in Japan to the British School in Tokyo, all run early years, but the structure here is distinctive because of the upfront facilities fee that sits alongside annual tuition and locks up a meaningful amount of capital for the duration of a placement.
The bands below are tuition only and are derived from the tier structure in our Tokyo fees guide, adjusted down for the early years stage. Treat them as planning ranges, and add the facilities fee separately. The exact figure depends on the school and the age group.
| Tier | Annual tuition (JPY) | Annual tuition (USD) | Illustrative schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | JPY 2.2M - 3.0M | USD 14,400 - 19,600 | ASIJ, British School in Tokyo, Saint Mary's International, Seisen International, K International, Sacred Heart |
| Mid | JPY 1.3M - 2.2M | USD 8,500 - 14,400 | Tokyo International School, Aoba-Japan International, smaller bilingual internationals |
| Bilingual and value | JPY 0.8M - 1.5M | USD 5,200 - 9,800 | Bilingual privados and Japanese schools with English early years programmes |
School names indicate the fee tier and are illustrative, not a ranking. Add the upfront facilities or construction fee separately. ASIJ charges JPY 1.5 million to 2.5 million, refundable on departure under specific conditions, while the British School in Tokyo and Saint Mary's charge JPY 800,000 to 1.5 million.
Model nursery tuition and facilities fees against the full cost of place across up to three schools and other stages.
Three things move the early years number. The first is the facilities fee, which can add the equivalent of a full year of tuition to the first invoice and is sometimes non refundable, so two schools with identical annual fees can differ sharply on total cost of place. The second is curriculum and campus, where the established American and British schools and the IB continuum schools sit at the top of the band. The third is fee inflation, which ran a modest 3.0 percent across Tokyo in the 2025 to 2026 cycle, low by global standards, though the larger swing for foreign earners remains the yen exchange rate rather than the headline fee. Budget around 3 percent annual inflation and watch the currency.
Headline tuition is only part of the picture, and Tokyo's distances make transport a meaningful line. The costs to plan for are a one off enrolment fee separate from the facilities fee, typically JPY 250,000 to 400,000, school bus at JPY 250,000 to 500,000 per year, uniform at JPY 80,000 to 150,000, trips at JPY 100,000 to 300,000, and modest materials. Together these add 10 to 15 percent to the headline figure before the facilities fee is counted. Our Tokyo fees guide sets out the line items in full, the Tokyo school reviews add parent perspective on individual schools, and the relocation cost calculator places the numbers inside a complete family budget.
Nursery and preschool tuition runs roughly JPY 0.8 million to JPY 3.0 million per year in 2026. Premium early years sits at about JPY 2.2 million to 3.0 million (USD 14,400 to 19,600), the mid tier at JPY 1.3 million to 2.2 million, and bilingual programmes at JPY 0.8 million to 1.5 million.
Often yes. Most premium Tokyo international schools charge an upfront facilities or construction fee on enrolment, typically JPY 800,000 to 2,500,000, sometimes refundable on departure. This is a quasi-debenture that locks up capital for the duration of the placement and should be planned for separately from annual tuition.
Yes. Nursery and preschool tuition is usually the lowest published fee at a Tokyo school, typically 20 to 25 percent below the primary fee. The facilities fee, however, is generally charged at enrolment regardless of the entry year group.
Many premium schools run early years, including the American School in Japan, the British School in Tokyo, Saint Mary's International, Seisen International, K International and Sacred Heart, alongside bilingual privados and Japanese schools with English programmes. The named schools are illustrative of the tier rather than a ranking.
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