Bringing kids on a 60-to-90-day Tokyo stay: schools and childcare

You are 60 to 90 days from a Tokyo arrival with one or two school-age children. The relocation forums tell you to find a school, then find an apartment near it. That order is the wrong way around for a midterm stay. The gate at almost every school, daycare, and after-school program in Tokyo is not seats. It is your 住民票 (jūminhyō — resident certificate, the printout the ward issues to anyone in the Basic Resident Register).

If your stay is shorter than 90 days, you are usually not on the register. If your stay is 90 days or longer on a long-stay visa, you can register, and most ward-run options open up. The 60-to-89-day window is the awkward middle. The school-and-childcare options for that window are different, fewer, and known to a smaller set of providers.

This guide walks through what accepts a family without jūminhyō. It names what each program asks for at intake. It maps the paths a family on bridge housing should plan around.

For the difference between long-stay and short-stay visas in this context, see the visa types and what each allows piece. For why the digital-nomad family runs into the same gate, see the spouse-and-kids walkthrough.

The residency gate, in one paragraph

Tokyo's child-facing systems are organised by ward (区 — ku, the 23 wards of central Tokyo). Each ward runs its own public schools, public 保育園 (hoikuen — licensed daycare for working parents, 0 to 5 years old), and public 学童 (gakudō — after-school program for elementary-age children whose parents work). Each of those gates on a jūminhyō naming the child and at least one parent at an address inside the ward. No jūminhyō at that address, no enrolment notice, no seat allocation. The clerk at the kuyakusho (区役所 — ward office) cannot override this even when seats are obviously open. The system is built to enrol residents, and it reads non-residents as out of scope.

A 90-day-or-longer stay on a work, student, dependent, spouse, or designated-activities visa earns a jūminhyō at registration. A tourist-visa stay of any length does not. A digital-nomad visa stay does not (see the digital-nomad guide). Inside the 60-to-89-day window, you cannot register at all. The ward office's threshold is 90 days of intended stay.

The result: most families on a 60-to-90-day Tokyo stay choose between two paths. The first is programs that openly accept non-residents. The second is programs that informally bend the rules. The first set is small. The second varies by ward and clerk.

Option 1: International schools that admit by term

Most full-curriculum international schools in Tokyo run on the September-to-June school year and admit on a year basis. A 60-to-90-day stay lands awkwardly inside that calendar. The schools that admit term-by-term or month-by-month are the relevant set:

Tokyo International School (TIS). Minato-ku, near Hiro-o station, ages 3 to 14. Admits term-by-term on a space-available basis. Tuition runs ¥1.8M to ¥2.6M per year for elementary, prorated to roughly ¥600,000 to ¥870,000 per term. Visa status: a long-stay visa OR a documented short stay under 90 days both accepted. No jūminhyō required.

Nishimachi International School. Minato-ku, near Hiroo or Roppongi, ages 5 to 14. Year-basis admission with limited mid-year openings. Apply at least 3 months before move-in. Tuition runs ¥2.3M to ¥3.2M per year, no formal term-prorate; some families negotiate a partial-term arrangement directly with admissions.

The American School in Japan (ASIJ). Chōfu campus (commute time to central Tokyo: 45 to 60 minutes), ages 3 to 18. Year-basis admission with rare mid-year openings. ASIJ is the largest and most competitive international school in the area. Apply 6 to 9 months before move-in for a realistic chance.

K. International School Tokyo. Kōtō-ku, near Kiyosumi-shirakawa station, ages 3 to 18. IB curriculum. Term-by-term admission accepted on a space-available basis. Tuition runs ¥2.2M to ¥3.0M per year, prorated by term in some cases.

Setagaya International School. Setagaya-ku, near Kuhonbutsu station, ages 1 to 6. Bilingual preschool that admits short-term enrolments of 1 to 3 months. Daily fee runs ¥6,000 to ¥10,000 for half-day, ¥10,000 to ¥15,000 for full-day. The easiest international option to land for under-6s on a midterm stay.

Komazawa Park International School. Setagaya-ku, ages 1 to 6. Same shape as the school above: short-term enrolment, daily-fee billing.

Ayla International School. Multiple central locations including Hiroo, Aoyama, and Komazawa. Ages 1 to 6. Short-term and walk-in flexible. Daily-fee model.

What the international schools ask at intake: passport, visa documentation (a long-stay visa or evidence of intended stay length), proof of Tokyo address, immunisation records, prior school records (if any), and an interview with the child. None require a jūminhyō. None require a Japanese guarantor.

For ages 7 and up the international school path is the de-facto only route on a 60-to-90-day stay. Public school is closed at the ward gate. Japanese private schools do not admit term-by-term in this segment.

Option 2: Private daycares with English support

The non-licensed and partially-licensed private daycare segment in Tokyo includes options that accept short-stay families. These are not 認可保育園 (ninka hoikuen — fully ward-licensed daycare) and they do not require jūminhyō for enrolment.

International Bilingual Preschools. Multiple central locations (Roppongi, Aoyama, Shirokanedai, Ebisu). Daily fee ¥8,000 to ¥14,000 for full-day, ages 1 to 5. Accept walk-in enrolments of 1 to 12 weeks.

Kids Up. Aoyama, Akasaka, Shirokane, Roppongi. After-school program for ages 3 to 12 that operates as a daycare for younger ages. Bilingual staff. Drop-in and short-term billing available. Daily rate roughly ¥6,000 to ¥9,000 for full-day under-5, ¥4,000 to ¥7,000 for after-school 5-and-up.

Star Kids. Yotsuya and Shibuya. Ages 1 to 12. Walk-in friendly. Same shape and daily rate as Kids Up.

Poppins Active Learning International School. Multiple Tokyo locations. Ages 0 to 6. Short-term enrolments accepted; expect a 2-week minimum and ¥20,000 to ¥30,000 per week.

Ohana International Preschool. Setagaya, Suginami. Ages 1 to 6. Daily fee around ¥7,000 to ¥10,000 for full-day. Short-term friendly.

The private daycares ask for these at intake. Passport. Parent visa. Proof of Tokyo address. Immunisation records. An emergency contact form. The first month's fee or a deposit. A copy of the rental contract or the operator's confirmation letter satisfies the address requirement. They do not ask for jūminhyō. Most do not ask for a Japanese guarantor.

The wait time runs 1 to 4 weeks for a confirmed start at most central locations. In April (the start of the Japanese academic year) and September (when most expat families arrive) the central wards run thinner. Apply 6 to 8 weeks before move-in for those months.

Option 3: Public hoikuen for non-residents (rare, ward-dependent)

A public hoikuen can sometimes accept a non-resident child for a short-term stay under a special category called 一時保育 (ichiji hoiku — temporary care). The slot is meant for residents who occasionally need childcare; some wards open the same slot to non-residents.

The ward office is the gate. Submit a written request with passport, parent visa, proof of Tokyo address, and a stated reason for needing care. The reason field matters. Some wards accept "parent on a short-term work assignment in Tokyo" or "family on temporary housing during a relocation." Others require the parent to demonstrate active employment in Japan.

In 2026 the wards most likely to open a slot to a non-resident family are Setagaya, Suginami, Bunkyō, and Meguro. Shibuya and Minato run thinner because their resident demand absorbs the supply. Shinjuku and Toshima are case-by-case.

The fee for ichiji hoiku in a public hoikuen runs ¥2,000 to ¥4,000 per day for a non-resident family. The kuyakusho bills it. Compare to the ¥6,000 to ¥14,000 daily at a private bilingual preschool. The catch: staff speak Japanese only. The daily routine assumes a Japanese-speaking parent. The wait time runs 2 to 4 weeks for a slot if one exists at all.

Most families on a 60-to-90-day stay do not chase this path. The fee saving is real but the language friction and uncertainty usually push families toward the private bilingual segment. The exception is a Japanese-speaking parent who wants the child immersed for the stay's duration.

Option 4: After-school gakudō and walk-in alternatives

Public gakudō (the after-school program for elementary-age children, 6 to 12 years old) gates on the same jūminhyō rule as public schools. A non-resident family cannot enrol in public gakudō.

The walk-in alternatives:

English-language after-school programs. Kids Up, Star Kids, EdoKids, Tokyo English-Language Daycare. All accept short-term enrolment for ages 5 to 12 in their after-school slot. Daily rate ¥4,000 to ¥7,000 for the 14:00-to-19:00 window. Most central locations, with some in Setagaya and Suginami.

Sports clubs and music schools. Yamaha Music School, Suzuki Method, gymnastics clubs, swimming clubs. Most accept short-term enrolments for foreign children. Monthly fee ¥8,000 to ¥20,000. The fit is partial: these are 1 to 3 hours per week, not full after-school care.

International school after-school programs. If the child is enrolled at an international school, most run a paid after-school option until 17:00 or 18:00. This is the easiest add-on if the day-program is already booked.

Babysitting through Bears (ベアーズ) or Kid's Line. Hourly babysitting agencies that vet sitters, run in English on request, and bill ¥2,200 to ¥3,500 per hour with a 2-hour minimum. The right fit for irregular coverage rather than a fixed 5-day-a-week schedule.

The realistic shape for an elementary-age child on a 60-to-90-day stay: international school from 8:30 to 14:30. After that, the school's own after-school program until 17:30 or 18:00. Add optional sports or music two afternoons a week. The package costs ¥4,000 to ¥8,000 per day all-in, on top of tuition.

Option 5: Language-immersion summer programs

If your stay falls inside July or August, a different set opens. Tokyo runs a large catalogue of summer programs aimed at international and bicultural families.

International school summer schools. TIS, Nishimachi, ASIJ, K. International, and Aoba International all run 2-to-6-week summer programs. Daily fee ¥7,000 to ¥12,000 for full-day. Ages 4 to 14. Apply 2 to 3 months before the program starts.

British Council summer camps. Multiple weeks across July and August. Ages 4 to 16. Weekly fee around ¥80,000 to ¥130,000 per week. English-language environment with structured curriculum.

Showa Academic English Camp. Showa Women's University, Setagaya. 2-week residential camps for ages 8 to 14. Weekly fee around ¥140,000 to ¥180,000.

Suginami Education Board summer programs. Suginami-ku runs free or low-fee summer programs at public elementary schools. They are open to non-resident children of any visa category, treated as 体験学習 (taiken gakushū — observational learning). Ages 6 to 12. The reception desk at Suginami kuyakusho's education section handles applications. Apply by mid-June for a July-August program.

A summer-stay family benefits from the calendar; a non-summer-stay family does not have access to most of these.

What each option asks at intake

Option	Visa accepted	Jūminhyō	Lead time	Daily fee range
International school (TIS, K. Intl, Nishimachi)	Long-stay or documented short	No	6-12 weeks	¥8,000-¥18,000 prorated
Bilingual preschool (Setagaya Intl, Komazawa, Ayla)	Any	No	2-4 weeks	¥6,000-¥15,000
Private daycare with English (Kids Up, Star Kids)	Any	No	1-4 weeks	¥4,000-¥9,000
Public hoikuen ichiji hoiku	Long-stay typically	No, but ward-dependent	2-4 weeks if available	¥2,000-¥4,000
Public gakudō	N/A	Yes (closed to non-residents)	N/A	N/A
English after-school (Kids Up, EdoKids)	Any	No	1-2 weeks	¥4,000-¥7,000
Summer programs (Jul-Aug)	Any	No	2-3 months	¥7,000-¥30,000

The pattern: jūminhyō gates the public system. Private and international options open with passport plus visa plus address.

Match the option to your family's profile

Three common bridge-housing family shapes and the option that usually fits:

Two parents, one or two children under 6, 60-to-90-day stay during the school year. Pick a private bilingual preschool (Setagaya International, Komazawa Park, Ayla, or Poppins). Daily fee budget: ¥7,000 to ¥12,000 per child. The flexibility on start date is the deciding factor; the school-curriculum schools won't admit term-by-term for under-6.

Two parents, one or two children ages 6 to 12, 60-to-90-day stay during the school year. Pick a term-admitting international school (TIS, K. International, sometimes Nishimachi). Tuition prorate is roughly ¥600,000 to ¥1,000,000 per child for a 60-to-90-day window. Add an after-school program (the school's own, or Kids Up) for ¥4,000 to ¥7,000 per day. The option is expensive but it is the only path that delivers academic continuity.

One or two parents, children of any age, July-or-August stay. Pick a summer program (international school summer school, British Council camp, or Suginami's Education Board program). Daily fee ¥7,000 to ¥12,000. The summer calendar gives you options the school year does not.

Halfkey accepts dependent children listed on the principal's booking with no additional documentation beyond passport scans. For a family of four needing two bedrooms (or three if the children are older), the 1LDK or 2LDK furnished segment is the working size. See the 1K-vs-1LDK couples-and-families analysis for the size-to-price ratio.

The visa-status questions, in order

When you contact a school, daycare, or after-school program, expect this question sequence in roughly this order:

What is the child's age?
What is the planned start date and end date?
What is the parent's visa status? (Long-stay or short-stay; if long-stay, which category.)
Is the family registered at a Tokyo address (jūminhyō)?
What is the child's prior school or daycare? (For age 4 and up.)
What is the parent's primary language? (Used to assign English-or-Japanese parent communications.)

If your answer to #4 is "no, we are on a midterm furnished apartment under 90 days," the conversation either continues (private and international segment) or ends politely (public system). The screening is fast: most providers know within the first email reply whether they can take you.

For the school search itself, expect 2 to 4 weeks from first contact to confirmed seat at a private bilingual preschool. Term-admitting international schools take 4 to 8 weeks. Add 1 to 2 weeks for the actual start date once the seat is confirmed. Do this in parallel with the apartment search. Do not wait until you arrive.

What to set up before the family flies

If you are 6 weeks or more from arrival, work through this in order:

Confirm each parent's visa category and the family's expected jūminhyō status. If your stay falls in the 60-to-89-day window, accept that the public system is closed. Plan around the private and international segments instead.
List 3 to 5 schools or daycares that match your child's age, your ward, and your stay length. Email each one with the child's age, planned dates, and your visa status. Wait for the screening reply before committing further.
Gather the intake documents. The list: passport scans for the child and both parents, the parent's visa or residence card, immunisation records, prior school records if applicable, and a Tokyo address. Translate immunisation records to English if not already. The apartment booking confirmation works as proof of address.
Confirm the apartment is in a ward where your shortlisted school or daycare admits. The 30-minute commute rule applies to children too. 7-year-olds do not gracefully cross multiple train lines twice a day.
Budget for the daily-fee math. A 60-day stay with one elementary-age child at an international school plus after-school runs ¥800,000 to ¥1.4M total. The same window with one preschool-age child at a bilingual preschool runs ¥420,000 to ¥780,000.
Pick a furnished mid-term apartment with at least two bedrooms (1LDK or 2LDK). Confirm the operator accepts dependent children on the booking. Most operators in this segment do.
If you'd like halfkey to shortlist furnished mid-term family units near a midterm-friendly school, reply to this article's contact form. Include your dates, the child's age, and your shortlist.

The first reply from a school or daycare arrives within 2 to 5 business days. The reply from a ward office on a public ichiji hoiku request takes 1 to 3 weeks. Pad the timeline.

— halfkey runs furnished 1LDK and 2LDK Tokyo apartments for family stays of 30 days to 12 months. Browse listings for your dates.