If you are living in Japan with school age children, the issue of school where to send your children is a large issue. Let’s look at elementary school options.The educational system – what is studied, the school calendar, class size, etc. will be different from what most foreign parents have experienced.For expats and those with the financial means, international school is an option in some Japanese cities. Particularly, Tokyo, Yokohama, and Kobe have a wide selection of schools, in several languages (English, German, French, and Korean though this is mainly for Japanese-Koreans).
Other cities have fewer options. Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Sendai, and Sapporo all have at least one school, generally in English. Kyoto has one English-language school, and one French-language school. For those who prefer the local public school, what to expect? From an American perspective, Japanese elementary school plays a much larger role in the life of the family and the community. The six years – first grade to sixth grade – will be an eye opener and an entree into your community.
AloJapan.com