Hi all!
My partner and I are seriously considering spending three months in Tokyo with our two kids (10 and 14) from August to November. We're from Denmark and this would be our first extended stay in Japan. Would love to hear from people who've done something similar or who live there with kids.
**Is Tokyo with kids actually as good as it sounds?**
We've read a lot of great things, but would love honest takes – especially from parents. Is August brutal enough to be a dealbreaker? How do kids generally find day-to-day life there?
**Which neighbourhood should we choose?**
We've been looking at Hiroo, Setagaya, Kichijoji and Nakameguro. We want somewhere safe and family-friendly with parks and good access to public transport. We're not on an expat package, so we need to be somewhat budget-conscious – though we're willing to pay for the right area. Any strong recommendations or areas we should avoid?
**What should we budget?**
We're trying to get a realistic sense of monthly costs for a family of four – rent for a furnished 3-bedroom, groceries, transport, activities. What are people actually spending? We know short-term furnished rentals (monthly mansion etc.) are the likely route – any specific platforms or agencies that work well for foreigners on a 3-month lease?
**Schooling – online or local?**
Our kids would miss roughly two months of Danish school (September–October). We're considering online/remote learning with their Danish school. Has anyone managed this while in Japan? Is the time difference workable (Denmark is 7–8 hours behind)? Or is there a better solution we haven't thought of?
**Would another city be better?**
We're open to the idea that Tokyo might not be the best fit for this kind of stay. Would somewhere like Kyoto, Osaka or Kamakura make more sense for a family wanting to actually *live* there rather than just tourist around? Or is Tokyo hard to beat for overall quality of life and things to do with kids?
**Anything else we should know?**
Visa situation (we'd be on a tourist/short stay visa as EU citizens), healthcare, sim cards, getting around with kids – any practical tips from people who've done this would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks in advance – very excited about this and want to get it right!
by NJamas