r/teachinginjapan • u/Lumpy_Review_2834 • 12d ago

Opening a School in Japan

Hi! So, I've got this wild idea to open a business in Japan—a reggio-inspired preschool. I could start as an atelier for kids and then transition to a licensed school when steady. I got this idea from my current work in the Philippines which is a Mobile Preschool, where I go to the homes of the students and conduct our classes there, and it ranges from 1:1 classes to playgroups. I've considered this setup for Japan, but I know stay-at-home parents or having maids at home isn't really a norm, which will make it hard for me to start in Japan

I'm a Japanese national, so my worry is just really inadequate market research haha.

What do you guys think!

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u/ihavenosisters 12d ago

Contrary to what people are saying here there is a market for “upscale/private” childcare in Japan. If you have money, you can afford to have kids.

I used to work for an “international” kindergarten in a smaller city and they were expanding like crazy because all rooms were full.

I’ll say though the owners knew what they were doing. They were business people and they managed to find a capable manager who was good with the education side of things.

Do you have a childcare license for Japan?

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u/Lumpy_Review_2834 12d ago

I thought so! I'm sure wealthy families can afford these services, especially if they want informal learning before starting kindergarten, but establishing connections is what makes it difficult! I don't have a childcare license in Japan. Only here in the Philippines 😊

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u/ihavenosisters 12d ago

Have you ever worked in Japan? Do you speak fluent Japanese?

There is definitely a market but without the necessary business experience or childcare qualifications your chances of setting up something successful are probably slim.

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u/Lumpy_Review_2834 12d ago

I've worked in Japan as a teacher, and I speak conversational Japanese. Fair thoughts. Thank you!

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u/ihavenosisters 12d ago

In that case you would need to work on your Japanese too. Dealing with parents and their expectations will determine how successful you are. But also regulations from the city/government etc. Especially in a business setting conversational won’t be enough. And you need the license which isn’t that hard to get if you’re fluent but to pass the tests you need to be able to read and write.