Well, while your mileage will vary substantially depending on the type of school, location, and other factors, here are a two tips to help you weather the start of the school year with less of a deficit.

Save Ahead for Tuition Payments

First, let’s look at the big one: tuition. Most everyone realizes that education costs money. Even Japanese public schools have various fees (lunch, books, school uniforms, trips), and any schooling before first grade (age 7) or after junior high school (about age 13/14) is not part of gimukyoiku, or compulsory schooling, and requires even greater expense. Saving ahead is of course the best way to minimize the one-time impact on your budget.

If you’re a long term resident and plan to educate your children in Japan, there a few handy savings plans available through both the Post Office and private insurance companies. The Post Office offers ‘gakushi hoken’ or a combination savings and insurance plan with pre-determined payouts to coincide with your child’s entrance into elementary, JHS, SHS, or college. Essentially, you take out a ‘policy’ in your child’s name, preferably when they are very young. Your monthly payments for the plan are determined by the total amount of money you want paid out over the life of the plan. The policy automatically includes a small life insurance benefit for the child in question, and can also include a ’scholarship (ikueikin)’ component (payment of school fees if one or both of the parents pass away). There are of course a variety of options in terms of life of plan (ending at age 15, 18, or 22) and savings amounts. To research more, visit the Japan Post website.

Warning! It’s all in rather complicated Japanese. The best way to get details on these plans is to go to your local post office insurance (Kanpo) window during a slow period, and ask about gakushi hoken. It will take some time, but as other foreign residents have successfully managed to purchase a plan – I’m sure you can too!

If you would rather not use the post office, AFLAC also offers gakushi hoken plans through a mail order service. The plans are called Kawaii Kodomo Hoken and operate on essentially the same principles. The website is much easier to navigate than the Post Office’s. The ‘Simulation’ button found at the button of the page in katakana will automatically calculate a sample monthly payment based on the applicant’s age, their child’s age, and the desired plan amount. Note that the insurance rider (in case of death of the parent) adds extra cost.

Shop Early, and at a Variety of Places, for School Supplies

In Japan, preparing for school (especially for kindergarden, day care, or elementary school) can take a kind of Orwellian twist. Complicated requirements for homemade bags of a certain size, math manipulatibles kits with 20-30 small pieces that must be labeled with names individually, and ridiculously expensive uniforms sold through a single supplier are just some of the challenges foreign mums and dads face.

As dictated by the laws of supply and demand, prices on school supplies such as lunch boxes, nap futon, indoor shoes (uwabaki), and bags rise the closer to the end of March you approach. Conversely, mid-April is probably an excellent time to purchase these items if you know what type you’ll need and where your child will go to school next year. Besides large supermarkets or other retail outlets, there are two frugal alternatives worth mentioning. The first is the annual school bazaar at the school you plan to attend. Here, gently used uniforms and school supplies (such as required hats, smocks, recorders, painting kits, and other items) may available for a great discount. Online auctions are another good source for more general school supplies, particularly ‘handmade’ items for those of us not so talented in the sewing arena. Try typing in the name of the items from your required supplies list into Yahoo Auctions, Rakuten, or http://www.bidders.co.jp. You might find a bargain, particularly if you are shopping early.

Finally, it always pays to utilize local foreign networks. FreeStuffJapan, TellandSell Japan, and other lists are excellent places to locate free or cheap items.

© 2007 Wendy J. Imura.

The kindergarten is staffed and run by Qualified Early Childhood Education specialists from Australia and licensed Japanese yochien teachers, and runs classes from 9am – 2 pm with additional extended hours available for an extra fee. Established in April 2002, the school boasts a dual-language Japanese/English immersion method education, and houses two rooms and two playgrounds: the 3-6 years old room (Kindy) and the 2-3 years old room (Prep), which have separate playgrounds.

Janine adds that “the fees are super frugal!”

Interested? Contact:
Janine Boyd
Manager
Maebashi International Kindergarten
9-10 Kita Shirota, Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture 371-0055
Tel/Fax: 027-230-9330
Email janinebbboyd at hotmail.com

“FJ Friends” are foreign-owned or foreign-friendly businesses and services around Japan. If you know of a worthy business, or would like to introduce your own business to our readers, contact us!!

I’ll let Iona tell you a little bit more about her business:

“I know how important it is for mothers to get good breast-feeding support, as so many have difficulties getting started in the early days after the birth. I am a Lactation Consultant, so I offer monthly breastfeeding classes in English for expectant parents too. (I also offer free telephone breast-feeding support after birth.)

“I also know how crucial it is for new mothers to get out of the house and meet other mothers for friendship and support when they have little babies, so I have aimed to create a small community through my Little Angels mother/baby group… I only charge 500 yen a session for that group.

“Of course I hope the mothers enjoy Blue Sky’s activities enough that they would like to come to the Go Baby Go! music and activity groups when their babies begin to walk, but that is always up to them. Lots of friendships are made here, and that has a value that money can’t buy.

“As any mother will tell you, when your kids are signed up for classes here in Japan,…there is always the ubiquitous “nyukaikin” “nenkaikin” and then the “gessha” monthly fee, which very often doesn’t allow makeup classes if the child is sick and misses a class, and doesn’t take into account public holidays, on which lessons are not held, when fixing the price. So when I started my Go Baby Go! classes, I decided I was definitely not offering that style, as mothers end up wasting so much money!

“So I don’t charge nyukaikin, nenkaikin or gessha. I charge for a whole term at a time, but mothers only pay for the days on which lessons will be held, @ 2,000 yen a class. So if a term has 12 Mondays but 2 are public holidays, that means payment for 10 classes only. I offer a special makeup class at the end of the term for people who missed a class during the term.

“The Go Baby Go! classes have also expanded to offer mobile classes, where existing groups of friends or existing mother/baby playgroups can book a 6-week series of music and activity classes in their own part of Tokyo. This has proved quite successful too, and more mobile groups will be on offer after the summer.

“Lastly, through Blue Sky I also sell Maya Wrap Baby slings. Baby slings are so much more economical and versatile than bulky heavy baby strollers, especially when using public transport here in Japan. And the baby who is carried around is much more content and cries less, and develops good muscle tone from responding to the movements of the adult carrying them. I offer a range of Maya Wrap sling fabrics for parents in Japan, plus the opportunity to attend the baby groups and get some breastfeeding advice all at the same time!”

Iona’s Blue Sky Tokyo school provides not only valuable services that are difficult to find in English in Japan, but also at a frugal-friendly way. Stop by her website for more information!

“FJ Friends” are foreign-owned or foreign-friendly businesses and services around Japan. If you know of a worthy business, or would like to introduce your own business to our readers, contact us!!

This well-designed site, while in Japanese only, fills a definite need in the marketplace for clothing for preemie or small-size baby clothing. Please spread the word on this new undertaking from a Frugal Friend!

“FJ Friends” are foreign-owned or foreign-friendly businesses and services around Japan. If you know of a worthy business, or would like to introduce your own business to our readers, contact us!!

However, in Japan this does not appear to be the case. Legions of young mothers still turn their nose up at “BF” (beebi fuudo in katakana) to prepare homemade concoctions artfully arranged in lovely cermaic dishes. (At least, that’s what the pictures in the Japanese parenting magazines I read tell me!) Truthfully, Japanese baby food (“rinyushoku,” or weaning foods) appears as varied and palate-tempting as a kaiseki meal.

Initially, I was very turned off by what I though was an excessive attention to detail and preparation. Japanese parenting websites, books, and magazines feature elaborate menus and recipes for dishes your little darling will probably only consume a teaspoon-full of. However, after scouring my English sources for concrete advice, I was discouraged by the lack of the detailed instructions. As my son approached the age of starting solids, I thought: why not give this Japanese method a whirl. Here’s what I learned:

Japanese weaning foods are divided into five basic stages: the early (5-6 months), middle (7-8 months), and late stage (9-11 months), the “finishing” stage (12-15 months), and toddler stage (16 months and on). It is an earlier start than recommended by many Western books, but as with anything, your child’s development should be your guide, not his/her age. The Japanese also recommend “practicing” feeding your baby with a spoon (either watered-down fruit juice or vegetable broth) from about four months on – the goal not being to feed your child, but get them used to tastes other than breastmilk or formula and used to a spoon.

So, what do you feed your baby, and how? Well, the basic staple is rice – in the form of okayu, or rice cereal (some translate it as gruel). You can of course buy prepackaged packs at drugstores, but it’s also very easy to make. They recommend starting out with 10X diluted rice cereal, and then moving down to 7X, 5X, and 3X. I use a special “baby rice cooker” that fits inside our regular rice cooker: the Dream Collection “Okayu Cup” for Y839 from BabiesRUs online. Very handy, and cooks while your family rice is cooking.

Once your baby gets used to eating about 1-2 teaspoons of okayu, then you can move on the vegetables and protien sources. For vegetables, carrots, kabocha (pumpkin), spinach, and others are good starters. For protien sources, either tofu (mashed) or very finely mashed white fish is recommended. Worried about assembling all the right tools (strainers, mortar/pestle, juicers, slicers)? Then I heartily recommend this set of rinyushoku cooking implements from Pigeon: it’s reasonable priced, compact, and just the right size for baby food. The Pigeon “Chori Set” is Y2099 at BabysRUs online. It has everything you need!

The above advice is suitable for a baby just getting started on solids, but what about older babies? In these cases, I recommend looking either online or in books for ideas and recipes. The basic book I use is “Hajimete no Rinyushoku” (First Baby Foods) by Shufu no Tomo. The full-color pictures and great descriptions make it easy to understand even with limited Japanese skills. The step-by-step instructions are also very helpful, and there are hundreds of recipes. You can buy it here from Amazon.co.jp for about Y1400. Another great, and free, resource is the Wakodo Rinyushoku homepage: http://www.wakodo.co.jp/world/babyfood/. Tons of recipes here as well, all divided by age group and ingredient with photos (note: these recipes include promotions for Wakodo baby food products, but you can easily substitute with homemade).

So, finally… is it worth the time and effort? Well, after only two months of practice, I can say it has been fun, and we’ve made good progress. It takes about 20 minutes a day (usually less) to prepare two meals. Instead of cooking completely seperate menus, we simply use ingredients from our family dinners for our son’s meals. Judicious use of the freezer (freezing individual okayu servings in ice cube trays, portion-size servings of fish or bananas) also helps cut down on the time. And it is cheap: other than the initial outlay for the items mentioned above, it’s practically free. And the food tastes pretty good too (I definitely sample!).

So, if you’ve got a young baby, or are expecting one soon – why not give homemade baby food (Japanese style) a try? You mind find it (like I did) both frugal and fun.

© 2006 Wendy J. Imura.

It all starts before your baby is even born. When you register your pregnancy at city hall, ask about parenting classes (ryoshin gakkyu). Many places run free classes for mums (and dads) to be, covering the basics of pregnancy health, labour, and caring for a newborn. These classes are quite popular and you may have to go on a list to attend one so it’s best to enquire early.

When stocking up on baby goods ask about point cards. Akachan Honpo has a member’s card with a point system and will send you out catalogues with specials and campaigns. I’m sure many other stores have similar systems.

An even more frugal option is recycle stores. As well as general recycle stores like Hard Off there are specialized children’s recycle stores selling new (second hand but unused) and used clothes, toys, and goods at a fraction of the retail price. They are a goldmine: clothing from 50 yen, slings and carry packs from 500 yen. You can outfit your baby very frugally indeed. And when your little one has outgrown the baby bath or highchair, you can sell it back to the shop and free up space in your house.

When choosing where to have your baby, there are many options. Large general hospitals, smaller ob-gyn hospitals, midwife clinics or a visiting midwife in your own home. The cost of outpatient visits and delivery vary greatly so it’s worth asking about when you make enquiries.

If you choose to give birth in a hospital, there will more than likely be visits from various companies eager to introduce you to their products. Attend one of their workshops and you may end up with a bagload of freebies. Even if you are certain you won’t be using disposable nappies/ milk formula, there’s no harm in taking them home. You may find you use them, and even if you don’t you can give them to someone who will. I signed up for a newsletter from one company and still get free samples in the mail along with campaign information and specials.

When you register your baby’s birth at city hall ask about child allowance (jido teate), the amount and eligibility criteria differ from place to place but 5000 yen a month for a first child seems about average.

Once you get over the excitement (and exhaustion!) of the first few weeks with a new baby, cabin fever can set in. Pram unfriendly stations, lack of baby change facilities, and the need to feed your baby frequently, mean going out requires a little more planning than just grabbing your wallet, keys and phone and heading out the door. It’s worth the effort, though, for a change of scene for both you and baby, and the chance to meet other people.

An easy first outing is a major department store. Try the kid’s apparel floor for great parenting areas (akachan kyukeishitsu). They are often equipped with hot water for bottles, changetables, sofas, curtained off breastfeeding rooms, baby beds, scales, and measures. I’ve even seen one with a baby cafe serving up pureed menus for those starting solids. Look around for information on visiting midwife times (kosodate soudanshitsu). Many department stores have this free service where you have your baby weighed, measured, and you can talk to a midwife about any concerns you have with sleeping, feeding, development etc. Some of the brochures you receive are sponsored material with a heavy company bias but, keeping that in mind, it is well worth checking out. Other mum and baby friendly aspects of department stores are climate control, elevators and family friendly restaurants.

Many cities/towns offer an amazing array of classes and groups at minimal cost if not free. The city newsletter (kouhou) is a good place to start. Kosodate salons vary from place to place but tend to be informal groups of mothers and prekindergarten age children meeting in community centers. A great outing, especially as your baby gets older, as while baby enjoys new faces and toys, you can have some social interaction of your own. Don’t think a baby who’s too young to play is too young to go — kosodate salon are as much for mum as they are for baby!

If there is a children’s center (jidokan) near you, you are in luck. Like a kosodate salon but open everyday, children’s centres may offer age-specific game rooms for free play, as well as organized activities. Some jidokan even have free courtesy buses.

Many libraries have storytime sessions, some with elaborate puppet shows or thematic crafts as well. You may be nervous taking a baby to the library but I have found the librarians very accommodating and my library even has a curtained off reading room for littlies and their families. Ask your librarian for information.

When checking the kouhou don’t limit yourself to the children’s section. Some classes offered through the city include childcare. I did a first aid course with childcare provided and didn’t pay a single yen for it. I felt great after a two hour session of learning something important AND getting a much appreciated break from watching my daughter. Other classes with paid childcare included flower arranging and Hawaiian dancing.

The arrival of a baby can strain the family budget but that doesn’t have to stop you getting out and about and enjoying yourselves. Grab a copy of your town magazine, head to city hall and go find some frugal fun!

© 2004 H. Fukase.

Just wanted to share my discovery today that if you cut off the toes of a pair of old wool tights, you’ve got perfect winter pants for baby! The top (waist of the tights) covers his chest and they’re real soft and warm (and he shouldn’t outgrow them anytime soon). I’ve also read that wool is good as a diaper cover as it absorbs moisture.

I’m so pleased that I could recycle my tights and I’ve gotten so many comments on baby’s nice new pants today! :-)

(TJM)

Keep warm!

However, giving birth and raising a child as a foreigner in Japan presents its own unique challenges and joys. One of the Frugal Japan community members has been nice enough to compile some advice for frugal moms-to-be in Japan.

Here is a teaser:

“Having a baby in Japan can, but doesn’t have to, be expensive. With a little research you can find many and varied ways to be frugal and have fun with children from the very earliest age.”

It all starts before your baby is even born. When you register your pregnancy at city hall (for those enrolled in National Health, you must register to get free prenatal care), ask about parenting classes
(ryoshin gakkyu). Many places run free classes for mums (and dads) to be, covering the basics of pregnancy health, labor and caring for a newborn. These classes are quite popular and you may have to go on a list to attend one, so it’s best to inquire early. English classes are also available in Tokyo for a higher fee. See the following Web site for options:

http://www.geocities.com/tokyopregnancygroup/resources1.html

When stocking up on baby goods, ask about point cards. Akachan Honpo (Japan’s largest baby discount store) has a member’s card with a point system. They will send you out catalogues with specials and campaigns. I’m sure many other stores have similar systems.

An even more frugal option is recycle shops. In addition to general recycle shops like “Hard Off,” there are specialized children’s recycle shops selling new (secondhand but unused) and used clothes, toys and other goods at a fraction of the retail price. They are a goldmine: with clothing from Y50, and slings and carry packs from Y500, you can outfit your baby very frugally indeed. And when your little one has outgrown the baby bath or highchair, you can sell it back to the shop and free up space in your house.

All very useful and practical information that is sure to be helpful to those who are already parents, or who might be expecting. Check out www.frugaljapan.com in the near future for this and other useful articles on frugal childraising, frugal tips and more!

© 2004 Wendy J. Imura.