School lunch at city-run elementary and junior high schools is completely free (from September 2023)
Free School Lunch at City-Run Elementary and Junior High Schools / Bunkyo City
Free School Lunch at City-Run Elementary and Junior High SchoolsBunkyo CityNo income limitNo application needed
School lunch at city-run elementary and junior high schools is free
School lunch fees at city-run elementary and junior high schools¥0Free for everyone since September 2023
- Children who cannot receive school lunch at all get a subsidy equal to school lunch fees
Since September 2023, school lunch at Bunkyo City-run elementary and junior high schools has been free for all students. No income limit and no application needed. School lunch fees are simply no longer collected, so as a rule parents do not need to do anything.
If a student cannot receive school lunch at all throughout the year because of long-term absence, food allergies or similar, an amount equal to school lunch fees is subsidized separately.
Nationality and residence status
The official page (checked in October 2026) sets no condition on nationality or residence status that we found. Eligibility follows the official conditions, not the language of this page; many programs require resident registration in the municipality.
Who is eligible
All students at city-run elementary and junior high schools
Notes
Continuing in FY2026. If a student cannot receive school lunch because of long-term absence or food allergies,they are separately covered by a subsidy equal to school lunch fees.