Parents' Column | Soroban
Soroban or Kumon:
which is better? The differences, and how to choose
Both help children become strong at calculation, but they build different skills. Kumon develops “procedures” and “getting ahead”; soroban develops “a picture of numbers” and “concentration.” Which suits your child, and how to think about doing both, from our classroom experience.
“Soroban or Kumon — which should I choose?” is a question we hear very often from parents who come for a trial lesson. We are a soroban school, but we have no intention of putting Kumon down. In fact, many children attend both, and we know many children whose calculation became faster through Kumon. That is exactly why we want you to understand the differences correctly and choose the one that suits your child.
Soroban vs. Kumon: the differences (comparison table)
| Soroban | Kumon (math) | |
|---|---|---|
| How children learn | Moving the beads, they learn numbers as “quantities” with their whole body | Solving worksheets on their own, they master “procedures” |
| How they progress | Toward the kyu and dan grade exams, at each child’s own pace | Not tied to the school grade; moving on from wherever they can (getting ahead) |
| In the classroom | The teacher watches each child and marks work on the spot; practice you only get in a classroom, such as dictation practice (yomiage-zan) | Children work through worksheets on their own; the teacher marks and advises |
| At home | Basically classroom only (little homework) | Daily homework worksheets are the norm |
| Skills that grow most | A picture of numbers, mental math, concentration, seeing a task through | Speed and accuracy in calculation, the habit of self-study |
| Visible goals | Grade exams (3rd kyu and above can go on a résumé) | Progress through materials beyond the school grade |
* For details of Kumon’s program and fees, please check Kumon’s official website. What we write here is based on what we often hear from parents and on what is generally known.
Different skills: “procedures” vs. “a picture of numbers”
Take “8 + 7,” for example. On a Kumon worksheet, children repeat the carrying procedure until they can write the answer quickly and accurately. On a soroban, when adding 7 to the 8 already on the beads, children learn through the bead movement: “take away 3, the friend of 10, and add 10.” With practice, the beads appear in their mind and numbers move like a picture. This is soroban-style mental math (anzan).
Both make calculation faster. The difference is that Kumon builds “automatic procedures,” while soroban builds “a feel for quantity.” In school math, some children use their fingers for carrying, or cannot tell whether a word problem needs adding or subtracting; when they can feel numbers as quantities, these stumbles become fewer. See Why Soroban Helps Children Who Struggle with Math for more.
On the other hand, Kumon’s habit of “doing worksheets by yourself every day” is a skill that a soroban classroom does not easily build. If your goal is a self-study habit or getting ahead of school, Kumon is the better fit.
Soroban for this child, Kumon for that child
| Children who tend to suit soroban | Likes working with their hands / keeps going better with interaction with a teacher than with quiet solo work / seems to have a weak “feel for numbers” in math / wants to be strong at mental math / is fired up by a visible goal (a grade) |
|---|---|
| Children who tend to suit Kumon | Likes working through worksheets alone / wants the habit of sitting at a desk a little every day / wants to get ahead of the school grade / wants to continue Japanese and English in the same way, not only math |
Differences in cost and time
| Soroban (Kodomo School) | Kumon (math, in general) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly tuition | ¥4,600 (kindergarten and elementary school), ¥5,500 (junior high school). Plus facility fee ¥1,100 / month, enrollment fee ¥4,800, and materials fee | In the ¥7,000 range a month per subject (varies by region; please check the official website) |
| Lessons and time | Once a week, 60 minutes | Classroom twice a week, plus daily homework |
| Drop-off and pick-up | Once a week. Close to home, at a local community center or similar | Twice a week |
On cost, soroban is often the easier amount to keep up. On time, Kumon needs more involvement at home because of the daily homework. From families where both parents work and weekday time is hard to find, we often hear that soroban — “once a week, finished in the classroom” — is easier to keep going.
How to think about doing both
Children who attend both are not unusual. As for the order, we find that building a picture of numbers with soroban first, then speeding up the procedures with Kumon brings out the best of each. Starting both at the same time can be confusing at first, because there are two ways to carry, so we recommend a gap of six months to a year.
Conversely, if your child already goes to Kumon and you feel “they can calculate, but their feel for numbers seems weak” or “they are starting to dislike math,” try adding soroban. Time spent collecting “I did it!” moments with their hands can change how a child feels about math.
Frequently asked questions
Is it all right to stop Kumon and switch to soroban?
Yes. The calculation procedures learned at Kumon will not disappear. At soroban, there is a period at the start for learning the bead movements (the friends of 10, and so on), but children who are used to calculating progress quickly.
Won’t the school’s written method and the soroban method cause confusion?
At first, yes. The teacher reminds children that “the school way is correct too” and helps them use both as needed. Most children switch between them naturally within two or three months.
From what grade is it best to start soroban?
Around the final year of kindergarten is the guide. Most children start in Grades 1–3, and the upper grades are not too late. See When Should a Child Start Soroban? for details.
Can we take a trial lesson?
There is a free trial lesson (about 20 minutes). Just bring writing supplies. The teacher watches your child move the beads and tells you honestly whether soroban seems a good fit.
About the author
Taito MoritaFounder & principal of Kodomo School (Morita Group Co., Ltd.)
He carries on the Morita Juku founded in Toyohashi in 1972. Through soroban, calligraphy and art at about 90 classrooms in Aichi and Shizuoka and at our Hanoi school in Vietnam, he helps children build the strength to believe in themselves. He also gives talks and seminars on education.
Message from our founderTalks & seminarsUpdated: October 8, 2026
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Soroban and calligraphy trial lessons are free (about 20 minutes; just bring something to write with). The art trial lesson is 40 minutes and costs ¥1,000 (nothing to bring). Come with your child and see the feel of the classroom and how well the teacher suits your child.