In this guide, we have briefly listed for you the different types of childcare and early years education settings available in Japan for children 0-5 years old. The following list refers only to Japanese public and private settings excluding international private schools and centers. This information will help you determine the right type of school for your child based on their age, your family circumstances and your unique preferences.
Childcare and early years education settings in Japan for children between the ages of 0-5 are divided into three main categories: Nursery schools (Hoikuen & other facilities for 0-5 years old children), Preschools (Yochien for 3-5 years old children) and Preschool/Nursery hybrid schools (Kodomo-en for 0-5 years old children).
The Nursery (Hoikuen & other facilities for 0-5 years old children)
These facilities are separated in two main categories: Licenced childcare settings (Government-authorised) and Unlicensed childcare settings (Unauthorised). The governmental standards for authorisation concern different aspects including for example:
The size of the facility
The equipment
The number of childcare workers (the teacher-student ratio)
Food service facilities
Disaster preparedness
Hygiene control
A common misconception among parents is that unlicensed childcare settings might offer lower quality of educational care than the licensed nursery schools. However, that is not necessarily the case. There are some unlicensed facilities that offer for example specialised educational care and other extra services such as English education and 24h care. Often the size of the facility is a matter of concern as many unlicensed facilities can be smaller than the licensed settings. This misconception leads many parents to apply only to licensed facilities decreasing their chances of acceptance.
TIP: I highly recommend considering both licensed and unlicensed facilities to maximise your chances.
Now, let’s break down each category and discuss their differences below.
Licensed childcare settings
These facilities meet the standards set by the government and they are approved by the prefectural governor. Applications for April admissions are accepted through the municipalities from October to December. The childcare fee and selection criteria vary depending on the rules of each municipality, however all facilities in the same municipality follow the same guidelines and rules.
Unlicensed childcare settings
These facilities might not meet all the standards set by the government and they operate under private companies, NPOs and individuals. The applications are submitted to each individual school/facility. Application deadline is also set by each individual setting. The childcare fee and selection criteria vary depending on each facility.
Authorised Municipal Nursery Schools
Municipal nursery schools are established and operated by local governments. All the municipal nursery schools have common regular hours. Fees will be determined in accordance with the circumstances of each household and are paid to the local municipality. Fees for extended hours will be also determined based on the circumstance of each household and are paid directly to the local government.
Authorised Private Nursery Schools
Private Nursery Schools are established and operated by independent entities such as social welfare corporations or business enterprises. These facilities provide their childcare based on their own learning and play approaches. Nursery fees will be determined in accordance with the circumstances of each household. The fees are paid to the municipality. Unlike Municipal Nursery Schools, Private Nursery Schools have individual operation and fees for extended hours services. Therefore, parents and caregivers are asked to pay the fees for extended hours directly to each facility.
Authorised Homely Nursery Care Services
Accepts only up to 5 children and provides closely supervised child care with a family like atmosphere. The facility is often based at rented places of management companies. Childcare staff certified by the local government will provide childcare services.
Small-scale Nursery Care Services
Accepts few children (6-19 students) and provides closely supervised childcare with a family like atmosphere.
Childcare Services within Workplaces
These services provide childcare both to children of employees and children from local areas. The capacity of the facility is set based on the “employees quota” and “regional quota”.
Home visit childcare services
Childcare staff provide closely supervised one-on-one childcare at the homes of preschool children who require medical care.
Preschools (Yochien for 3-5 years old children)
Yochien an educational institution in Japan for children between the ages 3 to 5. The mission of yōchien is to prepare young children for primary school. Its early years education curriculum mainly focuses on helping young children develop essential skills including selfcare, creativity, problem-solving, literacy, language and communication skills.
There are three types of Yochien:
National (国立幼稚園 | kokuritsu yochien) These facilities are owned by the Japanese government and often are associated with a national university. They accept a limited number of students every year. The tuition fee is completely subsidized.
Public (公立幼稚園 | kouritsu yochien) These are either owned by the local ward or prefecture. Every year, they accept only a limited number of students. The tuition fee is also completely subsidized.
Private (私立幼稚園 | shiritsu yochien) These facilities are owned and run by private companies, organizations, or religious groups. The tuition fee is partially subsidized by the government and up to a certain amount. This means that parents need to cover the rest of the amount by themselves. The amount can vary depending on each facility’s tuition fees.
Yochien vs Hoikuen
Minimum age of acceptance
Yochien is available for children from 3 to 5 years old.
Admissions criteria
As mentioned earlier yochien mainly focuses on education and preparing young preschoolers for primary school. In contrast, the purpose of hoikuen is fostering children on behalf of parents who are both working full time. Therefore, hoikuen is for those families who need the service due to work and other life circumstances. While, yochien is available to anyone.
Opening hours
Yochien has typically shorter attendance than hoikuen, it’s usually between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. However, many facilities offer extended hours (Azukari hoiku) for an extra fee. This service is available from 7:30 a.m.to 6:30 p.m (until 3:30 p.m. on Sat.).
Preschool/Nursery hybrid schools (Kodomo-en for 0-5 years old children).
Authorised Public and Private Kodomo-en
Authorised Kodomo-en is a facility that combines the functions of a nursery school and a kindergarten. In addition to providing integrated education and childcare for children regardless of their parents’ work situations, it also organises projects to support families raising children in the community such as consultations on parenting and gatherings for parents and children.
Admission to Kodomo-en is divided into two categories: (1) children who mainly use the nursery school services (Nursery school quota) and (2) children who mainly use the kindergarten services (Standard Time Kindergarten quota); however, after admission, the children are taught and cared for in the same nursery rooms.
About the application process, for the Nursery school quota applications are submitted to the local municipality office, and for the Standard Time Kindergarten quota, the applications are submitted to each facility directly. Note that the terms of use of authorised kodomo-en (nursery school quota) may differ from authorised nursery schools in terms of the number of childcare days, etc. Also, the school may charge you for items such as school uniforms, admission procedure fee and teaching materials as actual expenses. Please contact the facility for those information in advance.
Nursery (Hoikuen) vs Kodomo-en
One of the distinctive features of Kodomo-en facilities is that they provide a kindergarten curriculum mainly during the morning regular hours for children from 3 to 5 years of age. This service is similar to Yochien. This means that the daily routine is mainly focused on learning and early years literacy. The purpose of Kodomo-en is to prepare preschool children for school, while the authorised public and private nurseries focus on fostering and caring for children on behalf of their parents. Another difference between nurseries (hoikuen) and kodomo-en is the operation hours. The regular hours of Kodomo-en are typically shorter than Hoikuen, however, many facilities offer extended hours.
If you have more questions about childcare in Japan or you need help with your application, book an online consultation with our expert Educational Consultant. For more information see our Services. We provide a wide range of consultancy services, including personalized advice on how to prepare, what schools to choose and how to submit the applications.