Three kinds of preschool
Daycare (hoikuen) is for children from babies to age 5 whose parents work or cannot look after them during the day. It opens long hours, often from about 7:00 to 18:00 or later, all year round.
Kindergarten (yōchien) is a school for ages 3 to 5, with shorter days of around four to five hours and school holidays. Many offer extended care (azukari hoiku) and a school bus. Most are private and run their own admissions, usually in the autumn for the following April.
A certified centre (nintei kodomo-en) combines the two, taking children whether or not their parents work.
Getting a daycare place
You apply for licensed daycare through your city, not the nursery. Places go by points, based on things like working hours, a single-parent household or a family member who needs care. April is by far the easiest time to get in, and applications for it usually close in the autumn or early winter.
The search for a place even has a name, hokatsu. Waiting lists (taiki jidō) have fallen sharply in recent years, but popular areas of big cities can still be hard, especially for ages 1 and 2.
What it costs
Since October 2019, daycare and kindergarten for ages 3 to 5 are free, within set limits. Meals, buses and extra activities are not covered. For ages 0 to 2, daycare fees depend on household income and are free for households exempt from resident tax. Some areas go further, such as Tokyo, which made licensed daycare free for children aged 0 to 2 from September 2025.
Drop-in nursery for any family
Since April 2026, every city runs a scheme (kodomo dare demo tsūen seido) that lets children from 6 months to under 3 who are not in daycare attend a nursery for up to 10 hours a month, whether or not their parents work. The fee is usually around ¥300 an hour.
Tips for families in Japan
- Visit nurseries in the summer and autumn before you apply. Many hold open days.
- Get your city's daycare guide (hoiku annai) early. It explains the points, the deadlines and the documents, such as proof of employment.
- Unlicensed daycare (ninka-gai) can bridge the gap while you wait for a licensed place. Ages 3 to 5 get help with the fees there too.
- Expect to label everything and to fill in a daily contact book about your child's sleep, meals and mood.
Words you will hear
- 保育園 hoikuen
- daycare
- 幼稚園 yōchien
- kindergarten
- 認定こども園 nintei kodomo-en
- certified centre combining both
- 保活 hokatsu
- searching for a daycare place
- 待機児童 taiki jidō
- children on a waiting list
- 預かり保育 azukari hoiku
- extended care at kindergarten
See also
More on Parenting in Japan
- Enrolling a child in a Japanese school How foreign families get a child into a public school, which grade they join and the language support available.
- Costs and support for families The birth grant, child allowance, free preschool and help with school and high school fees.
- Parents and school: PTA, contact books and after-school care Walking to school, the daily contact book, PTA duties and after-school clubs for working parents.
Sources: Children and Families Agency on free early education and the drop-in nursery scheme. Rules, costs and dates vary by city and school, so check with your local office or school.