Nursery or Kindergarten from Age Three? Comparing Childcare Options in Japan
I am Minoru Kai of CGK International School , its founder, based in Kannai, Yokohama. We provide
preschool education、English-medium afterschool care for elementary-age children、 and elementary international education. This is an English edition of the original comparison article; historical fee examples are not a current quotation.
As a parent of two, and through meeting many families, I know how many uncertainties can accompany raising a first child.
We want to nurture individuality, teach manners, respond appropriately to behaviour, offer varied experiences, build friendships and physical confidence, and support English, music and other learning. Trying to do everything at once is difficult.
As children approach three and become more independent, or when a parent returns to work, families may compare nursery schools and kindergartens. Understanding the different settings in which care and education professionals work can help you make that decision.
Care and Education
Nursery schools fall within the policy remit of the Children and Families Agency (transferred from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2023)。. Kindergartens fall within the remit of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
Their principal legal frameworks are the Child Welfare Act for nursery schools and the School Education Act for kindergartens.
The original article explains nursery provision in terms of supporting everyday routines, independence, and healthy development through care in a child-welfare setting, while kindergartens are educational institutions introducing children to early education before elementary school, within an educational setting.
This is a broad distinction, not a claim that nurseries do not educate or that kindergartens do not provide care. Individual settings differ considerably.
Licensed nursery schools provide care where a family has an assessed need for it. If a parent is at home and there is no other qualifying reason for care, the household may not meet admission requirements。
. Ninkagai childcare facilities and ordinary kindergarten education use different admission arrangements. Schools may select applicants or hold a lottery; procedures vary rather than following one universal rule.
Families with a parent at home can therefore explore ninkagai childcare, public or private kindergartens, and international preschools among their options.
Under the childcare-fee support system, eligible families using eligible ninkagai facilities may receive support up to ¥37,000 per month for the relevant three-to-five-year-old age groups. This can make a preschool more affordable. Certification, age and facility conditions apply; this is not an automatic payment to every family. Check the Children and Families Agency’s guidance and your municipality.
Neither nursery school nor kindergarten attendance is compulsory. However, these early years are important for social, cognitive and broader development, so it is worth considering how your child will have opportunities to learn with others.
Age Ranges
Nurseries may accept children from infancy until elementary school。Kindergartens generally serve children from age three until elementary school.
For regular care before age three, a nursery or another early-childhood care setting is usually the relevant option.
Minimum nursery admission ages vary: some accept infants from around two months, while others start at four or six months or later. The original article linked these differences to postnatal leave and infant care; check each facility’s actual age policy.
Some kindergartens allow entry after a child turns three during the school year, rather than only at the April intake. The original article connected this with past regulatory changes; entry dates and programmes should be confirmed with the kindergarten.
There are also pre-kindergarten sessions for two-year-olds, sometimes weekly or a few times a month. These may help children become familiar with the setting and help families choose a kindergarten. Priority for later admission, if any, depends on the school.
Typical Hours
Nursery provision usually offers longer care, described in the original article as eight hours or more。
. Kindergarten education has a standard day of around four hours, which is shorter than a typical nursery day. Additional care may be available separately; check the full schedule, not just classroom hours.
Nurseries, particularly ninkagai settings, offer varied schedules. Some provide extended care early in the morning or until around 8:00pm, while certain providers offer 24-hour care. Other options include weekend care or temporary and short-stay care. Availability differs by provider.
Fees
Costs vary between licensed and ninkagai nursery provision, and between public and private kindergartens.
Nursery Schools
Licensed nursery schools — Fees for younger children are determined by the municipality using household tax and other applicable criteria.
Ninkagai childcare facilities — Providers set their own fees.
For children aged zero to two in licensed nursery provision, household resident-tax assessments and family circumstances affect charges. Consult the municipality’s current fee schedule and payment arrangements. The original article links to Yokohama’s guidance below.
For eligible three-to-five-year-old classes, the system introduced in October 2019 makes the basic childcare fee free regardless of household income.
Meals and other non-tuition charges may remain payable; exemptions can apply to some households.
Ninkagai providers set independent fees and can cost more. At some English-medium preschools, the original article gave an example of around ¥200,000 a month for five long days a week, while noting many cheaper options. This is a historical market example, not CGK’s current tuition.
Kindergartens
Public kindergartens — Basic education fees within the applicable support system are covered for eligible children. Meals and other charges may still apply.
Private kindergartens — Fees and the applicable support framework vary.The original article distinguishes schools under the facility-benefit system from those outside it. In the latter group, eligible basic fees are supported up to ¥25,700 a month rather than an unlimited amount. Meals and other charges may remain payable. Ask each school and municipality for the actual net cost.
Settings using other early-childhood labels — Some are classified as ninkagai childcare facilities; others have different arrangements. Confirm the institution’s status and eligibility directly.
Since the fee-support system began in October 2019, advertised fees and the amount a household actually pays can differ.
Contact the school and municipality directly to confirm your own entitlement and costs.
Staff Qualifications
Nursery care uses the hoikushi childcare qualification, while kindergarten teachers use a kindergarten teaching licence. Staffing requirements depend on the type of institution and role.
Some training programmes allow graduates to obtain both qualifications. The original article commented on career paths between nursery and kindergarten settings, but did not provide data establishing how common those moves are.
Which Should Your Family Choose?
The following points can help structure the comparison.
Your Child’s Age
Nursery starting ages range from early infancy to one year, eighteen months or two years, depending on the provider.
Kindergarten education generally starts from age three, so for children below three, check nursery and pre-kindergarten arrangements rather than assuming ordinary kindergarten admission is available。
. Are Both Parents Working?
If a parent stays at home, a licensed nursery place may be less likely unless another qualifying need for care applies.
Municipalities assess work and family circumstances when certifying need and allocating places.
A parent being at home does not by itself establish the full household situation; other qualifying reasons must also be considered.
Ninkagai settings and ordinary kindergarten education do not use the same allocation process.
Collection arrangements matter too: consider working hours and whether relatives or other trusted carers can help.
A programme ending around 2:00pm may be difficult for two working parents without help. However, some kindergartens offer additional care, so check that option before ruling them out.
Some nurseries offer care until 5:00pm or later, with certain providers offering evening hours. Confirm opening times, availability and charges rather than assuming all nurseries offer late collection.
Care, Education, or Both?
Nurseries do not provide only care, and kindergartens do not provide only education. The individual institution matters more than a simple choice between two labels.
Other options include international preschools and certified centres for early childhood education and care. These also combine learning and care, but their legal and funding arrangements differ. In particular, certified centres should not be grouped automatically with ninkagai facilities.
For eligible ninkagai provision, support may be available up to ¥37,000 per month for the relevant age group. Having two working parents is not, by itself, proof of entitlement: certification and other conditions must be checked.
Schools with a strong English programme can offer sustained opportunities to develop English from an early age, though outcomes vary.
Cost
Monthly costs can differ substantially between licensed nurseries, ninkagai childcare, and public or private kindergartens.
Independent admissions at ninkagai settings and private kindergartens may help families plan a return to work without relying on municipal nursery allocation. Availability and the school’s own requirements still apply.
For some families, a particular educational approach justifies higher fees. Compare what is included and what matters to your child.
Conclusion
Safety is a key consideration. Ninkagai childcare is subject to notification and local oversight, and the original article describes annual inspections. Registration or inspection alone is not a blanket safety guarantee; ask about current compliance, staffing and daily practice.
Educational approaches differ greatly. Visit, attend an information session, and observe how teachers interact with children. These qualities are difficult to assess from a website alone.
Finally, I would like to introduce CGK International School in Yokohama.
- We operate a preschool registered as ninkagai childcare in Naka Ward, alongside elementary education and afterschool provision.
- Eligible families can use the applicable fee-support scheme, subject to age, certification and facility requirements; the ¥37,000 figure is an upper limit, not an automatic grant.
- The original article describes a five-day, full-day preschool model designed to work for families needing regular care.
- It also describes the Japanese classroom staff at that time as English-bilingual, qualified childcare professionals.
- The source reports successive certificates of compliance with the supervisory standards for ninkagai childcare since opening. Its description of inspections covers safety, emergency preparation, health, staffing, plans and care records. Ask CGK for current arrangements and compliance information.
Please feel free to contact us.
CGK International School in Yokohama
The world opened by English is not limited to work or travel; it can enrich a person’s life more broadly.
I continue studying English myself and enjoy looking forward to the opportunities that learning can bring.
I hope you find a school you can trust, without losing sight of what matters most for your child.
Author Profile
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Minoru Kai - School Founder, CGK International School (Japan)
Born in 1984, father to two children.
After residence and stay in Australia, Canada and America, worked at an advertising agency concurrently in overseas exhibition work and domestic advertising work.
He also founded CGK International School (Yokohama) from scratch and provides management consulting for international schools.