Nursery schools are child welfare facilities that aim to provide daycare for babies and children aged 0 to 5 years who cannot be looked after at home during the day for reasons such as the parents working or attending school. The decision to admit a child to a nursery school is made based on an assessment of the family’s need for the service. The fees are determined according to the guardians’ income.

Prior to entering elementary school, children between the ages of 4 to 6 can attend kindergarten (some kindergartens also accept 3 year-olds) There are public and private kindergartens in Japan.

Temporary child-care services, provided Kyoto City nursery schools and non-profit organizations, are available for parents who require child-care services prior to their children’s enrollment in a nursery school or kindergarten, or who require child-care services on only one or two days per week.
Service hours, fees, and the age of eligibility varies depending on the facility. Please contact the facilities directly for further details. Advance reservation is required.

Certified childcare centers are part of a new child-rearing support system launched to improve early childhood education and care and reduce the number of children on waiting lists for nursery schools, etc. The centers offer the services of both kindergartens and nursery schools.

While attendance at elementary and junior high school is compulsory for Japanese children, foreign children have no legal obligation to attend. However, foreign children can enroll in public schools by going through the necessary application procedures.

There are several international schools in Kyoto.