Skip to content
keigo.Beta
Log inSign up

家Chapter 06 · Family

Hoikuen Navigator

Japanese nursery system + application timeline

Verified by Keigo · June 23, 2026Source: www.cfa.go.jp ↗

Generate your application timeline

Child's age (months) *

0–72 months (max 6 years)

Target April intake year *

Ward (optional)

If provided, the timeline will be tailored to the ward's schedule.

Generate my timeline

Create a free account to use this — it only takes a moment.

Sign up — freeLog in

Japanese nursery (hoikuen) basics

Which nursery should you aim for? Both — one as the goal, one as the safety net.

Plan A · the goal

Certified nursery · 認可

~¥20,000 – ¥50,000 /month, scaled to income
  • Certified by the municipality
  • Point-based, competitive — apply on time
Plan B · the backup

Non-certified · 認可外

~¥80,000 – ¥150,000 /month
  • Easier to get in
  • Less regulated
  • Long waitlists (待機児童) in Setagaya, Minato and Chuo make it almost mandatory
  1. OctApply opens
  2. NovDeadline
  3. DecDeadline
  4. JanResults
  5. FebResults
  6. Mar 
  7. AprIntake
Point system (認可 only)

Dual-income is the baseline. Single parents, siblings already enrolled, and medical needs add points. Having grandparents nearby often REDUCES points.

Point weights and required documents vary per ward. Always verify with your ward's education board (教育委員会).

How the score (指数) is calculated

Example: a dual-income couple in Setagaya, where full-time work is worth 50 points per parent.

100Base index · 基準指数

Points per parent from work status; 50 each full-time in Setagaya.

−20 … +20Adjustment · 調整指数

Single parent +10–20; a sibling already enrolled adds points; grandparents nearby can reduce them.

~105Cutoff, popular nurseries

In high-demand wards a near-maximum score can be the bar (Setagaya).

Scales and items differ by ward (Setagaya tops out at 50/parent). Check your ward's 利用調整基準 table linked below.

Apply in your ward (Tokyo 23)

Licensed-nursery enrollment is run ward by ward. Pick yours to jump to the official page.

When to apply · April start
Oct → early Dec

of the prior year. Some wards add winter rounds; exact dates are published yearly on the ward page.

What it costs

Ages 3–5 free nationwide. Ages 0–2 income-linked (free for tax-exempt households; some wards extend 0–2 free — check locally).

Official pages verified: 2026-06-23

Related tools

Related articles

Living in Japan as a Mixed Couple / Family: The 5-Year Honest Review
Japanese Schools for Your Kids: Don't Fret, We've Got This! (A Friend's Guide)
Your First Japan Quest: Conquering City Hall (and Getting an Address!)

Nursery & Daycare (Hoikuen) in Japan

How daycare works in Japan: applying for hoikuen, points system, costs and what foreign families should know.

Certified nursery (認可 · ninka)

Certified by the municipality. Fees scale with income (~¥20–50k/month). Admission is point-based and competitive.

Non-certified nursery (認可外 · ninkagai)

Less regulated, more expensive (~¥80–150k/month). Easier to get in.

Schedule

Applications open ~October for the following April intake. Deadline Nov–Dec. Results Jan–Feb.

Waitlist problem (待機児童)

Popular wards (Setagaya, Minato, Chuo) have long waitlists. A non-certified backup is almost mandatory.

Base index (基準指数) — points per parent from work status (e.g. in Setagaya, full-time = 50 pts each → 100 for a dual-income couple).

Adjustment index (調整指数) — +/− for circumstances (roughly −20 to +20). Single parent +10–20, a sibling already at the nursery adds points, and grandparents able to help nearby can REDUCE points in some wards.

Scale and items differ by ward (Setagaya tops out at 50/parent; others use different scales). In high-demand wards a near-maximum score (around 105 in Setagaya) can be the cutoff for popular nurseries. Check your ward's exact 利用調整基準 (admission-adjustment) table linked below.

Age in months

Target year

e.g. 世田谷区 (Setagaya)

Generating…

Your hoikuen application timeline

Start over

Your ward's official enrollment page

Fees & vacancy info

For an April start, you apply roughly October–early December of the prior year (some wards add winter rounds). Exact dates are published yearly on the ward page.

Ages 3–5 are free nationwide. Ages 0–2 have an income-linked fee (free for tax-exempt households; some wards extend 0–2 free — check locally).