Aira Sakura Nursery School opens in Aira, Kagoshima – Bright school with garden and wooden deck

PUBLISHED Jan 17, 2022

The exterior of Aira Sakura Nursery School

On December 24, Aira Sakura Nursery School had its grand opening. The new nursery school is located near Route 10 in Wakimoto, Aira City, and is managed by Shigetomi Shoji.

The nursery school is a “corporate-run nursery school” initiated as part of the government’s “Child and Child Care Support” program. Aira is the only city in Kagoshima Prefecture where the population continues to grow, with over 200 children waiting for admission to licensed nursery schools. Since the number of children attending Shigetomi Elementary School, located in the Wakimoto district, is still on the rise, the company opened the nursery school in October last year to provide a childcare center as a base of support for local children. After completing all the construction work, the school officially opened in December.

“This is the first time for us to run a nursery school,” said Yoshiko Otsu, the company’s representative. The childcare is provided by a non-profit organization Childcare Support Niji and is available on Sundays and national holidays, which is generally difficult for licensed centers to offer. “The childcare staff started under the pressure of performing daycare duties from scratch, even as opening staff. We overcame the initial difficulties with the help of parents, local residents, and government agencies,” she recalls.

The site area, including the building, garden, and parking lot, is approximately 500 square meters. The nursery is “bright and open with high ceilings” and has a sunlit wooden deck between the building and the yard. The entrance to the school has a roof over it so that children can get to and from the school on rainy days without worrying about getting wet.

Otsu added: “Now that work styles are diversifying, we would like to meet the needs of people who work outside of Aira City or work on Sundays and holidays. We hope to provide warm and nurturing care and a comfortable place for children to spend their time, while helping parents to return to their jobs and raise their children.”

The nursery school is open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The number of children is limited to 19. The monthly fee for childcare is 28,000 yen.

  • The daycare room at Aira Sakura Nursery School

  • The daycare room at Aira Sakura Nursery School

  • The wooden deck at Aira Sakura Nursery School

  • The garden at Aira Sakura Nursery School

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