Aira Sakura Nursery School is a company-led nursery school that opened on October 1, 2021, in the Wakimoto district of Aira City, Kagoshima Prefecture, to support the company’s employees in returning to work.
Generally, licensed nursery schools have difficulty opening on Sundays and holidays and providing nighttime care. However, company-led daycare centers are flexible in setting their working days and hours to accommodate the working styles of the company’s employees. Moreover, Aira Sakura Nursery School is available for both the company’s employees and the locals.
We established a nursery in this location because we own related facilities, working on associated projects in the Wakimoto area.
Our Nursery School
“Aira Sakura Nursery School”
Nursery School for our employees. Also available to local residents.
Our related facility
“Shigetomi Club”
Japanese traditional house “Kominka” preservation project.
Our related association
“Association of Shigetomi environmental preservation”
Shigetomi forests preservation project from alien species.
Aira Sakura Nursery School is a small nursery school for children aged 0–2 years. The nursery is an open, expansive space with the warmth of wood, creating an energetic atmosphere for children to play.
The nursery fosters a warm, family-like environment with storytelling and hand-played music, valuing each child’s individuality.
We are also committed to safety measures like installing security cameras and AEDs besides nutrition education through safe, secure, and fresh lunches prepared in our kitchens.
There are two main categories of nursery schools in Japan: “licensed nursery schools” that follow the standards set by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare; and “unlicensed nursery schools” that do not follow the abovementioned standards but offer unique childcare services.
In 2016, the Cabinet Office launched the new “Company-led Childcare Project” to eliminate childcare waiting lists. Since they are under the Cabinet Office’s jurisdiction, they provide the same childcare as licensed nursery schools but are flexible to open on Sundays and holidays and provide nighttime childcare based on the employees’ working styles, which is difficult for licensed nursery schools.
“Aira Sakura Nursery School” is one of these “company-led nurseries.”
The Aira Sakura Nursery School is located in Aira, a central part of Kagoshima Prefecture, at the southern tip of Kyushu.
It is the only city in Kagoshima Prefecture with a growing population because of the government’s efforts to encourage childcare and convenient transportation.
Consequently, there is a shortage of nursery schools, with more than 200 children waiting for admission to licensed schools.
Despite its convenient location on the border with Kagoshima City, Wakimoto district in Aira never had a nursery school.
However, Wakimoto District’s population is increasing, and so is the number of children attending its elementary.
A nursery school in the Wakimoto area will serve as a base for local childcare support, providing childcare for residents and employees of companies in the area. Besides, it will be convenient for people to commute to Kagoshima city.
Our company preserves the “Shigetomi club” (old traditional Japanese house “Kominka”) in the Wakimoto area, and it also established the General Incorporated Association for environmental conservation of its forests.
We opened Aira Sakura Nursery School to support our company’s employees to return to work and create a comfortable working environment, aiming to contribute to the Wakimoto area, which is strongly connected to our company.
Aira Sakura Nursery School is open seven days a week, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
We are committed to helping parents return to work and raise their children while catering to those who commute outside Aira or work on Sundays and holidays.
We will continue to provide a comfortable place for children, along with warm and loving care for each child. Moreover, as a base for community childcare support, we will continue to operate a facility where parents can leave their precious children with peace of mind and the local community can love them.
Aira Sakura Nursery School gets its name from a combination of two terms; “Aira” means Aira City, the nursery’s location, and “Sakura” means Cherry tree in Japanese. We use “Hiragana” to help children read easily. There are three types of characters in Japanese; “kanji,” “katakana,” and “hiragana.” “Kanji” are characters derived from China, and “Katakana” are used for foreign words. “Hiragana” is a gentle character that was considered to be used by women in ancient times besides being the first character that children learn.
In Japan, cherry blossoms bloom mainly in early April, around the start of the new school year; therefore, three cherry trees were planted along the schoolyard with symbolic significance from the opening of school in October to the blooming season.
The “Someiyoshino” is the most common cherry tree, but the one planted at Aira Sakura Nursery School is the “Oshima Sakura,” which produces beautiful white blossoms. We hope that Oshima Cherry Blossom will become a symbol of the nursery, marking its history besides the children’s progress.
The Aira Sakura Nursery School aims to be a facility rooted in the community and working collaboratively. We created a healthy nursery environment for children by planting diverse trees on spacious grounds and using various wooden materials around the building.
Therefore, we are working towards a sustainable society while incorporating sustainable development goals (SDGs) into our nursery school operations.
Aira Sakura Nursery School is a spacious nursery room and garden where children can spend time in a relaxed or energetic manner, valuing their individuality and learning through various experiences.
As a base for childcare support in the community, Aira Sakura Nursery School aims to operate a facility that is trusted and loved by everyone in the community while valuing relationships with people.
Aira Sakura Nursery School uses abundant trees around its buildings to help prevent global warming. Moreover, we have planted trees at the school’s entrance and in the backyard to create an environment for children to interact with nature.
| Name | Aira Sakura Nursery School |
|---|---|
| Address | 585-1 Wakimoto, Aira-shi, Kagoshima-ken 899-5651 |
| Tel | 0995-73-8858 |
| Fax | 0995-73-8878 |
| Age | 57 days old to 2 years old |
| Open | Monday–Sunday |
| Opening hours | 7am–8pm |
| Monthly childcare fee | Employee price: 25,000 yen General price: 28,000 yen |
| Childcare operator | Kosodatesien Niji Co.,Ltd. |
| Contact | 099-806-7117 (Office hours: 9:00–17:30 on weekdays) |
| Facility Owner | Shigetomi Shoji Co.,Ltd. |
