The guidelines · from page one
What these guidelines actually are
Day one, line one — what Japan’s national childcare guidelines really are, and what they are not.
The starting point
They are set by law
Japan’s national childcare guidelines are written into law. They define what childcare should contain and how it should run — the shared baseline that every licensed nursery in the country works from.
But here’s the key
A foundation, not a manual
They are not a strict, step-by-step manual. Each nursery adapts them to its own children, families and neighbourhood. The guidelines are the foundation; your team builds the house on top.
In real life
Same guidelines, different house
Two nurseries follow the exact same guidelines. One sits by the sea and takes daily beach walks; the other is in the city and uses the local park. Both are right — same foundation, different house.
A common misunderstanding
“Do I have to copy it word for word?”
“I have to copy every line of the guidelines exactly, or I’m doing it wrong.”
“I understand the principle behind each line, then bring it to life in a way that fits my nursery.”
Why this matters to you
It makes the job lighter
When I stopped reading the guidelines like a test to pass, the whole job felt lighter. I stopped fearing mistakes and started asking better questions — which is exactly what experienced teachers here do every day.
You don’t have to be perfect. You have to understand the why, and keep adapting it to the children in front of you.
Your turn
Don’t memorise these pages like a test. For everything that follows in this series, ask one question instead:
“How does my nursery bring this to life?”
Save this for the days you doubt yourself. You belong here.
About Bond Japan
NPO Bond Japan
Bond Japan connects international schools so they can learn from one another and deepen a shared understanding of early childhood education and care.