Nursery school in Yamaguchi for April 2027: how to apply, fees and lists for Shimonoseki and Yamaguchi City

This page is general information from official city and government pages. It is not legal or financial advice, and it cannot tell you whether your child will get a place. Places and fees are decided by the city where you live. For your own case, ask that city’s nursery section listed below.

If both parents work, study or cannot look after a young child during the day for another reason, you can apply for a place at a licensed nursery school (保育所, hoikusho) or a nursery-type certified center for early childhood (認定こども園, nintei kodomoen). In Japan you apply to the city where your resident record (住民票, juminhyo) is, not only to the nursery. This guide covers April 2027 entry in five cities of Yamaguchi Prefecture: Shimonoseki, Ube, Yamaguchi City, Iwakuni and Shunan. It also explains how to find a nursery in Shimonoseki City and Yamaguchi City, and what nursery care costs.

In short

The first rounds for April 2027 start at different times: Shimonoseki City from October 1, Ube City from October 19, Yamaguchi City from November 16 and Iwakuni City from December 1, 2026.
Of the dates already posted, the earliest deadline is Shimonoseki City’s: Monday, November 2, 2026.
Places are not first come, first served. The city ranks families by how much they need care and offers places in that order.
Care for children aged 3 to 5 is free. For children under 3, the second child and later is free in all five cities.
The city pages are in Japanese. A free consultation center in Yamaguchi City takes questions about child care in English and other languages (section 7).

Checked with official pages on October 12, 2026.

City	First round	Hand in at	Later rounds
Shimonoseki	Oct 1 – Nov 2, 2026	Your first-choice nursery	Jan 12–29, 2027
Yamaguchi City	Nov 16 – Dec 25, 2026	City counters (not by post)	Not yet posted
Ube	Oct 19 – Nov 6, 2026	Counter, post or online	To Jan 29 and Feb 26, 2027
Iwakuni	Dec 1–23, 2026	City counters, public nurseries	Jan 4 – Feb 10, 2027
Shunan	Not yet posted	Counter or post	Not yet posted

1. How does it work?

Official rule (Japan)

Licensed nurseries are for children whose parents cannot care for them at home, because of work, pregnancy, illness, caring for a family member, study or job hunting. The city first checks that your child needs care. It then gives a certificate type: type 2 for children aged 3 and over who need care, and type 3 for children under 3 who need care. Type 1 is for education only, like a kindergarten.

Each parent needs a paper that shows the reason, such as an employment certificate (就労証明書, shuro shomeisho) filled in by the employer. The cities set a minimum amount of work: 52 hours a month in Shimonoseki City and Ube City, 60 hours in Shunan City and 64 hours in Iwakuni City.

The date you apply does not affect your chances; the city ranks every application received by the deadline. Shimonoseki City and Yamaguchi City both say places are not first come, first served. Children are placed by school-year class, which runs from April 2 to April 1 of the next year.

Note

Kindergartens and the kindergarten part of certified centers have a separate process. You usually apply at each kindergarten. This guide is about nursery care.

2. Shimonoseki City: apply by November 2

Shimonoseki City

Shimonoseki City’s regular round runs from Thursday, October 1 to Monday, November 2, 2026. An additional round runs from Tuesday, January 12 to Friday, January 29, 2027.

Visit the nurseries you want. The city suggests you visit first, because places are not given in order of application.
Get the forms. Forms are at nurseries and certified centers, at the Early Childhood Care Division (幼児保育課) in the city office, and at the Kikugawa, Toyota, Toyoura and Hohoku branch offices. The city says the other branch offices do not have them. Some extra forms can be downloaded from the city’s page.
Hand in the full set at your first-choice nursery. Do this within the round’s dates.
Wait for the result. For the regular round, families who get a place receive a letter in early January 2027. Families who do not get a place hear by phone or letter by the end of December 2026, and stay in the selection for the additional round.

If you are returning from childcare leave, the city later asks for a paper that shows you went back to work. It says your child may have to leave at the end of April if your return to work cannot be confirmed.

Questions: Early Childhood Care Division (幼児保育課), 083-231-1929. The city’s page does not say whether the desk can help in English.

How do I find a nursery in Shimonoseki City?

The city’s list for the 2027 school year, checked in July 2026, has 66 places that take children who need care: 32 certified centers, 31 nursery schools and 3 small nurseries for children under 3. They are grouped into 11 districts, such as Honcho, Hikoshima and Chofu. Three certified centers in the list (Izumi, Baiko Gakuin and Icho kindergartens) take types 1 and 2 only, so they do not take children under 3.

The list is a Japanese PDF with each nursery’s name, district, certificate types and phone number. Vacancies change every month, so ask the Early Childhood Care Division or the nursery directly. Our Japanese page lists all 66 by district: Shimonoseki nursery list (Japanese).

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3. Yamaguchi City: apply from November 16

Yamaguchi City

Yamaguchi City’s first round runs from Monday, November 16 to Friday, December 25, 2026. Counter hours are 8:30 to 17:15 on weekdays, and 9:00 to 16:30 from Tuesday, December 1.

Get the forms from November 16. They are handed out at the Childcare and Kindergarten Division (保育幼稚園課, counter 23 on the 2nd floor of the Yamaguchi General Branch Office) and at the general service sections of each branch office. The community centers do not have them. From November 16 you can also download them from the city’s website.
Bring them to a counter. The city does not accept applications by post, because staff need to ask about your family and check My Number. If you live outside Yamaguchi Prefecture, ask the division about posting.
Use recent papers. Certificates and statements must be issued within one month before you hand them in.

Important

If you are still looking for work, you cannot apply in the first round in Yamaguchi City; applications for job hunting open on Monday, March 1, 2027. If you already have a job offer for April or later and can submit a planned-employment certificate, you can apply in the first round.

If you are moving into Yamaguchi City by April 1, 2027, apply to Yamaguchi City. The city’s Q&A says your new address must be fixed, and asks for a moving-in statement and a copy of your rental contract or similar paper. You cannot apply before your baby is born. If you are on childcare leave, you must return to work by the 15th of the month after the start month, for example by May 15 for an April 1 start.

Questions: Childcare and Kindergarten Division (保育幼稚園課), 083-934-2798. The city’s page does not say whether the desk can help in English.

How do I find a nursery in Yamaguchi City?

The city’s list, updated April 1, 2026, shows licensed nurseries, certified centers and small nurseries in seven areas: Ato, Tokuji, the northeast, the center, Ogori, Kawahigashi and Kawanishi. Not counting three nurseries that are closed for now, there are 57: 16 public and 41 private. The central area has the most, with 22.

The city posts a vacancy list as a PDF and updates it during the year. It says that even if a nursery shows no vacancies, the situation can change during selection, so write every nursery you want on the form. Our Japanese page compares the 57 nurseries by area, ages taken and extended hours: Yamaguchi City nursery list (Japanese).

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4. Ube, Iwakuni and Shunan

Ube City, Iwakuni City, Shunan City

Ube City: The first round runs from Monday, October 19 to Friday, November 6, 2026. You can hand in papers at the Childcare and Kindergarten Division (counter 11, 1st floor of the city office), send them by post, or apply online through Mynaportal (マイナポータル) with a My Number Card. You can book a time at the counter online. Job hunting is not accepted as a reason in the first round, except for single-parent families. Questions: 0836-34-8327.

Iwakuni City: The first round runs from Tuesday, December 1 to Wednesday, December 23, 2026, and the second from Monday, January 4 to Wednesday, February 10, 2027. Hand in papers at the Childcare and Kindergarten Division, a branch office, or a public nursery or certified center. Iwakuni City says that, as a rule, you cannot hand in your application at a private nursery. For April 2027, the employment certificate must be dated September 1, 2026 or later. Questions: 0827-29-5077.

Shunan City: On October 12, 2026, the city’s page still showed the dates for April 2026. That year, the first round was November 20 to December 12, 2025, and papers could be handed in at a counter or sent by post (they had to arrive by the deadline). Check the city’s page again for the 2027 dates. Questions: Children’s Childcare Division (こども保育課), 0834-22-8455.

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5. How much does it cost?

Official rule (Japan)

According to the Children and Families Agency, nursery care is free for all children aged 3 to 5. It starts from the April 1 after the child turns 3. For children under 3, care is free for households that do not pay resident tax (住民税, juminzei). Costs such as meals, transport to the nursery and events are not covered, so parents pay them.

Yamaguchi Prefecture

Since September 2024, Yamaguchi Prefecture and its cities have made nursery care free for the second child and later under age 3, with no income limit. The children do not need to attend at the same time. You count from the oldest child who lives on the same household budget. At a licensed nursery, you usually do not need to apply for this.

Each city

For a first child under 3, the fee depends on the parents’ city resident tax and is set by each city’s fee table. Yamaguchi City recalculates fees every September, when the tax year changes. Shimonoseki City has made school meals free for children in the 3-to-5 classes since April 2026, for children who live in the city (up to a monthly limit). In the other cities, parents of children aged 3 to 5 usually pay for meals, but households earning under about ¥3.6 million a year and third children of any family do not pay for side dishes (副食費, fukushokuhi).

Tip

The fee for children under 3 uses your Japanese tax records. Shunan City says it may ask for an income and tax certificate (所得課税証明書) if you moved in from outside the city. If you arrived recently, ask the nursery section how your fee will be set.

Fee details for each city are in our Japanese page Nursery fees in five Yamaguchi cities (Japanese).

6. What do I need before I apply?

All five cities

Register your address at the city office. See Moving to Yamaguchi with Children: First 14 Days in 5 Cities.
Ask each parent’s employer to fill in an employment certificate in your city’s form.
Have the My Number of everyone in the household ready. Yamaguchi City asks for it at the counter, with ID for the person who comes.
Choose several nurseries and visit them if you can.

7. Can I get help in English?

Yamaguchi Prefecture

None of the five cities’ nursery pages say that their desks can help in English. The Yamaguchi Multilingual Consultation Center, run by the Yamaguchi International Exchange Association, says it takes questions about procedures, child care and education. Its consultants speak English, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and simple Japanese, and it uses a call center for more than 20 other languages. Consultation is free.

It is on the 2nd floor of the Yamaguchi Prefectural Government Miyano Office, 3-2-1 Sakurabatake, Yamaguchi City, a 5-minute walk from JR Miyano Station. It is open Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30 to 17:15, and closed on holidays and from December 29 to January 3. Google Maps. Phone: 083-995-2100.

Common questions

Can I apply before my baby is born?

Not in Yamaguchi City. Its Q&A says you can apply only after the birth.

We are moving from another prefecture. Where do we apply?

Yamaguchi City says to apply to Yamaguchi City if you move in by April 1, 2027 and your new address is fixed. Iwakuni City accepts an application in the same period only if your resident record will be in Iwakuni on the 1st of the month your child starts. Shunan City asks for a moving-in statement when your new address is fixed.

Can I apply while I am on childcare leave?

Yes. In Yamaguchi City you must be back at work by the 15th of the month after your child starts. In Iwakuni City, you can apply for a start in the month before the month you return to work.

What if we do not get a place in the first round?

In Shimonoseki City, families who do not get a place stay in the selection for the additional round. In the other cities, there are later rounds too. Yamaguchi City says some nurseries fill up in the first or second round.

Next steps

Sources (checked October 12, 2026)

9 pages we checked

1. How does it work?

2. Shimonoseki City: apply by November 2

How do I find a nursery in Shimonoseki City?

3. Yamaguchi City: apply from November 16

How do I find a nursery in Yamaguchi City?

4. Ube, Iwakuni and Shunan

5. How much does it cost?

6. What do I need before I apply?

7. Can I get help in English?

Common questions

Sources (checked October 12, 2026)

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