[TinyRedLeaf]

Found an enlightening resource on nurseries (hoikuen) in Japan, set up independently by a foreigner who has apparently lived there for some time.

• Day Care/Child Care for Working Parents (Sept 15, 2006)
  

  In Japan, most municipal governments run a public day-care system. In some places it has been notoriously inadequate at filling the need. Frankly, I think the lack of good day-care options is at least 30 per cent responsible for the decline in the birth rate.

• Hoikuen in Japan (Sept 8, 2007)
  

  What is a nursery?
  Nurseries are for children whose parents who cannot look after them during the day for various reasons. Children must be aged between 57 days old and preschool age (*presumably from seven years old).
  
  Flowchart for entry:
  (1) Apply: Entrance is available only on the first day of every month. You need to apply by the 10th day of the month. Entrance in April is on an exceptional basis, since application must be done by January.
  
  (2) Inquiry/Home Visit: An appointment is made and a city worker comes to your home to check the child's situation there.
  
  (3) Conference: After screening, if your child is eligible to enter one of the day nurseries, you will be notified.
  
  (4) Interview/Health Check.
  
  Quotes from parents
  "A nursery cannot accept children with fever over 37.5 deg C or in poor health. If you child gets high fever during nursing hours, you will be asked to pick him or her up as soon as possible." - Japanese mother
  
  "It is very hard to enter nurseries in Japan due to lack of vacancies but don't give up. Keep applying!" - Chinese mother
  
  Public temporary nurseries
  You can ask for temporary nurseries during daytime for any reason. Children must be healthy, be able to stay with other children, and be aged four months old to preschool age.
  
  Monday - Friday, 8am - 6pm, 500yen per hour
  
  Appointment is necessary and cancellation fees might be charged. Meal and snacks are available for extra charge.

• Life at Japanese Public Day Care (June 8, 2001)
  

  Applying for entry
  The Japanese day-care year runs on the same schedule as the school year, that is, from April 1 to March 31. As a rule, applications are accepted from about January and decisions are made by early or mid-March. There are circumstances in which applications are accepted mid-year. Public day-care systems are administered by local governments so the services differ from community to community.
  
  Day-care hours
  Japanese public day-care hours vary. In Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, the earliest time for children to arrive is 7.15am. All children are expected to be there by 9.30am. If your child arrives later, he or she may miss an outing called an osampo. All children are to be picked up by 6.15pm. However, there is an extended-care programme (enchoban) until 7pm which costs an additional 10 per cent of your assessed fee (which is weighted according to your income).
  
  Saturday care is also available and included in your monthly fee, but not all Saturdays are fully available. For example, twice-a-year fumigation takes place on Saturdays, so there is no child care on those days. Generally, Saturday care does not extend much past 5.30pm.
  
  Class organisation
  As in Japanese elementary school and kindergarten, each age group in the hoikuen has a name. At my hoikuen, the babies are in the "Dream" class (Yume, maximum number 10). The one and two year olds are in Tsukushi and Tampopo (Dandelion, maximum number about 16) classes. The three younger classes are on the second floor.
  
  On the ground floor are the Risu, Kuma and Mori (Squirrel, Bear and Forest) classes. The rooms for the older children are about half the size of the rooms for the younger children, and the maximum number of children per class is increased to about 18.
  
  Food and nap time
  Meals are prepared by the cooks and are basically very healthy with portions of vegetables, a meat (generally fish or chicken), often noodles or bread instead of rice, miso soup and milk. Parents supply only a lunch box on scheduled picnic days, which applies only to the oldest three classes.
  
  After lunch there is a diaper/clothes change and cleaning up, and then it is nap time. The caretakers are very patient and work hard to instil this habit in the kids. The younger kids are allowed to sleep until they wake up on their own (which can be as long as three hours!). The downstairs kids all sleep in the big common room where the futons are stored. They all awaken after about two hours and the room, which has ceiling fans and an air conditioner, is made available again for play.
  
  There is an after-nap snack served with a beverage — mugi-cha (barely tea) or milk — and in the hot months there is water or mugi-cha served at the entrance way for any kids who get thirsty while racing around outside.

The key thing to note: Rin's nursery, a 24-hour care centre, is either very rare in real life or, more possibly, fictional.