Doronko Hoikuen, a unique network of nursery schools in various cities all over the country, offers a distinctive approach to early childhood education centered on nature, autonomy, and holistic development. Established in 1998, the Doronko Kai Social Welfare Corporation has grown significantly, with over 190 kindergartens and nursery schools across Japan. It is a nonprofit body that also manages facilities for children with disabilities and family support services. It is widely recognized as a pioneer of inclusive early childhood education in Japan. Its integrated model combines licensed nursery care (for children aged 0–5) with child development support services under one roof. Staff from both services work collaboratively, and children — regardless of developmental differences — learn, play, and grow together in a shared environment.
The name “Doronko” translates to “mud play,” reflecting the organization’s commitment to experiential learning and the importance of outdoor exploration in child development.
EdDesign Mag had a chance to visit one of the newest Doronko facilities that opened in April 2024. Higashiyamato Nursery School is the first multi-purpose facility located in Tokyo that takes care of 80 children from 1 to 6 years old. It unites in one building a Child Development Support Center and a Nursery School with no walls or restrictions that would separate one project from another: Support Center encourages local parents to become one friendly community, to bring their children to play in the center and they even have an access to the nursery’s inner yard.
Higashiyamato Nursery School widely promotes inclusion: children, with and without disabilities, play and live together in an inclusive setting, both nursery staff and developmental support specialists work together to provide integrated care and support.
Until 2022, Japanese regulations required nursery schools (ninka hoikuen) and child development support programs (jidō hattatsu shien jigyō) to be operated entirely separately. Staff, children, and operations were mandated to remain divided. Doronko Kai, however, had been implementing integrated, inclusive practices — bringing children with and without disabilities together with shared professional teams. This forward-thinking approach contributed to national dialogue and became a key influence in policy reform.
Since 2022, regulations have been revised, and integrated operation is now permitted. One of the representative examples of this new model is Higashiyamato Doronko Nursery School.
During the visit EdDesign Mag got a chance to meet the Co-Founder and CEO of the Doronko Group Mrs Aika Yasunaga and to ask her several meaningful questions.
In the 90s, Aika Yasunaga was working in a completely different field. But when she began taking her child to kindergarten, she realized that the traditional Japanese approach to early childhood education — strict and highly regulated — did not resonate with her. The entire day at the kindergarten followed a rigid schedule and strict rules; children did everything according to instructions, and there was no room for creativity, spontaneity, or free choice.
Doronko’s educational philosophy
Doronko’s educational concept rejects standardized instruction and rote learning in favor of free play, practical life skills, and sensory experience. A central concept is asobi (play), seen not as separate from learning, but as the vehicle for it. Children engage daily in outdoor play — regardless of weather — gardening, animal care, cooking, mud play, and seasonal rituals that reflect traditional Japanese culture. Teachers observe rather than direct, supporting children in resolving conflicts, making decisions, and taking initiative.
“There is no fixed timetable for academic activities, says Aika Yasunaga; instead, the rhythm is child-led, allowing natural curiosity and social interaction to shape the flow. Meals are prepared on-site using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, often involving the children in harvesting and cooking. This cultivates food awareness, gratitude, and community values.
In the morning children do gymnastics, take care of the animals, harvest and clean the space: they wash the floors in a traditional Japanese way. From 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the children go for walks outside the kindergarten. The younger ones stay nearby, gradually increasing the distance over time. Older children can walk up to 10 kilometers. They visit parks and libraries, discuss and explore what they see along the way. We also organize visits to elementary schools so they can see where they will study next. Once a week, we hold short classes to prepare them for school, but there is no requirement to be proficient in reading or writing upon admission — teaching those skills is the responsibility of the school.
After that comes lunch — in warm weather, it is always served on the terrace. We want to strengthen the children’s health. After a long walk, they eat with great appetite”.
Architecture and Design
The architectural design of Doronko schools is as intentional as the pedagogy. Campuses are often built with natural wood, open interiors, and no sharp boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces. Design includes a traditional engawa — a wooden corridor that serves not only as a transition space but also as an active learning area for meals, cleaning, and interaction.
The design promotes visibility, collaboration, and a sense of freedom. Classrooms open directly to play yards, and movable walls and platforms encourage flexible, communal usage. Some schools include small farms, earth floors, or water features to stimulate sensory exploration.
The two-story kindergarten building has a very restrained and minimalist design: there is plenty of wood, a sense of openness, and natural, earthy colors. The true protagonists of the space are the children themselves.
The large inner courtyard may look unusual: there are no swings, no slides, no traditional playground equipment that dictates how children should play. Instead, there is a water well, grass, stones, sand, soil, and even a rice field. An interesting fact is that the Doronko Group is self-sufficient in rice that it provides for nursery school lunches. Doronko Group established the Minamiuonuma Production Association Co., Ltd. to handle everything from rice planting to harvesting, milling and shipping.
"We have an enclosure and a little house for goats and chickens - tells Aika Yasunaga- Sometimes people ask us how we explain the death of animals to children. It’s simple: we don’t hide it from them. It’s important for us to show the cycle of life, to explain that there is life and there is death. We tell the little ones that when an animal dies, it can no longer walk, play, or eat, and that we can bury it together and hold a small farewell ceremony. Or we explain that after death, a chicken or a fish becomes food for us”
The main attraction in the yard is a large grassy hill. Children run up it with excitement and then joyfully tumble or slide down on cardboard pieces.
“Various studies have shown that changes in terrain are very important for the development of the vestibular system, and that strong and healthy bodies need to engage the feet. That’s why our children run barefoot in the yard."
In contrast to Japan’s typically structured early education system, Doronko Hoikuen offers a progressive, child-first model grounded in environmental awareness, social-emotional development, and respect for individual potential being also at the forefront of implementing inclusive childcare in Japan and changing a policy at the governmental level.
July 2025
