© Kitashirakawa

Kitashirakawa Kindergarten is a nature-rich preschool founded in 1950 in Kyoto, on Mount Kitashirakawa, one of the Higashiyama Thirty-Six Peaks. Also known as “Mountain Kindergarten,” it uses its hillside setting to help children build physical strength, resilience, curiosity, and care for others through everyday experiences outdoors and in the classroom.

A distinctive feature is the daily walk to and from kindergarten. Children meet at designated points and walk uphill with teachers, often holding hands with classmates; older children support younger ones along the way. The school balances structured learning and free play across indoor and outdoor activities, with attention to health, relationships, the environment, language, and expression. Children explore gardens, woods, and streams, play with natural materials, create projects, and take part in activities such as seasonal planting and imaginative shopping games. The kindergarten also offers admissions information, school visits, family events, and an after-school “Mountain School” for elementary-age children through adults, including small-group classes and language lessons.