What ナチュラルスマイルジャパン株式会社 does

ナチュラルスマイルジャパン株式会社 (Natural Smile Japan, Inc.), founded on April 28, 2010, is a private Tokyo-based operator of certified nurseries (認可保育所) and certified childcare/kindergarten hybrid facilities (認定こども園) operating under the brand names 'まちの保育園' (Machino Hoikuen) and 'まちのこども園' (Machino Kodomoen). The company runs six facilities across Tokyo wards (Nerima, Minato, Musashino, Shibuya) with a combined licensed capacity exceeding 498 children. Its service methodology is grounded in the Reggio Emilia Approach, deployed through proprietary practices including photographic/narrative Documentation, atelier (creative studio) environments, and dedicated Community Coordinator roles that embed each nursery into its surrounding neighborhood. The CEO is Ritsuki Matsumoto, a former Hakuhodo executive; external advisor Atsushi Takumi (Hakuhodo founder) provides institutional advisory support.

The company's core offering is full-time and part-time early childhood education and care for infants through pre-school age, supplemented by temporary/drop-in childcare, parenting salons, and community programming. Distribution is direct through each facility's tour-based enrollment process and Tokyo's municipal ward registration system (保活ワンストップ); no paid advertising is used, with growth driven by community-led word-of-mouth. Strategic alliances include a 2018 partnership with the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Education (Cedep) for research and professional development, JIREA's role as Japan's official Reggio Emilia network liaison (since 2017), and a co-development relationship with Hakuhodo. Sister company まちの研究所株式会社 (Machi no Kenkyusho) supports consulting, government engagement, and content publishing, including the quarterly community magazine 'Machino-ne.'

Revenue is generated primarily through Tokyo municipal childcare subsidies per certified child (a subscription-like, capacity-based government funding stream) supplemented by income-based parent co-payments and a smaller usage-based temporary childcare stream at Kotake and Yoyogi Uehara facilities. Temporary childcare pricing is publicly disclosed at ¥3,000 for a 2.5-hour half-day, ¥6,000 for a full day (4+ hours), plus meal/snack fees. The most recent facility, Minami-Aoyama, opened April 2024 with capacity for 52 children (expanding to 64), featuring atelier and digital exploration tools under the theme 'Learning Future from Age 0.' No revenue figures, funding rounds, or external investors are disclosed; the company remains privately held by its founder with a sister-company group structure.

Name

ナチュラルスマイルジャパン株式会社

Legal name

ナチュラルスマイルジャパン株式会社

Website

https://machihoiku.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ナチュラルスマイルジャパン株式会社 operates six certified nurseries and kodomoen in Tokyo under the 'Machino Hoikuen/Kodomoen' brands, applying the Reggio Emilia Approach with dedicated Community Coordinator roles that integrate each facility into its surrounding neighborhood. The company serves roughly 500 enrolled children across Nerima, Minato, Musashino, and Shibuya wards, funded primarily by Tokyo municipal childcare subsidies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education and Childcare Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (624410)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drop-In / Flexible Infant & Toddler Care (EDACAGAG), Nursery School Wraparound Care (Extended Hours) (EDACACAG)

Keywords

• Certified childcare services
• Early childhood education
• Reggio emilia approach
• Community-based nursery
• Temporary daycare programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Nerima-ku, Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Municipal Childcare Subsidies (認可保育園/認証保育園運営): Operating certified and authorized nurseries under Tokyo's municipal systems, receiving government per-child subsidies based on approved capacity and enrollment. Revenue is primarily government-funded through the childcare voucher system, supplemented by parent co-payments.
2. 認定こども園 (Certified Kodomoen) Fees: Two facilities (Yoyogi Uehara and Yoyogi Koen) operate as certified kodomoen (combining nursery and kindergarten functions), generating revenue through long-time, short-time, and mid-time usage fees from families.
3. 一時保育 (Temporary Childcare) Fees: Short-term drop-in childcare services at Kotake and Yoyogi Uehara locations, charged at hourly/daily rates to families on a per-use basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Natural Smile Japan operates a network of government-certified nurseries (認可保育園) and certified kodomoen (認定こども園) under the "Machi no Hoikuen" and "Machi no Kodomoen" brands, delivering Reggio Emilia Approach-based early childhood education and childcare across six Tokyo locations. The company supplements core nursery operations with temporary drop-in childcare, community engagement programs, atelier-based creative learning, and parenting support services. Revenue is generated primarily through municipal per-child subsidies and parent co-payments, plus usage-based fees for temporary childcare.

Product overview

ナチュラルスマイルジャパン株式会社 operates a network of childcare facilities under the brands 'まちの保育園' (certified nurseries) and 'まちのこども園' (certified childcare centers), with 6 locations across Tokyo. The organization provides early childhood education services built on the Reggio Emilia Approach philosophy, emphasizing community involvement and child-centered learning. Core offerings include full-time childcare programs, temporary childcare services, community engagement events, and educational publications including the 'まちのね' community magazine. The portfolio includes nurseries in Kotake, Roppongi, Kichijoji, and Minami-Aoyama, and childcare centers in Yoyogi Uehara and Yoyogi Koen. Additional services include Atelierista (artistic support), Community Coordinators, and The Children and Community Learning Center (CCLC) as specialized community spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• test

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Tokyo University Graduate School of Education ( Cedep / 東京大学大学院教育学研究科附属発達保育実践政策学センター)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2018Formal partnership agreement for childcare, education, and research exchange. Cedep collaborates on research projects, community coordinator professional development programs, joint seminars, and publication of educational materials. The company participates as a practice partner in Cedep's research initiatives and co-hosts the Community Coordinator public lecture series.
• Reggio Children / レッジョ・チルドレンcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Joined the international network organized by Reggio Children (Reggio Emilia, Italy) in September 2017. Serves as the Japanese liaison organization (JIREA) for the global network. Hosts exhibitions, symposiums, translation and publication of Reggio Emilia educational materials in Japan.
• JIREA (Japan Institute for Reggio Emilia Alliance / レッジョ・エミリア・アプローチ日本窓口)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe company operates JIREA as Japan's official window organization for the international Reggio Emilia Approach network. Publishes translated books, organizes exhibitions (including 'Border Crossings' international exhibition in Japan 2025), coordinates with other national alliance organizations globally.
• Hakuhodo / 株式会社博報堂coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner for community-based childcare education initiatives. Hakuhodo's University of Creativity (UoC) serves as venue for annual Community Coordinator public lectures. Hakuhodo representatives participate as keynote speakers and facilitators in company-organized events on community and childcare.
• Machi no Kenkyusho (まちの研究所株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company providing consulting services for childcare, education, and community design. Co-publishes the community journal 'Machino-ne'. Joint organizer of the 'Border Crossings' international Reggio Emilia exhibition and other public programs. Represents the broader group in government and corporate partnerships.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government's 'Sukuwaku' Program (とうきょうすくわくプログラム)minorOthersParticipating nursery in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's early childhood education quality enhancement program. Multiple facilities (Kichijoji, Roppongi, Minami-Aoyama, Kotake) submitted annual activity reports. The program supports inquiry-based learning activities aligned with each nursery's chosen themes.
• Shibuya Ward Childcare Support 'Co Shibuya' (渋谷区子育てネウボラ)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-shuoya operates Shibuya's municipal childcare support center, providing entry-point parenting support services for the ward. The company manages co-shuoya as part of its community childcare ecosystem, with staff attending joint training and community events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Apron Co., Ltd. Apron is a Japanese operator of certified nurseries and corporate-led childcare facilities with a footprint across Tokyo and other prefectures. It is a direct peer in the regulated certified-nursery category, focused on similar municipal-subsidy revenue streams.
• Global Kids Co., Ltd. Global Kids is a Tokyo-headquartered operator of certified nurseries and certified childcare centers with a strong presence in central Tokyo wards. It is a direct peer competing for similar families and municipal placement allocations in the same neighborhoods as NSJ.
• With Co., Ltd. With operates a national chain of certified nurseries and certified kodomoen (認定こども園) in Japan under multiple brands including 'With' and 'Oh! No!', including locations in Tokyo. It is a direct peer in the same regulated, municipal-subsidy-funded nursery market and similarly combines kindergarten and nursery functions in some facilities.
• Kids Academy Co., Ltd. (Kids Town): Kids Academy runs a network of certified nurseries and certified kodomoen under multiple brands in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It is comparable to NSJ in the certified-nursery category serving similar urban working-family segments.
• Hoppii Co., Ltd. (ホッピープランニング): Hoppii is a Tokyo-based operator of certified nurseries with a strong urban footprint and a stated emphasis on community-connected pedagogy. It is one of the closest comparable peers to NSJ in terms of Tokyo-centric, community-oriented nursery operations.
• Poppins Holdings (Pops Family Corporation): Poppins is one of Japan's largest nursery school operators, running hundreds of certified nurseries (認可保育園) and in-house certified childcare centers across Tokyo and other prefectures. It is the most directly comparable large-scale competitor to NSJ in the certified Japanese nursery market, though at vastly greater scale and with a more corporate operating model.
• Asahi Childcare Co., Ltd. (朝日チャイルドケア): Asahi Childcare operates certified nurseries and childcare facilities primarily in Tokyo and major Japanese cities, including nursery schools and after-school programs. Comparable to NSJ as a competing certified-nursery operator targeting working families in Tokyo.

Regional players

• Reggio Children S.r.l. Reggio Children is the Italian organization stewarding the Reggio Emilia Approach internationally, of which NSJ (via JIREA) is the Japanese liaison. It is a peer only in the sense of sharing the same educational philosophy; it does not operate Japanese nurseries but represents the international reference point for NSJ's differentiated methodology.

Others

• Co Shibuya (Shibuya Ward Childcare Support Center): Co Shibuya is a Shibuya-ward-managed childcare support center that NSJ actually operates on behalf of the ward. It is an adjacent/governmental entity rather than a commercial peer, but is relevant because it embeds NSJ in the public childcare ecosystem in Shibuya.

Broad incumbents

• Benesse Mirai no Shiawase Co., Ltd. Benesse's childcare arm operates certified nurseries, after-school programs, and educational services across Japan, leveraging the parent Benesse Group's broader K-12 and educational publishing business. It is a broad incumbent overlapping with NSJ's educational nursery segment but with a much wider portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/machihoiku
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/%E3%83%8A%E3%83%81%E3%83%A5%E3%83%A9%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B9%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E6%A0%AA%E5%BC%8F%E4%BC%9A%E7%A4%BE

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ナチュラルスマイルジャパン株式会社