Growing Up Japanese
Sending the Kid to Ikebata Nursery School
By Johnson Kong
When the time came for us to look at daycare options for the kid, a Japanese language environment for her social and cultural development was on the top of our lists. We felt that it was important for our child to have the experience of her Japanese identity as well as to build her language skills for communicating with family members. Currently, there are only two options in Toronto: Ikebata Nursery School, located in the same building as the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre at 6 Garamond Court (northeast of Don Mills and Eglinton), and the Japanese Academy of Cultural Exchange, or Hakobune, at 630 Spadina Avenue (southwest of Spadina and College). The only information that I have about Hakobune (416-599-2426) is that it takes children ages 2.5 to 6 years. A Japanese daycare may also be opening in Markham’s J-Town at Woodbine and Steeles. (more…)