Mission and Vision

Nihonmachi Little Friends (NLF) is a private, nonprofit childcare center with a mission to provide Japanese/English bilingual, educational childcare in a multicultural context for preschool through elementary school-aged children from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.  

The first five years of a child’s life should be filled with a sense of security, joy, and magic. At Nihonmachi Little Friends, we look beyond “preparation for school” and see what we do as offering many opportunities for children to prepare for life!  Our educational philosophy has evolved and changed, but at the core we have always understood our responsibility as educators:  we want our children to grow up to be lifelong learners, community oriented, and caring individuals.  

Our History

NLF was founded in 1975 by a group of parents and community activists who were committed to the idea of offering culturally sensitive childcare for young children in San Francisco’s Japanese community. NLF also recognized the importance of the early years in a child’s growth and development, in particular, the critical period for brain development during the first five years of life.  After much research and planning, the organization began with a single preschool serving 15 children.  

Mission and Vision

Our History

Major Projects

Dreams Interrupted