This aims to provide a core setting method and an apparatus in a flaskless top bottom part-shaping machine, which can make the entire equipment containing a part shaping machine and can bring a core highly precisely close to a bottom part. Core holding means (51) holding a core (70) and a first carriage (52) carrying the core holding means (51) are brought close by a second carriage (53) to a top flask (2), which is positioned in a mold releasing mechanism (12) and is being raised by the drive of a mold flask turning/moving mechanism (13). The core holding means (51) and the first carriage (52) are transferred to the rising top flask (2). Subsequently, the core holding means (51) and the first carriage (52) are lowered through the top flask (2) by the drive of the mold flask turning/moving mechanism (13), thereby to bring the core (70) close to or into contact with a bottom part. After this, the core (70) is released from the held state in the core holding means (51), and is set in the bottom part.