By late August, most major Tokyo international schools have entered the new academic year. This page keeps 19 major schools, from kindergarten through high school, in one on-page list with school name, levels, area, first filter and official school site. Families now need more than a first-day note: September and October visits, October breaks, 2027–28 applications, commute fit and curriculum fit all matter.
Main Schools
| School | Levels | Area | First filter | School site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American School in Japan (ASIJ) | K–12 | Chofu; Roppongi ELC | American pathway, large campus, AP and activities | School site |
| Aoba Japan International School | K–12 | Meguro, Hikarigaoka, Bunkyo, online | IB PYP/MYP/DP; campus fit matters | School site |
| The British School in Tokyo (BST) | K–12 | Azabudai; Showa campus | British pathway; check senior pathways | School site |
| K. International School Tokyo (KIST) | K–12 | Shirakawa, Koto | IB PYP/MYP/DP; mid-August start | School site |
| Nishimachi International School | K–Grade 9 | Moto-Azabu, Minato | English plus daily Japanese; plan after G9 | School site |
| Tokyo International School (TIS) | K–12 | Takanawa Gateway | IB pathway; new campus and high-school expansion | School site |
| Seisen International School | K–12 | Yoga, Setagaya | Co-ed kindergarten, girls G1–12, IB | School site |
| St. Mary's International School | K–12 | Seta, Setagaya | Boys' school, IBDP, September-start year | School site |
| International School of the Sacred Heart | K–12 | Hiroo, Shibuya | Girls' school, AP pathway, Hiroo commute | School site |
| Canadian International School Tokyo | K–12 | Kita-Shinagawa, Osaki, Nakameguro | Canadian PEI pathway; PYP/AP reference point | School site |
| Christian Academy in Japan (CAJ) | K–12 | Higashikurume | Christian school, AP, suburban campus | School site |
| India International School in Japan (IISJ) | K–12 | Sengoku, Koto | CBSE pathway, science/math/IT emphasis | School site |
| Laurus International School of Science | K–12 | Shiba, Shirokanedai, Aoyama, Bunkyo and more | STEM and Cambridge pathway; many campuses | School site |
| Lycée Français International de Tokyo | K–12 | Takinogawa, Kita | French national curriculum pathway | School site |
| Shinagawa International School | K–12 | Minami-Shinagawa, Higashi-Shinagawa, Samezu | IB PYP/MYP/DP, Shinagawa commute | School site |
| Tokyo International Progressive School (TIPS) | Grade 4–12 | Kamada, Setagaya | Small classes; learning-difference support | School site |
| Tokyo West International School | K–12 | Hachioji | West Tokyo suburban option, PYP plus original pathways | School site |
| Waseda International Christian School-Tokyo | K–12 | Okubo, Shinjuku | Christian school, small central Tokyo option | School site |
| Yoyogi International School | K–12 | Jinnan and Yoyogi, Shibuya | IB PYP-influenced, small central-city school | School site |
Start with a wider shortlist: central, suburban, IB, British and single-sex options
The list above keeps Tokyo's main international schools on this page at the level families need for a first pass. Instead of opening every school site first, narrow to three to five schools by commute, grade continuity, co-ed or single-sex fit, and IB, British, American, French or Indian pathways.
KIST | Festival on 24 October, then an eight-day break
The school year began on 17 August. The next major date is KIST Festival on 24 October, followed by autumn vacation from 25 October to 1 November. Winter vacation runs 19 December to 11 January, with classes back on 12 January. Do not treat festival day as a travel day when planning late October.
Official informationBST | Half term runs 12–16 October
BST begins Term 1 for the whole school on 24 August. Half term is 12–16 October; Term 1 ends at midday on 11 December, and Term 2 begins 5 January. BST does not close for every Japanese public holiday: its calendar specifies only 23 November and 3 May as observed public-holiday closures in 2026–27.
Official informationASIJ | Fall Break is 12–13 October
ASIJ starts on 25 August. Fall Break is only 12–13 October; 9 November is a no-class professional-learning day, and Thanksgiving Break is 26–27 November. Winter Break is 12 December to 3 January, with school resuming 4 January. For autumn travel, view these separate closures together rather than looking only at Fall Break.
Official informationAoba | Compare Hikarigaoka, Bunkyo and Meguro as a campus network
Aoba is an IB Continuum K–G12 school with multiple Tokyo campuses including Hikarigaoka, Bunkyo and Meguro. Its site links to 2026–2027 School Calendar & Key Dates and directs current families to Toddle and Veracross for live event updates. Its application page notes August 2026 entry, English family communication and a 1 September age cut-off for placement. Families in Nerima, Bunkyo or west-central Tokyo should confirm the relevant campus and actual commute before comparing dates.
Official informationNishimachi | Open Campus 12 September; applications follow
School began on 26 August, and Open Campus for prospective families is 12 September. Kindergarten applications for 2027–28 open 1 September, with early screening due by 31 October; Grades 1–9 applications open 1 November. Fall Break is 19–23 October, and 21 September is a student holiday for professional learning.
Official informationSeisen | Staggered return from 26 August; KG on 1 September
Seisen does not use one whole-school first day. The visible calendar shows a staggered return from 26 August for G1 and middle/high school, 27–28 August for G1–G12, and 1 September for KG. Early September also includes a new-family social and MAP testing. Do not rely on a single school-wide start date; check the child's grade, orientation, tests and parent events together.
Official informationSt. Mary's and Sacred Heart | Use autumn visits to test single-sex fit
St. Mary's in Setagaya is a boys' school from kindergarten through high school, with a September–August school year, IB Diploma, WASC/CIS accreditation and bus service. International School of the Sacred Heart in Hiroo is a girls' school from kindergarten through high school, with an August–July year and an AP-oriented curriculum. Treat both as fit questions rather than prestige labels: personality, commute, values, university pathway and extracurricular density matter during the visit.
Official informationA 2026 change: Tokyo International School moves to Takanawa
Tokyo's official international-schools portal says TIS moves to TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY in August 2026 and expands through Grade 12 as a K–12 school; its school year runs August–July. Families should confirm not only the first day but also the new commute, bus, drop-off entrance and after-school locations in the latest school communication.
Official informationWhen can families travel this autumn?
Add the grade-specific first day, new-family orientation, early dismissals, professional-learning closures, autumn and winter breaks, holidays not shared with siblings' schools, and the return-to-Tokyo date. Avoid arriving the night before classes; leave two or three days after major time-zone travel. Check bus term bookings and deadlines separately.
Classes