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Japan
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Hakuba International School was founded by Tomoko Kusamoto, who began in 2015 with summer programs that combined project-based learning and outdoor education. The school opened full-time boarding and day programs in August 2022. It operates as a not-for-profit organization governed by a Board under the Hakuba International School Foundation, with governance funded by tuition and donor contributions.
HIS serves about 60 students with 25 faculty and four interns, producing a 2:1 student-to-staff ratio and an average class size of 6.7. The dormitories are vibrant communities where students live, learn, and develop independence. Outdoor education is core to life at HIS, with mandatory camps and expeditions; Autumn Camp 2025 was the largest yet, including grade-level trips across Nagano and neighboring prefectures. Families stay informed through a biweekly newsletter and other updates published by HIS.
Hakuba International School is a not-for-profit school governed by a Board under the Hakuba International School Foundation. The founder Tomoko Kusamoto serves as Board Chair, and the leadership includes Co-Principals Lynne Kenney and Chris Balme. Public materials do not publish a formal Parent-Teacher Association; family engagement is described through admissions events and school communications. Families participate in admissions events to learn about HIS learning approaches and to visit the campus, and HIS provides regular newsletters to families. Donor engagement is described through Ways to Give, including Furusato Nozei, to support school operations.
Hakuba International School is a small international boarding and day school in Japan’s Hakuba Valley (Nagano Prefecture), near the site of the 1998 Winter Olympics. For 2025–26 it serves Grades 7–11, with plans to reach Grades 7–12 by 2026-27. English is the language of instruction and all students study Japanese at an appropriate level. The school describes a university-preparatory program built around its “Human Flourishing Curriculum,” and it uses project-based learning alongside social-emotional learning. A distinctive feature is its calendar structure: six-week project “bursts” separated by weeks that include outdoor expeditions. Boarding life is supported by two dormitories (girls’ and boys’) that together house almost 50 students.
