doris
doris
Find Schools
Events
Saved schools
My account
Parent Guide Parent testimonials Community Transparency Charter About For Schools
Currency
Y

YES International School - Yokohama

Japan, Yokohama

Save
Share
Navigate

· Reviewed by · B2C Marketing Manager

Independently researched by doris.
Profile checked by the school
The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Japanese
Fees ¥1,412,400 - 1,588,950
Ages 5 - 15 years
Pupil numbers 50
Type Co-educational
Opened 2016
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary)
Taught languages English, Japanese
Typical class size 10
Strengths Languages, STEM, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Social and Hobbies
Stages Preschool, Elementary, Middle School
Introduction

YES International School is a Cambridge International School for Grades 1 to 9, an 8-minute walk from Yokohama Station. Children learn trilingually, in English, Japanese and Programming, following Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary (English, Maths, Science and Global Perspectives) alongside Japanese. Classes have fewer than 10 students and lessons are grouped by level, so every child gets close attention. Families new to Japan are supported by JSL (Japanese as a second language) classes. Children don't need to speak English to join: ESL is included in tuition, and around 30% of our students start with little or no English. Led by Principal Kaoru Takeuchi, a science writer with a Ph.D. in physics from McGill University, YES has been preparing children for life in the age of AI since 2016. Rolling admission throughout the year, with a free one-day trial for Age 5 to Grade 9.

〒220-0023 Kanagawa, Yokohama, Nishi Ward, Hiranuma 1 Chome−33−1, Nisshin‑Yokohama Building 3F & 4F

The Essentials

YES International School - Yokohama has 50 pupils, typical class sizes of 10, instruction in English, Japanese.

Location
Located in Yokohama, in Nishi-ku, near Yokohama Station. The school is on the 3rd and 4th floors of the Nisshin Yokohama Building, 1-33-1 Hiranuma, Yokohama 220-0023. It is an eight-minute walk from Yokohama Station, with convenient access to Kawasaki, Musashi-Kosugi, Shibuya and central Tokyo.

Stages
1–9 grades (elementary to junior high); Pre-School is available on request.

Type
International school; bilingual English–Japanese instruction with programming; Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary curricula.

Pupil Nationality Mix
Approximately 80% of students are Japanese nationals; international students comprise the remaining ~20%.

Additional learning support
ESL for English learners and JSL for Japanese learners; small classes with differentiated instruction; English and Japanese language support integrated into the curriculum.

Country affiliation
Japan
Diving Deeper

Governance and Ownership
The school is a private free school run by YES International Inc. The finances consist of tuition fees, donations, and seasonal school earnings, and the management company has an auditor; Nobuo Kawakami is the major donor, and shareholders include Kenichiro Mogi, Hiroko Sumita, Kazuhiko Toyama, Haruya Fujino, Takashi Tokunaga, Hiromi Ibukuro, and Masashi Fujii. Kaoru Takeuchi is the Principal; Naveen Bukhari is Vice Principal and Head of English Department; Yuji Nakajima is Vice Principal; a legal advisory contract is with Mahoroba Law Office.
Fees

Annual tuition at YES International School - Yokohama ranges from JPY 1,412,400 to JPY 1,588,950 for 2026/27.

Application & Entrance Examination Fee

- Entrance / examination fee: JPY 52,800 (total for the examination period).

Enrollment (Admission) Fee

- Enrollment (one-time) fee: JPY 411,950. Payment required as a lump sum within one week after notification of acceptance.

Annual Facility & Equipment Costs

- Annual facility & equipment fee: JPY 411,950. This fee may be paid as a lump sum, divided into three instalments, or split into monthly payments.

Annual Tuition Fees (by year group)

- Pre-school (G1P / year before Grade 1): JPY 1,412,400 per year.
- Grades 1–9 (Elementary through Junior High): JPY 1,588,950 per year.

Per-term presentation (three-term billing basis)

- The school operates on a three-term academic year; the facility fee may be billed in three periods and academic grades are reported each term. Using the three-term billing basis, the tuition per term is:
- Pre-school (G1P): JPY 470,800 per term (JPY 1,412,400 ÷ 3).
- Grades 1–9: JPY 529,650 per term (JPY 1,588,950 ÷ 3).

Teaching Material Fees

- Monthly teaching-material fee: JPY 11,770 per month.
- Annual total if paid for 12 months: JPY 141,240 (11,770 × 12). Consumption tax applies separately to teaching-material fees.

Other Costs and Ancillary Fees

- Optional / additional fees: school lunch, after-school programme fees, pick-up/transport services (paid separately). School lunch via contracted catering is available (typical single-meal cost indicated around JPY 500–600 in school communications). Field trips, camps, external exam fees and special programme charges are billed as they occur. Examination-related fees are posted to the family account in the month after the test. Consumption tax is charged separately on tuition, facility/equipment fees, and teaching-material fees.

Billing schedule & payment terms

- Enrollment fee: lump-sum payment required within one week after acceptance.
- Facility & equipment fee: may be paid as a lump sum, divided into three instalments (three periods), or split into monthly payments.
- Installment payments: a split/administration fee is charged when paying by instalments. Bank-transfer fees are payable by the payer. Consumption tax is added where applicable. Examination fees are billed for the examination period and notified within one week of results.

Boarding fees

- Boarding: Not applicable. No boarding provision or dormitory fees are listed in the school's published tuition, admissions, or policies materials for the Yokohama campus; the school operates as a day programme.

Refunds and withdrawal / cancellation

- No explicit, published refund, withdrawal, or fee-cancellation policy for enrollment, tuition, facility or teaching-material fees was located in the school's publicly posted tuition, admissions, FAQ or school policies pages. Where a specific refund or cancellation rule is required for a database entry, the school's office should be contacted for the official refund/withdrawal terms.

Fee payment options

- Bank transfer is used for school fee payments; bank-transfer fees are the responsibility of the payer. Installment and split-payment options are offered for facility/equipment fees and other charges, with a split fee for instalments. Consumption tax is applied separately to tuition, facility and teaching-material fees. Specific methods for paying the entrance/examination fee at application are not detailed in the public tuition pages; families should follow the school's invoicing instructions when they receive an offer.
Academics

YES International School - Yokohama teaches Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary) for students aged 5 to 15.

Curriculum
The school has a trilingual curriculum: English, Japanese & Coding.

Higher Education Progression
Graduates have continued to a range of Japanese junior high and high schools and international programs, including Hiroo Gakuen Koishikawa JHS (AG Course, all-English), Morimura Gakuen Junior and Senior High School, International College of Technology (all-English), Oozora High School, N High School (online), Orange County School of the Arts, Visual Arts Conservatory (USA), King George Secondary School (Canada), Clayburn Middle School (Canada), with some completing study-abroad programs such as Otago Polytechnic in New Zealand.

Gifted and Talented
YES has gifted education provisions, with ability-grouping for some classes; math-talented students may study above grade level, and the school also serves students with learning disabilities.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school emphasizes social-emotional learning through the Three Cs: Consideration, Critical Thinking and Creativity. Consideration fosters empathy; the school develops sympathy and empathy so students care about others and consider situations they have not faced. Critical Thinking is central to the curriculum, encouraging independent thinking and learning from mistakes. Creativity is promoted across subjects through project-based learning and creative approaches to core subjects.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school serves gifted students and students with learning disabilities, with classes grouped by ability and one-on-one instruction when needed.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school uses CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) for English Language Arts to integrate language instruction with content from other subjects. TOEFL Step 1, Step 2, and Junior tests are administered twice a year to measure English ability and place students in level-appropriate classes. The curriculum is delivered in English. The school accepts international students with JSL (Japanese as a second language) support.

Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellbeing is supported through social-emotional learning and a caring school culture; empathy and consideration are fostered to support students' emotional development and resilience.

Safeguarding
The school provides pick up and drop off services to ensure the safety of students.
Parent Experience

History
YES International School is a private free school run by YES International Inc., in the spirit of the Equal Educational Opportunity Law. It provides education that respects individual differences rather than uniformity. Kaoru Takeuchi opened YES International School in 2016 with the goal of education to survive in the age of Artificial Intelligence, and regards Japanese, English, and programming as three languages, providing trilingual education. The school's finances consist of tuition fees, donations, and seasonal school earnings, and the management company has an auditor, Haruya Fujino. Nobuo Kawakami is the major donor, and shareholders include Kenichiro Mogi, Hiroko Sumita, Kazuhiko Toyama, Haruya Fujino, Takashi Tokunaga, Hiromi Ibukuro, Masashi Fujii; capital is 33.2 million yen as of March 2023; Kaoru Takeuchi is Principal, with Naveen Bukhari as Vice Principal and Head of English Department, and Yuji Nakajima as Vice Principal.

Community
Festivals and Events are held to embrace festivals from all cultures, with activities around Yokohama and Tokyo across the seasons. The school runs an Annual School Camp. Field Trips are a regular part of YES and are designed to be varied to increase knowledge while strengthening students physically and socially. Seasonal Schools were offered in 2023 with Spring and Summer programs and are planned to continue in the future.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The school is a Cambridge International School and is trilingual in English, Japanese, and programming. It is located eight minutes from Yokohama Station. The campus is in the Nisshin‑Yokohama Building on the 3rd and 4th floors. The address is 1-33-1 Hiranuma, Nishi Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-0023, Japan. The school accepts international students year‑round with Japanese as a second language (JSL) support.

A library, a dance studio, and computers, tablets and other technology for everyday learning. Outdoor P.E. takes place at Rinko Park, by the sea in Minato Mirai, about a 15-minute walk from the school.

Academic Facilities
Technology is integrated across subjects such as English, Japanese, math, science, and art, enriching the learning experience. Students acquire essential technology skills, including operating systems, 3D design tools, and touch typing in English and Japanese. Programming and responsible technology use are central to the curriculum, supporting cross‑subject problem solving and safety online. The approach fosters creativity and innovation, preparing students for a digital landscape integrated into education and life.

Extra Curricular Facilities
After school activities run after the regular day and focus on English development, creativity, and physical fitness. Participation is on a pay-as-you-go system with tickets that students buy and spend on any lesson they choose. A schedule of after school activities for the 2024-2025 year is provided.

After-school activities include table tennis, robotics, coding, English for beginners, arts and crafts, and capoeira. Hiking trips run about twice a year to places in Kanagawa such as Kamakura and the Miura Peninsula.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school is a Cambridge International School with a trilingual program in English, Japanese, and programming. The English Language Arts program fosters a lifelong love of language and literature, while the Japanese Language program supports similar language-learning aims. Programming is integrated across the curriculum to build computational thinking and problem‑solving skills. A Study Abroad Program broadens learning beyond Yokohama and the local community.

Arts & Creative
Visual Arts courses blend Western and Eastern art principles across mediums and techniques, including digital art. Music, dance, and ukulele classes are offered to students. Art, Music, and Digital Art provide opportunities for creative expression across disciplines. These courses are part of the broader curriculum design.

Cultural & Language
Location-Based Language Separation divides spaces by language use outside the classroom. The 3rd Floor (Grades 1–2) allows both Japanese and English; the 4th Floor (Grades 3–4) is English‑only; the Maple Building (Grade 5+) predominantly uses English, with bilingual use permitted. Japanese Culture activities are provided as part of the program. The school offers English Language and Japanese Language programs to support bilingual development.

Social & Hobbies
After School Activities are offered to students. Seasonal School programs run throughout the year, with diverse Field Trips planned around the curriculum. Festivals and Events provide cultural experiences across seasons. An Annual School Camp builds teamwork and outdoor learning.

Leadership & Professional
Study Abroad Program offers opportunities for extended learning beyond Yokohama. Alumni (Graduate Students after YES) have moved on nationally and internationally. The school fosters leadership and professional development through its programs and alumni experiences.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Physical Education is an indoor/outdoor program designed to balance mind and body and develop core strength. An Annual School Camp develops outdoor skills and teamwork. Seasonal activities and Field Trips promote wellness, resilience and community engagement.
Languages

Language Provision
English Language Arts (ELA) and Japanese Language Arts (JLA) are taught. The ELA program uses CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning). Programming is taught as part of the curriculum. Grades 1–9 are offered, with Japanese as a second language support (JSL) for international students.

Bilingual Teaching
Yes. English and Japanese are used in instruction; programming is also taught. Language exposure is organized by grade: Grades 1–2 allow both languages; Grades 3–4 are English-only; Grade 5+ English is promoted most of the time, with both languages permitted. Lunchtime is free communication time where children can use any language.

Immersion Programs
Yes. YES International includes an immersion English program. Japanese is used as the children's native language. From Grade 1, the school teaches English, Japanese and Programming, describing itself as a trilingual school.
Reputation

Awards
Recent graduates have gone on to schools in Japan such as Hiroo Gakuen and Tamagawa Gakuen, and abroad to Canada, the USA and New Zealand. On TOEFL tests, our Grade 4 to 6 students average CEFR B1, and most reach B1 to B2 by Grade 6.
Admissions

Admissions
The school year starts in April, but we accept students on a rolling basis throughout the year. Spaces are open in all grades. Entrance testing usually runs in November and December, and can be arranged at any time of year. Families can book a free one-day trial for Age 5 to Grade 9, or join our next School Orientation on Saturday 28 November 2026, 9:00 to 11:00.
School Events
The school has not added events
Search for more schools
Search schools in Japan View all schools in Yokohama View all schools in Japan British curriculum schools in Japan Open days & tours in Yokohama What is the British curriculum? View all schools Search all schools