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Japan, Tokyo
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Yokohama International School (YIS) offers a wide range of academic and intellectual activities beyond the standard curriculum. Elementary activities include clubs such as Lego Club, Minecraft Club, Robotics, and other after-school options that run either seasonally or year-round. In the Secondary years, students can join Brainbowl, Math & Science Support Club, Environment Club, Model United Nations, Robotics Club, YIS Maker Club, and the YIS Student Newspaper, among others, providing opportunities to deepen subject knowledge and apply learning in collaborative settings. Activities meet before school, during lunch, or after school, giving families flexible options to fit their schedules.
YIS has a comprehensive Arts Opportunities program. Elementary students participate in a range of arts activities—Choir, Drama Club, Elementary String Ensemble, and Koto Ensemble—with many clubs meeting after school and in the afternoons. Seasonal activities for elementary include 5th Grade Rock Band, Origami, Japanese Calligraphy, Cross Stitch, Knitting, Beading, and more. In Secondary, arts offerings include Art Club, Smokey Productions, Chowa Yearbook, Dance Company, Digital Illustration, Drama Club, Jazz Band, Koto Ensemble, MS/HS String Ensemble, and Wind Ensemble, with many projects leading to performances, exhibitions, or publications.
The Japanese Culture Program (JCP) is a deeply integrated, inquiry-based approach to cultural learning that engages students with Japanese culture through hands-on experiences in printmaking, drama, music, visual arts, and shadow performance. The program connects directly to classroom learning and spans the full YIS journey, from Early Learning through the IB Diploma Programme, fostering confidence, creativity, and intercultural understanding. The JCP includes exchange programs with local schools, rice farming experiences, service-learning collaborations (e.g., Kodomo Shokudo), and artist residencies, enriching students' intercultural perspectives. Across the IB framework, JCP activities align with PYP, MYP, and DP goals, including TOK, CAS, and the Extended Essay.
YIS provides a wide array of social and hobby clubs as part of the Activities & Athletics program. Elementary Activities (ESA) run in three sessions per year and include Toys & Table Game Club, Gardening Club, Lego Club, Minecraft Club, Robotics, Library Council, Dragon Cooking Academy, Book Dragons, and more, with supervision by teachers or external instructors. Secondary Activities offer additional options such as Brainbowl, Hiking Club, East & West Board Games, Environment Club, Library Council, Math & Science Support Club, Mental Health Awareness Club, Model United Nations (MUN), Origami Unlimited, Robotics Club, Sakura Book Club, YIS Maker Club, YIS Student Newspaper, and Student Ambassadors. Activities are scheduled before school, at lunch, or after school to support student-led exploration of interests and peer connections.
Service is an integral part of the YIS curriculum, fostering empathy, resilience, and leadership. Elementary students participate in teacher-led service projects (for example, fundraising for local shelters or making onigiri for a shelter), while Middle and High School students form Service Learning Teams with teacher advisors to plan, implement, and reflect on actions across grades. Examples and impact include initiatives like Power Of Music, Roots & Shoots, and Project Ocean, which involve collaboration with local communities and organizations. Leadership opportunities extend beyond Student Council to House events, mentoring, and spearheading co-curricular clubs or service projects, all aimed at developing community-minded leadership.
Leadership and professional development are embedded in YIS through structured student governance and multiple pathways for responsible leadership. Student Councils exist at Elementary, Middle, and High School levels to practice democratic decision-making, plan well-being activities, and shape school events. Beyond Student Council, students lead House events, mentor younger learners, and originate co-curricular clubs or service projects, developing skills in communication, organization, and collaboration. The overall approach emphasizes voice, agency, and real leadership experiences that connect to students' future personal and professional lives.
Outdoor education and athletics form central components of wellbeing at YIS. Expeditions are integrated into the curriculum, with age-appropriate journeys that build leadership, self-management, and collaboration while strengthening students' connection to the natural environment. Grade-level expeditions include trips to Okutama, Hakone, Doai, and other locations, with activities ranging from hiking and rafting to camping and canyoning, all guided by trained instructors and supported by risk-management practices. The athletics program is organized by seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring) and offers a wide range of sports, supported by facilities such as a 25-meter heated pool, an artificial turf field, a double gymnasium, indoor dance studio, and outdoor courts.
YES International School Tokyo is a learning community in Shibuya, opened in May 2018, for children who are homeschooling or who find standard school life difficult. The daily program is built around project-based learning, where mornings can start with “morning projects” exploring themes such as science, language, art and programming, alongside creative learning in music and art. Students also take part in practical routines such as a cooking class and shared lunch time. Weekly movement sessions that include capoeira and soccer. The school describes individual support tailored to each child’s pace. A distinctive feature is its official Discord server, “YES Elegant,” designed with parent visibility and student-led rule-making.
