The Tokyo school context
Tokyo's international school sector is mature, established and structurally tight. The flagship schools (ASIJ, St Mary's, Seisen, Sacred Heart) have 50+ year histories and limited capacity expansion. Newer entrants (BST, K International) have scaled to fill some demand. Faculty is exceptionally stable; turnover well below most international school markets. Fees crossed JPY 4M (USD 27K) tuition for Tier 1 in 2026, with 30% loading bringing all-in costs to USD 35K to 42K per child per year.
The 2026 top 10
The American School in Japan (ASIJ)
The benchmark American school in Japan. AP and IB Diploma pathways. Strong US Ivy and top liberal-arts pipeline. Outstanding facilities. Chofu campus with school-bus catchment across Tokyo. The default Tier 1 American choice.
St Mary's International School
All-boys Catholic American school. AP and IB Diploma. Outstanding outcomes, Ivy League destinations. Setagaya location with strong housing catchment. Sister school to Seisen for sibling enrolment.
Seisen International School
All-girls Catholic IB school. Strong IB Diploma outcomes, particularly arts and humanities. Sister to St Mary's. Setagaya catchment, proximate to St Mary's for families with mixed-sex siblings.
Sacred Heart International School
All-girls Catholic American school. AP and IB Diploma. Strong Hiroo location with central Tokyo access. Sister to International School of the Sacred Heart family globally.
British School in Tokyo (BST)
The leading British curriculum school in Tokyo. A-Level and IB Diploma options. Two campuses (Shibuya primary, Showa senior). Strong UK university pipeline. Modern facilities at Showa campus.
K International School Tokyo
The strongest pure-IB school in Tokyo. PYP through DP. Strong faculty quality, balanced cohort. Koto location works well for east-Tokyo families and corporate residents in Toyosu.
Yokohama International School
Worth considering for Tokyo-bay families. Strong IB Diploma, family-friendly Yokohama location. School bus catchment extends into south Tokyo. Established 1924, oldest continually-operating international school in Japan.
Tokyo International School
Smaller central Tokyo school. IB MYP through age 15, then most students transition to ASIJ, BST or other senior schools. Strong primary years, central location.
Lycée Français International de Tokyo
French Lycée serving Tokyo's francophone community. French Baccalauréat. Materially lower fees than American or British competition. Strong bilingual French-Japanese option for committed francophone families.
Christian Academy in Japan (CAJ)
Christian American school. Strong academic outcomes, distinctive mission-led culture. Smaller cohort than ASIJ. Western Tokyo campus. Good fit for families wanting Christian community alongside American curriculum.
What didn't make the top 10
Aoba-Japan International School, Nishimachi International School, Saint Maur International School (Yokohama, the oldest international school in Asia), Canadian Academy (Kobe). Several state Japanese schools with international sections (rare but increasing) warrant consideration for committed long-term-Japan families.
Fees and cohort reality
Tokyo Tier 1 fees average JPY 4M (USD 27K) tuition for 2026 to 2027. With 30% loading, the all-in figure is JPY 5.2M (USD 35K) per child per year. Tier 1 cohorts are largely American expat (ASIJ, Sacred Heart) or mixed Western (BST, K). Japanese local-school families occasionally enrol but most international schools have low Japanese-cohort proportions. Read our 2026 fee report for the full city comparison.
Neighbourhoods
- Hiroo / Azabu: Sacred Heart, central access. Premium expat hub.
- Setagaya: St Mary's, Seisen. Family-friendly, strong housing catchment.
- Chofu / west Tokyo: ASIJ. School-bus catchment from central Tokyo.
- Shibuya / Roppongi: BST primary, Tokyo International. Central, bilingual options.
- Yokohama: YIS catchment. Family-friendly, lower density.
- Koto / Toyosu: K International. Newer waterfront, growing expat community.
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City handbooks with Tokyo school analysis. Part of our city handbook collection.