What Our Families Say

My wife and I were looking for a school that didn’t just focus on English education but also took a wholistic approach to education. The inquiry style of education that Tokyo International School Kindergarten offers is one that was extremely appealing to us. We also looked at the quality of teachers that the school had and felt extremely confident that our children would be in very good hands because the teachers seemed to care deeply about their students while also being able to maintain control of the classroom in a firm yet supportive and nurturing way.

Our children are bi-cultural and spoke mostly Japanese at home. My wife and I wanted them to build a strong base of English language ability during their kindergarten years because although we planned to enrol them into Japanese elementary school, our long-term plan was to move the family to Australia after our children had graduated elementary school.

Yes, our children were able to not only build a strong base in English, but they also developed a stronger appetite for learning in general. The inquiry approach helped them to question what they saw in the world around them and also motivated them to find the answers to their questions and express their opinions. In the years since graduating Tokyo International School Kindergarten, we have relocated our family to Australia and the base of English ability that was developed during their kindergarten years, as well as the ability to question and the confidence to express themselves, helped them to make a very smooth transition into the education system in Australia.

The older brother of my daughter attended kindergarten here. When it was his brother’s time, we looked around for a place, but it was hard to find one that was international, had good facilities, and was easy for Japanese children to enter. This school had a nice environment, as well as a good location and toilets. And when we took the trial lesson, he said, “I want to go here right now,” which makes the decision easier. Also, his older brother was very surprised, but he really liked it. It’s fun to see my younger sister has finally gotten into the same dream place as her older brother.

Before entering kindergarten, she was smart (she couldn’t speak English), and would get angry when her older brother or other family members spoke in English, saying, “Don’t speak in English!” However, once she entered kindergarten, she gradually became able to participate. About a month after starting, she would sometimes use the correct English words and gave off the vibe of “I’m speaking English!” On the other side, the older brother, who is now in elementary school, seemed happy that his younger sister knew the same English songs as him, and he would sing along with her while teaching her the correct lyrics.

In the first year and six months, they were self-taught, so I felt like they were having fun and learning English words, but my brother’s year wasn’t so good. However, this year seems better. They learned about science and social studies through seasonal topics, such as growing vegetables. It taught my daughter that vegetables grow from seeds. My son learned about electricity in science class and how gas becomes fire. At a young age, they can learn a lot. I always make time to look back at the newsletter, and when my son reads it with interest, I suddenly understand that something made an impression. It helps me appreciate the importance of repeated exposure. Words like “It’s sunny today” and “It’s cloudy” — even those English words will remain at the core of their minds.

We felt that a school originally created by parents for their own children would be one that truly considers the whole child. It wouldn’t focus solely on skill acquisition, but would also support the social and emotional growth of our daughter. The staff clearly value creativity and nurture relationship-building and confidence in the children.

As a long-term bicultural family living in Japan, we knew that Japanese language and culture would naturally be dominant throughout our child’s education. That’s why it was especially important to give her a strong foundation in an environment designed to support success in a multicultural world.

Absolutely. Our daughter built meaningful relationships with her teachers and the school staff, and as parents, we did too. These connections have lasted for years, even after our children moved on. Our daughter has grown into a confident, creative, and enthusiastic person, full of curiosity and a wide range of interests.