About Us

Greetings from Craig Coutts

Head of School

Welcome. I encourage you to take some time to explore the site to get a feel for the school and find out more about the opportunities that exist here. Have a burning question? Want to schedule a visit? Ready to apply? Just click on one of the buttons near the top of the homepage to send us your query.

As you look though the site I hope you will get a sense of how YIS is a great place to learn and grow. We are proud of our heritage, beginning in 1924, as part of Yokohama's development as an international hub of commerce and industry and of the reputation that YIS enjoys as a school with passionate and dedicated educators. We are driven to keep YIS at the forefront of international education while still maintaining its small school feel and strong sense of community and culture. Everything that happens in the school is based upon a strong sense of values, guided by our mission - Live Learn Lead. These, and an increasing emphasis on service learning, act as a guide in all that we do and go a lot deeper than just words on the page.

YIS students have huge opportunities to explore, develop and challenge themselves within a caring and exciting learning environment, and we aim to help them take advantage of everything that is on offer. In my experience, the students (and indeed the families) who get involved in school life and all that it has to offer are the ones who benefit the most and are most successful.

Our campus is designed by renowned Japanese architect and Yokohama native, Kengo Kuma, specifically for our learning programs and teaching philosophy. Built for our learning community, every space is designed to be a learning space. Learning in our school occurs everywhere and in a variety of settings, not only in classrooms. Located in the mixed commercial and residential neighborhood of Honmoku, adjacent to the Honmoku Front shopping complex and amidst local shops, businesses and parks. Convenient access to five public bus routes provides for a smooth transfer to nearby train stations that connect directly to Tokyo and all areas of Yokohama and elsewhere in Kanagawa Prefecture. 

Something that is always highlighted by students, parents and teachers alike is the great sense of community that exists here. There is definitely a sense of care and belonging and we are very proud of the diversity of our community members. I encourage you to visit us and experience YIS first-hand.

School Mission logo: Live Learn Lead

 

YIS At a Glance

 

Infographic representing students

810 Students

We like being a mid-size school, large enough to offer a wide range of academic and extracurricular opportunities yet small enough so that everyone knows each other.

Infographic based on student nationalities

51 Nationalities in the Student Body

With students of 51 different nationalities and faculty and staff from 24 countries, internationalism is at the heart of our school culture.

IB Continuum School

We offer the three main IB programs (PYP, MYP, DP), providing a continuum of high-quality, international education across all grade levels.

     
6.6

Dedicated, Experienced Faculty

The average faculty tenure at YIS is 6.6 years. Twenty-five percent of our faculty have worked at YIS for 10 years or more. Over 46% of our faculty hold advanced degrees.

7:1

Student - Teacher Ratio

Class sizes at each school level are capped between 16 and 23 students to enable teachers to address individual needs. Our all-school student-teacher ratio is 7:1.

Founded in 1924

YIS combines a strong academic tradition with a demonstrated commitment to innovation. For almost 100 years, we have been a consistent part of the Kanto plains education environment, welcoming families from around the world.