What Canadian International School Tokyo does

Canadian International School Tokyo (CIS Tokyo) is a private K-12 international school founded in 1999 in Tokyo, Japan, by two directors who remain with the institution. The school operates across three Tokyo campuses — the Osaki Main Office & Kindergarten, the Osaki High School Campus (Grades 6-12), and the Nakameguro Elementary School Campus (Grades 1-5) — delivering continuous schooling from Kindergarten through Grade 12. The core curriculum blends the Canadian Prince Edward Island (PEI) provincial curriculum, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP, authorized 2009), and Advanced Placement (AP) courses in the senior high school, with all teaching staff required to hold PEI teaching certification.

The school's academic product is anchored by a stack of four accreditations and recognitions: PEI provincial accreditation (renewed annually via onsite inspection), WASC accreditation (K-12), IB PYP authorization (K-Grade 5), and Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) recognition that allows graduates to apply directly to Japanese universities. Supporting product modules include the English Language Support Program (Grades 1-12), a Summer School program, university guidance and counseling, and library services. Documented graduate outcomes include university acceptances at McGill, UBC, University of Toronto, University of Tokyo, Keio, Waseda, Imperial College London, NYU, and other institutions across Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and Japan.

CIS Tokyo's business model is tuition-driven, with annual fees ranging from ¥2,350,000 (Kindergarten) to ¥2,900,000 (Grades 9-12), supplemented by recurring ¥250,000 building maintenance fees, a one-time ¥300,000 registration fee, and a ¥600,000 building development fee for high school. Fees are published annually (currently locked for the 2026-2027 school year) and are payable annually or in two installments with a handling charge. Go-to-market is direct admissions with year-round enrollment, MAP testing for academic assessment, family interviews, age-appropriate screening, school tours, and an online inquiry funnel. Target customers are expatriate families in Tokyo and Japanese families seeking internationally accredited education with globally portable credentials.

Name

Canadian International School Tokyo

Legal name

Canadian International School Tokyo

Website

https://cisjapan.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CIS Tokyo is a private K-12 international school in Tokyo that blends the Canadian PEI curriculum with IB PYP and AP courses, serving expatriate and Japanese families seeking globally portable qualifications across four accreditation bodies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM), Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC)

Keywords

• International K-12 education
• Canadian curriculum schooling
• IB Primary Years Programme
• University preparation courses
• Expatriate student schooling

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Annual tuition payments ranging from ¥2,350,000 for Kindergarten to ¥2,900,000 for Grade 9-12, payable annually or in two installments with ¥35,000 handling charge
2. Enrollment Fees: One-time non-refundable registration fee of ¥300,000 and building development fee of ¥600,000 for Grade 1-12
3. Building Maintenance Fee: Annual building maintenance fees of ¥250,000 for Kindergarten 4 & 5 and Grade 1-5 and Grade 9-12

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Canadian International School Tokyo delivers Kindergarten through Grade 12 international education from three campuses in Tokyo, blending the Canadian Prince Edward Island provincial curriculum with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) for K4-Grade 5 and Advanced Placement (AP) courses for Grades 10-12. The school sells tuition-based academic programs leading to a PEI graduation diploma recognized for university admission in Canada, the US, the UK, and Japan, with supporting services including Summer School, English Language Support, University Guidance, and Library Services.

Product overview

Canadian International School Tokyo operates as a pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 international school offering a unified educational program that blends Canadian (Prince Edward Island) curriculum with International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) programs. The core educational offerings span four main levels: Kindergarten (K4-K5), Elementary School (Grades 1-5), Junior High School (Grades 6-8), and Senior High School (Grades 9-12). The school is structured with an integrated system where younger students (K4-Grade 5) participate in the IB PYP program, middle school students receive Canadian curriculum with advanced studies enrichment, and high school students can choose between standard Canadian graduation track or AP courses. Supporting modules include Summer School for intensive English language development, English Language Support Program for students needing additional language assistance, University Guidance & Counseling services, and Library Services with literacy programs. The school has three campuses: Nakameguro Elementary, Osaki Main Office & Kindergarten, and Osaki High School Campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kindergarten Program (K4 & K5) Early childhood education program for children aged 4-5, following Canadian curriculum combined with IB PYP framework, focusing on inquiry-based learning and English language acquisition through play and structured activities.
• Elementary School Program (Grade 1-5) Comprehensive elementary education following Canadian (PEI) curriculum integrated with IB Primary Years Programme, covering English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, Japanese, art, music, technology education, and physical education.
• Junior High School Program (Grade 6-8) Middle school program with two academic streams (science emphasis and business emphasis), preparing students for university-bound pathways. Curriculum includes English, mathematics, science, social studies, Japanese, coding, and elective courses.
• Senior High School Program (Grade 9-12) High school program leading to Canadian (PEI) graduation diploma, with options for Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Students earn credits toward university entrance requirements in Canada, US, Japan, and other countries.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Program Accredited AP courses offered to high school students in grades 10-12, including Calculus AB, English, World History, Chemistry, and Physics. Provides university-level coursework and potential college credit.
• Summer School Program Intensive English language and academic skills program held during summer months. Session A focuses on academic English improvement for current CIS students; Session B offers English immersion camp for mixed-level participants.
• English Language Support Program Language support service for students in grades 1-12 requiring additional English language learning assistance. Includes April-June intake program, English immersion program, and ongoing support during regular school year.
• University Guidance & Counseling Comprehensive counseling service covering university guidance (course selection, application support, reference writing), educational counseling (learning challenges), and social-emotional support for students K-12.
• Library Services Two library facilities serving elementary (Building A) and middle/high school (Building C) students. Includes book lending, information literacy instruction, Sakura Medal program, and Forest of Reading program participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates eligible for university admission in Canada, US, Japan, and other western countries with PEI graduation certificate
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Prince Edward Island Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIS was founded in 1999 with contact established with PEI Department of Education to adopt the province's curriculum. CIS is accredited annually with onsite inspection by PEI officials. All teachers must be certified by PEI.
• International Baccalaureate OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIS received final authorization for IB Primary Years Programme in 2009. PYP curriculum framework offered from Kindergarten to Grade 5.
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIS is accredited by WASC from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
• Japan Council of International SchoolsminorOthersCIS is a member of the Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS).
• Tokyo Association of International PreschoolsminorOthersCIS is a member of the Tokyo Association of International Preschools (TAIP).
• East Asia Regional Council of SchoolsminorOthersCIS is a member of EARCOS (East Asia Regional Council of Schools).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St. Mary's International School: Catholic boys' international school in Tokyo offering K-12 with IB Diploma and AP. Competes for premium Tokyo expatriate and Japanese families with similar university placement outcomes.
• Canadian Academy: Kobe-based international school with Canadian (British Columbia) heritage, IB programs, and AP. Highly comparable to CIS given shared Canadian-curriculum DNA and similar expatriate/Japanese-family target market.
• International School of the Sacred Heart: Catholic international school in central Tokyo serving K-12 with AP and IB programs. Targets a similar premium expatriate and Japanese-family segment and competes on university placement outcomes.
• Yokohama International School: Greater Tokyo-area IB World School offering K-12 international education with a similar mix of expatriate and Japanese enrollment. Comparable in curriculum framework (IB) and tuition tier to CIS.
• American School in Japan: One of the largest and most established international schools in Tokyo, offering PK-12 with IB and AP programs. Directly comparable to CIS Tokyo in target market (expat and affluent Japanese families in Tokyo) and curriculum model, though significantly larger in enrollment and footprint.
• British School in Tokyo: Tokyo-based international school following the British curriculum with IB at higher levels. Competes head-to-head with CIS for expatriate families seeking premium K-12 international education in Tokyo.
• United Nations International School: Tokyo IB World School serving children of UN staff, diplomats, and affluent local families from K-12. Direct competitor in the premium international segment with overlapping university placement claims.

Broad incumbents

• Singapore American School: Large, established K-12 American international school in Singapore with rigorous university placement record. Useful comparable for premium expatriate-school economics and growth benchmarking, though operating in a different geography.

Emerging players

• Tokyo International School: Smaller, newer international school in Tokyo offering IB PYP and MYP with inquiry-based pedagogy. Competes for similar premium Tokyo families at a younger-stage scale than CIS.
• Aoba International School: Tokyo-based IB World School with multiple campuses serving K-12 in Japanese and English. Overlaps with CIS in target market and IB curriculum, though with a distinct bilingual positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cistokyo.official
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-international-school-tokyo

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian International School Tokyo