What Horizon Japan International School does

Horizon Japan International School (HJIS) is a private, non-profit international school founded in 2003 and headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The school delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum — Early Years Programme (ages 3–5), Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP) — serving students from Preschool through Grade 12 on a single purpose-built campus near Yokohama Station, approximately 30 minutes by train from central Tokyo. HJIS is accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization, Council of International Schools (CIS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), European Council of International Schools (ECIS), and Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS).

Core offerings span academic IB programmes and a portfolio of supporting programs including Service Learning (integrated across PYP/MYP/DP), Athletics under the "HJIS Hawks" brand, After School Programs, Summer School, Art & Design, Expeditions (including international trips such as the Grade 9 Vietnam service trip), Library Services, Daycare, and special programs including IYPT Japan (for which HJIS serves as National Organizer since 2025) and student-organized TEDx Youth Events. The underlying "technology" is the IB pedagogical framework rather than a proprietary software platform; admissions are processed via the OpenApply platform.

HJIS generates revenue through recurring tuition and fees billed annually across four grade tiers (Early Years, Elementary, Middle School, High School). Specific tuition amounts are not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is admissions-driven: online and on-campus open houses, scheduled campus tours, inquiry forms, and direct outreach via phone and email. Primary customers are international families in Japan, including expatriates, Japanese nationals seeking English-language international education, and globally mobile families. Marketing channels include the school's website, blog, X/Facebook/Instagram/YouTube social presence, and public-facing events. No parent company, institutional investors, or funding rounds are disclosed; the school operates as an independent educational institution.

Name

Horizon Japan International School

Legal name

Horizon Japan International School

Website

https://horizon.ac.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Horizon Japan International School is a private, non-profit IB Continuum World School in Yokohama, Japan, founded in 2003, serving Preschool through Grade 12 students with internationally recognized IB programmes and multiple global accreditations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

International Curriculum Early Learning Academies (e.g., IB Early Years) (EDACADAK), Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC)

Keywords

• International education
• IB curriculum
• K-12 schooling
• Preschool education
• Diploma programme

Headquarters

HQ city

Yokohama, Kanagawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from student tuition fees across Early Years Program (Preschool), Elementary School, Middle School, and High School. Fee structure varies by grade level and program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Horizon Japan International School delivers full International Baccalaureate (IB) education from Early Years Programme (Preschool, ages 3-5) through Grade 12, including the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme. The school sells tuition-based enrollment in its academic programmes at a purpose-built campus in Yokohama, complemented by service learning, athletics, arts, expeditions, summer school, daycare, and student wellbeing services. Revenue is generated primarily from recurring tuition and fees charged to enrolled families.

Product overview

Horizon Japan International School is an IB Continuum World School offering a unified educational program spanning Early Learning (Ages 3-5) through Grade 12. The school delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum comprising the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). Beyond the core IB curriculum, the school provides a comprehensive portfolio of educational offerings including Service Learning, Athletics (HJIS Hawks), After School Programs, Summer School, Art & Design, Expeditions (including international trips), Library Services, Daycare, and special programs like IYPT Japan and TEDx Youth Events. The school operates from a purpose-built campus in central Yokohama and is accredited by IB, CIS, WASC, ECIS, and JCIS.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Years Programme (EYP) Play-based international preschool program for children ages 3-5, focusing on joyful learning, curiosity-building, and early development in a nurturing environment.
• IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) Inquiry-based curriculum for Elementary students fostering critical thinking, inquiry, and international-mindedness through transdisciplinary learning units.
• IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) Challenging framework for Middle School students that encourages practical connections between studies and the real world.
• IB Diploma Programme (DP) Comprehensive two-year pre-university curriculum for High School students recognized globally for university admission.
• Summer School Summer educational program offered at multiple locations during school holidays, providing academic enrichment and engaging activities for students.
• Daycare Service Before and after-school daycare service for working families, providing care and supervised activities outside regular school hours.
• Student Support & Wellbeing Pastoral care services including counselling, student check-ins, safeguarding procedures, and close partnership with families to ensure student wellbeing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12-year journey through IB program prepares students for university and beyond
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• International Young Physicists' Tournament (IYPT)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025HJIS serves as National Organizer for IYPT Japan, coordinating national selection process and training for Japan's team. Japan first participated as observer in IYPT 2025 (Lund, Sweden) and is preparing for full team participation in IYPT 2026. Partnership involves collaboration with local educators and science institutions.
• Youth for Future (YFF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemorandum of Understanding partnership with NPO Youth for Future, founded by HJIS alumni Emre Caglar. Students engage in CAS service projects supporting children in Japanese orphanages. YFF provides English literacy and international mindedness education to children aged 6-18 in orphanages. The school collaborates on toy drives, service trips, and ongoing community service initiatives.
• Local and International Experts (Service Learning)minorOthersStudents work alongside local to international experts in service learning projects, including infrastructure projects in Vietnam, local community initiatives like Kodomo Shokudo (children's cafeteria), and collaboration with community organizations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American School in Japan (ASIJ): Large, long-established Tokyo-based international school offering IB and AP tracks. Serves a similar international expatriate and globally mobile family base in the greater Tokyo-Yokohama region and competes for premium tuition-paying families across the same catchment as HJIS.
• Yokohama International School: Yokohama-based IB World School offering PYP, MYP, and DP to a comparable international community. Most direct local competitor — competes for the same expat families in Yokohama and shares curriculum, accreditation profile, and target segments with HJIS.
• Nishimachi International School: Tokyo-based international school offering a bilingual Japanese-international program from K-9. Comparable target families (Tokyo-area international community), similar size band, and competes for the same pool of families seeking international education in the greater Tokyo-Yokohama area.
• British School in Tokyo (BST): Tokyo-based international school offering a British curriculum with IB pathways. Targets the same internationally minded families in the Tokyo metropolitan area, including those weighing curriculum options between British and IB programs against HJIS's pure IB offering.
• Tokyo International School: Tokyo-based IB World School offering PYP and MYP. Competes directly for internationally minded families across the Tokyo-Yokohama region and shares the IB Continuum positioning strategy with HJIS.
• International School of the Sacred Heart: Tokyo-based Catholic international school serving K-12 with an internationally oriented curriculum. Comparable in mission, target families, and Yokohama/Tokyo-area positioning, and competes for academically oriented international families.
• St. Mary's International School: Tokyo-based Catholic boys' international school offering IB DP. Targets similar internationally mobile families in Tokyo and competes for the same high-academic-profile segment of the international student market as HJIS's high school.
• Canadian International School in Tokyo: Tokyo-based international school serving international families with an IB-aligned curriculum. Comparable target customer base (expats in Tokyo/Yokohama), similar pricing band, and a competing option for families evaluating international schools in the region.

Others

• Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS): Regional umbrella organization that HJIS is a member of; the parent body for international schools in Japan. Comparable as an industry/ecosystem reference point rather than a commercial peer — useful for benchmarking peer schools and accreditation standards.

Regional players

• German School Tokyo Yokohama (Deutsche Schule Tokyo Yokohama): Yokohama-based international school serving the German expatriate community with a German curriculum leading to the German Abitur. Operates in the same Yokohama market as HJIS and serves a parallel segment of the international community (German expat families).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/horizonjapanis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMrbbxTwLJQi-G-auSZkEKw
• Facebookfacebook.com/HorizonJapanInternationalSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/horizonjapanis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hjis

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Horizon Japan International School