Online School & Homeschool in Yokohama

Online homeschooling in Yokohama

For Yokohama families across Yamate (the historic foreign settlement of the Bluff — Yokohama's premier expat residential), Naka-ku (Motomachi, Yamashita, Kannai), Minato Mirai (modern business district), Nishi-ku, Kohoku-ku (Shin-Yokohama), Aoba-ku (Tama Plaza, Aobadai — premium suburban), Tsuzuki-ku (Center Minami, Center Kita), plus the Yokosuka US Naval Base area — Yokohama International School (YIS, established 1924 — Japan's oldest international school), Saint Maur International School (established 1872 — one of the world's oldest international schools), Horizon Japan International School, Deutsche Schule Tokyo Yokohama (Yokohama campus), Saint Joseph International School alternative-seekers, Nissan HQ corporate executive families, US Navy families at Yokosuka Naval Base (US 7th Fleet HQ), plus shipping and maritime industry executives at Port of Yokohama.

Live online Cambridge IGCSE, A-Level, Pearson Edexcel, IB Diploma and American AP for Yokohama families across Yamate (the historic Bluff foreign settlement area — Yokohama's premier expat residential, dating from the 1859 Yokohama opening to foreigners), Naka-ku (Motomachi shopping district, Yamashita Park area, Kannai central business), Minato Mirai (modern business district built since the 1990s — Landmark Tower, Queen's Square), Nishi-ku (Yokohama Station area), Kohoku-ku (Shin-Yokohama Shinkansen station area, Hiyoshi), Aoba-ku (Tama Plaza, Aobadai — premium suburban with multiple international schools), Tsuzuki-ku (Center Minami, Center Kita), Kanazawa-ku (Hakkeijima area), Hodogaya-ku, Konan-ku, plus surrounding Yokohama metropolitan area extending to Kawasaki (north) and Yokosuka (south where the US Naval Base is located). Built for Yokohama International School (YIS — established 1924, Japan's oldest international school, IB World School), Saint Maur International School (established 1872 in Yokohama — one of the world's oldest international schools, IGCSE + IB), Horizon Japan International School (Cambridge IGCSE + A-Level), Deutsche Schule Tokyo Yokohama (DSTY Yokohama campus), Saint Joseph International School plus the smaller offerings alternative-seekers; Nissan HQ corporate executive families (Nissan Motor Company moved its global HQ to Minato Mirai in 2009); shipping and maritime industry executive families at Port of Yokohama (Japan's second-busiest container port); US Navy families through Yokosuka Naval Base (US 7th Fleet HQ — the largest US Navy installation outside the continental US); plus the broader Kanagawa Prefecture expat professional and Japanese internationally-minded family community.

Challenges Yokohama families face

YIS / Saint Maur / Horizon Japan IS premium fees and structured admissions: Yokohama International School (~USD 22,000-28,000/year, Japan's oldest international school established 1924, IB World School), Saint Maur International School (~USD 18,000-23,000, established 1872 — one of the world's oldest international schools), Horizon Japan International School (Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level), DSTY Yokohama all operate structured admissions cycles.
Greater Tokyo international school dispersion: Yokohama families face a choice between Yokohama-based YIS/Saint Maur/Horizon/DSTY or commuting to Tokyo international schools (ASIJ, BST, KIST, etc.) — 30km north, 45-90 minutes via train. Many Yokohama families historically opted for either Yokohama-based options or accepted the Tokyo commute.
Yamate Bluff historic foreign settlement community: Yamate (the Bluff) has a unique heritage as the original 1859-era foreign settlement of Yokohama, with multi-generational expat presence. International school capacity at YIS and Saint Maur in this area is constrained relative to demand.
Nissan HQ corporate executive transfers: Nissan Motor Company moved its global HQ to Minato Mirai in 2009. Nissan's alliance partnerships (Renault, Mitsubishi Motors) bring international executive families on multi-year postings — and Nissan executive children often follow the family's next global posting (Paris, Detroit, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Bangkok, anywhere in the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi global footprint).
US Navy Yokosuka family rotation: Yokosuka Naval Base (US 7th Fleet HQ — the largest US Navy installation outside the continental US, with ~17,000 US military personnel and dependents) brings constant US Navy family rotation. DODEA schools at Yokosuka serve military families; civilian Yokohama international schools also accept Navy family children.
Port of Yokohama maritime industry: Japan's second-busiest container port brings shipping line, port authority and logistics executive families on rotational postings.
Time zone reality: Same JST as Tokyo (UTC+9). Smartious afternoon/evening live class windows apply.

Why Yokohama families choose Smartious

YIS / Saint Maur / Horizon Japan IS / DSTY alternative at a fraction of fees: Smartious provides Cambridge, IB or American from USD 5,076/year vs premium Yokohama international school fees.
Port of Yokohama maritime industry curriculum portability: For shipping line executive families (Maersk, MSC, MOL, NYK Line, K Line) rotating across global ports — Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level, IB Diploma and AP transfer seamlessly.
Nissan / Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance executive curriculum portability: For Nissan HQ Minato Mirai families on Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance rotation — Cambridge curriculum transfers seamlessly to next posting (Paris, Detroit, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Bangkok, Yokohama).
US Navy Yokosuka family curriculum continuity: US Navy families at Yokosuka Naval Base (US 7th Fleet HQ) rotating across global Navy assignments — American Curriculum with AP, plus Cambridge or IB alternatives.
Yamate Bluff multi-generational expat community curriculum: For Yamate historic foreign settlement families with long Yokohama heritage — internationally portable curriculum for next generation's global mobility.
Full daytime school day on Japan time: Classes run 9 AM to 3 PM Japan Standard Time, a full daytime school day.
Cambridge exam access via British Council Tokyo: British Council Tokyo hosts Cambridge examinations. Yokohama to Tokyo: 45-90 minutes via Tokyu/JR/Keikyu/Shinkansen.

Japan operates a regulated education sector under MEXT. Yokohama families should consult MEXT and qualified legal advisors regarding compulsory education compliance. For Nissan executive, US Navy Yokosuka, shipping/maritime expat and Japanese kikokushijo families, Smartious operates under the relevant documentation arrangement.

Premium 1-on-1 support (USD 15/hour) includes optional in-person home tuition for Yamate, Minato Mirai, Aoba-ku Yokohama families during examination preparation periods.

Live online via Smartious LMS. Classes run 9 AM to 3 PM JST, a full daytime school day, with 7 PM to 10 PM JST evening slots also available. Yokohama has world-class internet (NTT FLET'S Hikari, KDDI au Hikari, SoftBank Hikari + 5G).

Yokohama is Japan's second-largest city by population (3.8 million) and the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, located approximately 30 km south of Tokyo. Yokohama opened to foreign trade in 1859 as one of the first Japanese ports designated for foreign residence, creating a unique multi-generational expat heritage centred on Yamate (the Bluff). International school provision in Yokohama centres on Yokohama International School (YIS — established 1924, Japan's oldest international school, IB World School), Saint Maur International School (established 1872 in Yokohama — one of the world's oldest international schools, IGCSE + IB), Horizon Japan International School (Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level), Deutsche Schule Tokyo Yokohama (DSTY Yokohama campus), and the smaller offerings. Yokohama also hosts Nissan Motor Company's global HQ (Minato Mirai, since 2009) and the Port of Yokohama (Japan's second-busiest container port). South of Yokohama, Yokosuka Naval Base hosts the US 7th Fleet HQ — the largest US Navy installation outside the continental US, with ~17,000 US military personnel and dependents. The combination of historic Yamate Bluff expat community, modern Minato Mirai corporate density, Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi executive rotation, US Navy Yokosuka family rotation, Port of Yokohama maritime industry families, and the established residential fibre internet makes Yokohama a natural market for live online Cambridge, IB and American curriculum delivery.

Family situations we work with

Yamate (the Bluff) historic foreign settlement families — multi-generational Yokohama expat residents, traditional international school families.
Motomachi-Yamashita central Yokohama families.
Minato Mirai modern business district families — Landmark Tower, Queen's Square premium high-rise residential.
Aoba-ku families — Tama Plaza, Aobadai, premium suburban with multiple international and Japanese-curriculum schools.
Tsuzuki-ku families — Center Minami, Center Kita.
Kohoku-ku Shin-Yokohama area families.
Nissan Motor Company corporate executive families (Nissan global HQ at Minato Mirai since 2009) — Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance executive transfers.
Shipping and maritime industry families — Port of Yokohama (Japan's second-busiest container port), Maersk, MSC, MOL, NYK Line, K Line, plus international shipping line Yokohama operations.
US Navy families through Yokosuka Naval Base (US 7th Fleet HQ, ~17,000 US military personnel and dependents).
US Forces Japan Camp Zama families (US Army Japan HQ, just west of Yokohama in Sagamihara, Kanagawa).
Kanagawa Prefecture government and academic families.
Kikokushijo (帰国子女) Japanese returnee families resident in Yokohama.
Japanese elite families in Den-en-chofu southern extension (split between Tokyo Ota-ku and Yokohama Aoba-ku).

Yokohama communities and nearby areas

Yamate (the Bluff — historic foreign settlement) · Naka-ku (Motomachi, Yamashita Park, Kannai, Bashamichi, Yokohama Chinatown) · Minato Mirai 21 (Landmark Tower, Queen's Square, Pacifico Yokohama, Shinkocho) · Nishi-ku (Yokohama Station area) · Kohoku-ku (Shin-Yokohama, Hiyoshi, Kikuna) · Aoba-ku (Tama Plaza, Aobadai, Susukino, Eda) · Tsuzuki-ku (Center Minami, Center Kita) · Kanazawa-ku (Hakkeijima, Kanazawa-Hakkei) · Hodogaya-ku · Konan-ku · Totsuka-ku · Sakae-ku · Izumi-ku · Tsurumi-ku · Asahi-ku · Midori-ku · Seya-ku · Greater Yokohama and Kanagawa: · Kawasaki (~15km north — Kanagawa's second city, between Yokohama and Tokyo) · Yokosuka (~25km south — US Naval Base) · Kamakura (~20km south — coastal historic city) · Fujisawa (~25km south-west, coastal) · Sagamihara (Camp Zama US Army Japan HQ) · Atsugi (Atsugi Naval Air Facility) · Hayama (Imperial Villa area) · Zushi · Tokyo (~30km north — 45-90 min via Tokyu, JR Yokohama Line, Keikyu, or Shinkansen via Shin-Yokohama)

Common questions from Yokohama families

How does Smartious compare to YIS (Yokohama International School) — Japan's oldest international school?

Yokohama International School (established 1924, Japan's oldest international school, IB World School, ~USD 22,000-28,000/year) provides physical campus education with century-long Yokohama heritage. Smartious provides live online IB Diploma from USD 5,076/year with immediate enrolment, small class sizes (4-6 students), JST time zone, and elimination of any commute. The IB Diploma earned is identical.

How does Smartious compare to Saint Maur International School — one of the world's oldest international schools (established 1872)?

Saint Maur International School (established 1872 in Yokohama by the Sisters of the Infant Jesus — one of the world's oldest continuously operating international schools, IGCSE + IB Diploma, ~USD 18,000-23,000/year) provides physical campus education with extraordinary 150+ year Yokohama heritage. Smartious provides live online Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level or IB Diploma at a fraction of fees.

My family is on a Nissan HQ Minato Mirai assignment. How does Smartious work for Nissan and Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance families?

Nissan corporate executive families on Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance rotation are a natural Smartious Yokohama client profile. Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level, IB Diploma and AP transfer seamlessly to next Alliance posting (Paris Renault HQ, Detroit, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Bangkok, Mumbai, anywhere in the global Alliance footprint).

My family is US Navy at Yokosuka Naval Base. How does Smartious work for US Navy families in Yokohama-Yokosuka?

US Navy families at Yokosuka Naval Base (US 7th Fleet HQ — the largest US Navy installation outside the continental US, ~17,000 personnel and dependents) are a Smartious Yokohama client profile. Common configurations: (1) American Curriculum with AP for US universities; (2) Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level for internationally portable credentials; (3) IB Diploma for IB World School continuity. Curriculum transfers seamlessly across Navy rotations.

My family is in shipping / maritime at Port of Yokohama. How does Smartious work for maritime industry families?

Port of Yokohama (Japan's second-busiest container port) maritime industry families — Maersk, MSC, MOL (Mitsui O.S.K. Lines), NYK Line, K Line, plus international shipping line Yokohama operations — are a natural Smartious client profile. Shipping industry rotation across global ports is regular.

Where do Yokohama students sit Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level examinations?

British Council Tokyo hosts Cambridge examinations. Yokohama to Tokyo: 45-90 minutes via Tokyu Toyoko Line, JR Yokohama Line, Keikyu Main Line, or Shinkansen via Shin-Yokohama Station. Twice-yearly travel manageable.

My family is in Yamate (the Bluff) — historic Yokohama foreign settlement. How does Smartious work for multi-generational expat families?

Yamate (the Bluff) is Yokohama's historic 1859-era foreign settlement, with multi-generational expat heritage and centred around YIS, Saint Maur, and the foreign cemetery (Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery). Smartious provides internationally portable curriculum for the next generation's global mobility, with KST [JST] time zone live classes matching Yokohama school hours.

Guides for families in Japan

What parents say

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“What stands out most about Smartious Homeschool and Tuition is their dedication to each learner. They don't rush through topics but ensure the child fully understands before moving forward. The progress my child has made in a short time is impressive. I would definitely recommend them to any parent.” — Google reviewer, Google review