Kanagawa Prefecture · Second-largest city in Japan · 3.8M residents · Port of Yokohama · Yamate (historic foreign settlement) · Minato Mirai · Nissan HQ · 30km south of Tokyo

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.

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Education in Yokohama

Challenges Yokohama families face

1YIS / 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.
2Greater 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.
3Yamate 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.
4Nissan 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).
5US 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.
6Port of Yokohama maritime industry: Japan's second-busiest container port brings shipping line, port authority and logistics executive families on rotational postings.
7Time zone reality: Same JST as Tokyo (UTC+9). Smartious afternoon/evening live class windows apply.

Why Smartious for Yokohama

Six reasons Yokohama families choose Smartious

YIS / Saint Maur / Horizon Japan IS / DSTY alternative at a fraction of fees

Smartious provides Cambridge, IB or American at USD 2,160-6,480/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.

JST afternoon/evening live classes

Classes scheduled 3 PM – 7 PM Japan Standard Time matching post-school hours.

Cambridge exam access via British Council Tokyo

British Council Tokyo hosts Cambridge examinations. Yokohama to Tokyo: 45-90 minutes via Tokyu/JR/Keikyu/Shinkansen.

Who we serve in Yokohama

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).

Areas served

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-kuKonan-kuTotsuka-kuSakae-kuIzumi-kuTsurumi-kuAsahi-kuMidori-kuSeya-kuGreater 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)ZushiTokyo (~30km north — 45-90 min via Tokyu, JR Yokohama Line, Keikyu, or Shinkansen via Shin-Yokohama)

FAQs

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 at USD 2,160-6,480/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.

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