If you are moving to Kyoto — for a research post, a university appointment, a company transfer, or simply because your family fell in love with the city — one of the first questions is where your children will go to school. Here is the honest answer up front: Kyoto Prefecture has three international schools that take students beyond kindergarten age, located in Kamigyo-ku (central Kyoto City), Kizugawa, and Kyotanabe. Add roughly ten English-medium preschools clustered in central Kyoto, plus two Japanese schools running English-language international tracks in Uji and Kyotanabe, and you have the full picture. Annual tuition at the campus international schools runs from about JPY 1.45 million to JPY 1.95 million.
This guide maps every option in Kyoto Prefecture by area, with real fee figures, age ranges and curricula — and then helps you work out which one actually fits your family. No school is being sold to you here. The goal is that by the end, you can make the call yourself.
International schools in Kyoto: the landscape and what they cost
Kyoto is unusual among Japanese prefectures. It is a global tourism destination and, at the same time, one of the country’s densest concentrations of universities and research institutes — Kyoto University, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Doshisha, Ritsumeikan and the Keihanna science city cluster in the south. The prefecture’s foreign resident population grew from roughly 54,000 in 2016 to about 91,000 in 2025, a 1.68-fold increase in a decade (Kyoto Prefectural Government). In Sakyo-ku alone, more than 9,000 of about 150,000 residents are foreign nationals — largely researchers, visiting faculty, graduate students and their families.
That produces a distinctive mix of demand: families here for two or three years on a research contract sitting alongside long-settled international and returnee families. What it has not produced is a large school market. Kyoto has nowhere near the school density of Tokyo, Osaka or Kobe. English-medium education past age six narrows sharply to three schools: Kyoto International School (KIS) in Kamigyo-ku, Doshisha International School Kyoto (DISK) in Kizugawa, and KIU Academy in Kyotanabe.
Budget roughly JPY 1.45–1.95 million per year in tuition, plus one-time registration fees of JPY 220,000–250,000 and application fees of JPY 20,000–31,500. The Japanese schools with international tracks are cheaper, at roughly JPY 980,000–1.68 million a year. If you want to understand how international school costs are actually structured — and where the hidden line items sit — see our breakdown of international school tuition. Note: figures reflect information published as of July 2026; always confirm current fees directly with each school.
Every international school in Kyoto Prefecture, by area
Kyoto Prefecture runs roughly 140 km from the Sea of Japan coast down to the Nara border. Where you live determines which schools are genuinely reachable far more than in a compact city. Read the sections below with your commute in mind.
Kyoto City (Kamigyo-ku, Nakagyo-ku, Sakyo-ku)
1. Kyoto International School (KIS)
Founded in 1957, KIS is the oldest international school in Kyoto and the only IB Continuum School in the region — authorised for the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. It operates two campuses in Kamigyo-ku: Juraku Campus for ages 3 to 12 and Taiken Campus for the secondary years. The school opened its first Grade 11 class in August 2025 and completes Grade 12 in 2026, so a full K-12 pathway is now in place. It also holds WASC and COBIS accreditation.
- Curriculum — International Baccalaureate PYP / MYP / DP, taught in English
- Ages — 3 to 18 (K1–G12), Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City (two campuses)
- Annual fees — approx. JPY 1,556,800 (K1–G5) and JPY 1,951,000 (G6–G10), including a JPY 190,000 building and facilities fee; application JPY 31,500, registration JPY 220,000 (2026/27 published figures, confirm with the school)
- Best for — families based in central Kyoto who want a continuous IB pathway, including short-term academic postings
2. English-medium preschools in central Kyoto
Kyoto City has a healthy cluster of English-immersion preschools, mostly for ages one to six. Some run full-day English programmes, others blend Japanese and English. Crucially, none of them continue past age six — you will be choosing a primary school again at that point, so plan the transition early.
- Kyoto International Preschool — Nakagyo-ku
- Kinder Kids International School, Kyoto — Nishinokyo, Nakagyo-ku; full-English environment for ages 1–5
- Sakura International School Kyoto (Kansai International Academy) — bilingual, inquiry-based English childcare
- Kirara International Kindergarten — deliberately develops both English and Japanese
- Zoo-phonics Academy Kyoto (Nakagyo-ku), Marian International School (Nakagyo-ku), Venetia International School (Sakyo-ku) and others
Preschool costs vary enormously with hours and days attended, so treat fees as enquiry-only rather than assuming a published rate applies to your schedule.
Southern Kyoto and the Keihanna science city (Kizugawa, Kyotanabe, Uji)
Southern Kyoto Prefecture, anchored by the Kansai Science City, is where the larger campuses are. It is also within reach of Nara City and north-eastern Osaka, and tends to offer more space and slightly lower fees than central Kyoto.
3. Doshisha International School, Kyoto (DISK)
Located in Kizugawa, DISK runs Grades 1 through 12 and became, in 2014, the first international school in Japan authorised to offer the IB Primary Years Programme. It shares a campus with Doshisha International Academy Elementary School (DIAES), a Japanese-accredited school teaching roughly 45% in Japanese and 55% in English under a special curriculum exemption. Having an English-medium international school and a mother-tongue-based bilingual Japanese school on one site is genuinely rare in Japan.
- Curriculum — English-medium, IB PYP authorised; a 12-year pathway (confirm current secondary authorisations with the school)
- Ages — 6 to 18 (G1–G12), Kizugawa, Kyoto Prefecture
- Annual fees — approx. JPY 1,550,000 (G6–8) and JPY 1,700,000 (G9–12), plus a JPY 150,000 educational enrichment fee; entrance test JPY 20,000, registration JPY 250,000 (published figures)
- Best for — families who want strong English without giving up on Japanese, living around Kizugawa, Nara or Kyotanabe
4. KIU Academy (Kyoto International University Academy)
In Kyotanabe, KIU Academy offers a Grades 1–12 bilingual programme built on an American curriculum with awareness of the Japanese course of study, taught in both English and Japanese. It is accredited by WASC and by ACSI, and positions itself for students heading either overseas or into the Japanese system.
- Curriculum — American-based bilingual (English and Japanese), WASC and ACSI accredited
- Ages — 6 to 18 (G1–G12), Kyotanabe, Kyoto Prefecture
- Annual fees — from approx. JPY 1,453,000 (2026/27 published figures), application fee JPY 25,000; confirm current rates
- Best for — families wanting both languages developed seriously, in the Kyotanabe / Uji / Nara corridor
Japanese schools with English-language international tracks
If a Japanese graduation certificate matters to you — for university admission in Japan, or simply for continuity — two accredited Japanese schools in Kyoto Prefecture are worth knowing.
- Ritsumeikan Uji Junior and Senior High School (Uji) — in 2009 it became the first accredited Japanese school in the Kansai region authorised for the IB Diploma Programme. The high school IB course cost approx. JPY 1,679,000 per year in 2025 (tuition JPY 638,000 + facilities JPY 291,000 + IB course fee JPY 750,000); fees were revised from 2026, so check current figures.
- Doshisha International Junior and Senior High School (Kyotanabe) — more than half the student body are returnees, and it is the only school in Kyoto with A1 designation from the Japan Overseas Educational Services. First-year costs are around JPY 1,080,000, then roughly JPY 980,000 per year.
Central and northern Kyoto (Kameoka, Nantan, Ayabe, Fukuchiyama, Maizuru)
To be straightforward: we could not identify any permanent international school serving primary-age children or older in central or northern Kyoto Prefecture as of July 2026, having cross-checked prefectural private school listings, school websites and international school databases. There are English after-school programmes in towns such as Nagaokakyo, but these are supplementary rather than full-time schooling. From Fukuchiyama or Maizuru, a one-way trip to KIS in Kyoto City is around two hours — not a realistic daily commute.
If you live in southern Kyoto, however, Osaka is genuinely reachable. International schools in Osaka are far more numerous, and some families commute from Kyoto Station by rapid service. You can also compare the wider picture through our guide to international schools across all 47 prefectures.
Choosing the one that fits your family
Grouping the options by type makes the decision clearer. In Kyoto, the city-versus-south divide is effectively a divide between different schools altogether, so start with geography and work inward.
A physical campus and full daily immersion are real strengths of the commuting schools — but in Kyoto Prefecture there are only three of them past kindergarten, and fees climb toward JPY 1.5–1.95 million a year. Affordability, a light commute, and continuity no matter where in the prefecture you live are the strengths of online schooling. The question worth asking is not can we get in? but can we keep this going for a decade? Weigh commute time, household budget and your child’s temperament together. You can see how learning works online → if you want to understand the model in detail.
When nothing is within reach — the online option
Perhaps you have read this far and concluded that a daily commute into Kamigyo-ku is impossible, that northern Kyoto has nothing at all, or that JPY 1.5 million a year is simply not sustainable for the number of years involved. Commuting schools are not the only path. NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (NGA) is an online international school opening in September 2027, operated by NIJIN Inc. in Japan. Its sister alternative school in Japan, NIJIN Academy, already has more than 1,000 students enrolled.
NGA is built around learning that does not rank children by test scores, small dialogue-centred classes, and a mission we take literally — helping children come to like themselves and the world. Tuition is designed to be about one-fifth of a typical campus international school. It serves ages 6 to 18 across Asia and Oceania, which means central Kyoto, Uji, Kizugawa, Fukuchiyama or Maizuru make no difference. Because it assumes Japanese-language support underneath, children can move into English gradually rather than all at once.
In fairness: NGA has not opened yet, so there is no track record to point to, and it will never replicate a school field, a science lab or a corridor full of classmates. But for families in Kyoto Prefecture with few reachable schools — or none — it is an option worth putting on the same table as the others.
Frequently asked questions
Can we reach an international school from anywhere in Kyoto Prefecture?
Not really. The three schools serving primary age and above sit in Kamigyo-ku, Kizugawa and Kyotanabe. From Kameoka, Nantan, Ayabe, Fukuchiyama or Maizuru, expect 1.5 to 2 hours each way. If you live along the subway or JR lines in Kyoto City, KIS is workable; if you are in the Keihanna area, DISK and KIU Academy are the natural candidates. Test the route on a weekday morning before you commit.
Can we commute to schools in Osaka or Nara instead?
Yes, and many families do. Southern Kyoto — Uji, Joyo, Kizugawa, Kyotanabe — shares a daily catchment with Nara City and north-eastern Osaka. Kyoto Station to central Osaka is under 30 minutes by rapid service, and Osaka has considerably more schools. See international schools in Osaka for the options. That said, once a one-way commute passes about 90 minutes, it starts to cost your child sleep and your family its evenings.
What about Japanese-language support?
Entry with no English is usually fine at preschool age; from mid-primary onwards some schools apply English-language entry requirements. Kyoto has a real advantage here: Doshisha International School and KIU Academy both develop Japanese alongside English deliberately, rather than treating it as an add-on. If your child attends a fully English-medium school, Japanese literacy often needs separate attention — our sister service Tomodachi Japan (online Japanese for children, also run by NIJIN) is one way to cover that gap.
Growing up in Kyoto, on your family’s terms
Kyoto Prefecture offers a small but genuinely varied set of choices: a full IB continuum in the old city, bilingual 12-year schools in the science city to the south, English preschools in between, and accredited Japanese schools with international tracks. Because the list is short, there is no reason to rush toward the best-known name. Line up the total cost, the daily journey and your child’s temperament, and choose the place where your child can most be themselves while learning. We hope this guide made that decision a little clearer.
NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY opens in September 2027. We will share how the learning works — no ranking by test scores, reachable fees, small classes connected to the world — and news about our founding cohort by email.
