International Schools in Toshima, Tokyo (2026): All 8 Schools, Fees, and How to Choose

If you have just landed in Toshima — a posting near Ikebukuro, a flat in Mejiro, a family already settled around Otsuka or Sugamo — you have probably hit the same wall everyone hits. Search for international schools in Toshima and you get page after page of preschools for one to five year olds. This guide lists every international school genuinely operating inside Toshima Ward — eight of them, each checked against its own website — with the ages served, the fees actually published, and the honest gaps in between. Because the number that matters is not eight. It is that only three take primary-age children every day, and realistically only one is open to any family.

Quick Answer: Your Options in Toshima

• New International School of Japan (Minami-Ikebukuro) | age 3 (Pre-K) to Grade 12 | approx. ¥1,960,000–¥2,600,000 tuition per year plus a ¥200,000 annual resource fee (2026–27, published) | The ward’s only full-day school running from preschool through high school
• International Islamia School Otsuka / IISO (Minami-Otsuka) | kindergarten to high school | contact the school | Founded 2004, English-medium with Islamic studies and Arabic, serving Japan’s Muslim community
• Globus Tokyo (Higashi-Ikebukuro) | ages 3–18 | contact the school | Russian, English and Japanese trilingual school; registered as a juku, so confirm the attendance format
• Beyondia International School Ikebukuro (Higashi-Ikebukuro) | ages 2–5 | contact the school | Formerly Funshine Academy; inquiry-based learning, working towards IB authorisation, subsidy-eligible
• Victoria International School (Minami-Ikebukuro) | age 1 to Grade 6 | contact the school | Full-day English childcare plus Basic and Advanced classes for primary-age children
• Microcosmos International Preschool & Kindergarten (Sugamo) | age 2 to school entry | contact the school | Roughly 1:5 teacher ratio, eurhythmics and meals cooked on site
• RYOZAN PARK PRESCHOOL / Montessori (Minami-Otsuka) | 1.5–6 years | contact the school | Montessori mixed-age kinder class, coworking space in the same building
• First Steps International School (Higashi-Ikebukuro) | ages 1–5, plus afterschool from Grade 1 | contact the school | Open 7:30–19:00 weekdays; afterschool uses US elementary textbooks
• NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (online, opening September 2027, ages 6–18, around one-fifth of on-site international school fees, Japanese-language support built in) | An online international school with no catchment area. Currently registering families for opening updates

International schools in Toshima: the landscape and what they cost

Toshima is the second-smallest of Tokyo’s 23 wards, yet it holds four very different neighbourhoods — the sprawl of Ikebukuro, the calm of Mejiro, the old-town feel of Sugamo, the community around Otsuka. It also has one of the higher shares of foreign residents in the city, which is why so many families arrive assuming the school options will be plentiful. In practice, almost everything you find is designed for children under six.

Broken down by age, the picture is stark:

Eight options at four years old become three at six. And of those three, IISO is a community school built for Muslim families, while Globus is centred on Russian-speaking households and is registered as a juku rather than a school. Which leaves one honest conclusion: for a family arriving in Toshima with a primary-age child and no particular community affiliation, New International School of Japan is effectively the only full-day option inside the ward. No competing guide we found says this plainly.

Fees follow the same pattern. New International School is the only school in Toshima that publishes annual tuition. For 2026–27 it is ¥1,960,000 for Pre-K, ¥2,360,000 for Kindergarten and Grade 1, ¥2,450,000 for Grades 2–6, ¥2,560,000 for Grades 7–8 and ¥2,600,000 for Grades 9–12, plus a ¥200,000 annual resource and programme development fee. First-year families also pay a ¥330,000 entrance fee and a ¥450,000 building and facilities fee. That is below the ¥3 million mark common at the large Minato and Shibuya schools, but it still adds up to well over ¥15 million across six primary years. Our breakdown of international school costs shows where the money actually goes.

Every preschool in the ward keeps fees off its website and quotes after a tour. Several are certified for Japan’s early childhood education subsidy, worth up to ¥37,000 a month for ages three to five, so the number you are quoted is not always the number you pay. Ask about it directly.

All 8 international schools in Toshima, with ages and fees

1. New International School of Japan (Minami-Ikebukuro)

The only school in the ward a child can attend from age three through to graduation. Its two defining features are dual-language instruction in English and Japanese, and multiage classrooms where children of different grades learn together. It is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association, and added a secondary building in July 2025.

• Curriculum: dual-language English and Japanese, multiage classes; CIS and MSA accredited
• Ages: 3 (Pre-K) to Grade 12
• Fees: approx. ¥1,960,000–¥2,600,000 per year plus ¥200,000 resource fee (2026–27, published); first year adds ¥330,000 entrance and ¥450,000 facilities fees
• Good fit if: you want one school for the whole journey and refuse to trade away Japanese

Website: New International School of Japan

2. International Islamia School Otsuka / IISO (Minami-Otsuka)

Established in 2004 by the Japan Islamic Trust, IISO runs from kindergarten to high school. English is the main language of instruction, with Japanese as a second language, alongside Islamic studies and Arabic. Scholarships for lower-income families and sibling discounts are available.

• Curriculum: international curriculum plus Islamic education; English-medium
• Ages: kindergarten, primary, junior high and high school
• Fees: contact the school (set by grade; scholarships available)
• Good fit if: you want faith-consistent daily routines alongside an English-medium education

Website: International Islamia School Otsuka

3. Globus Tokyo (Higashi-Ikebukuro)

Opened in 2013, Globus teaches in Russian, English and Japanese for ages three to eighteen. Most families have roots in Russian-speaking countries, but children of any nationality are welcome. It holds a juku licence under Japanese law, so confirm the attendance format and enrolment status with the school before committing.

• Curriculum: general education programmes delivered in three languages
• Ages: 3–18
• Fees: contact the school
• Good fit if: you want your child’s Russian to grow alongside English and Japanese

Website: Globus Tokyo

4. Beyondia International School Ikebukuro (Higashi-Ikebukuro)

Formerly Funshine Academy, now the Ikebukuro campus of the multi-site Beyondia group. Inquiry-based learning and intercultural understanding are the stated pillars, and the school is working towards International Baccalaureate authorisation. A bus service and a wide range of extracurriculars are offered, and it qualifies for the childcare subsidy.

• Curriculum: inquiry-based English programme; IB candidate school
• Ages: 2–5
• Fees: contact the school (half-rate fees for mid-year entry from October)
• Good fit if: you want inquiry learning to start before primary school

Website: Beyondia International School Ikebukuro

5. Victoria International School (Minami-Ikebukuro)

Ten minutes on foot from Ikebukuro Station and five from Higashi-Ikebukuro. Under-sixes spend the whole day in English; primary-age children join Basic or Advanced International classes depending on their starting level, running as far as Grade 6. It is certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a childcare facility meeting supervision standards.

• Curriculum: English immersion, phonics through to paragraph writing
• Ages: 1 to Grade 6 (full-day for preschool, class-based for primary)
• Fees: contact the school
• Good fit if: you want somewhere near Ikebukuro Station that does not end at graduation from kindergarten

Website: Victoria International School

6. Microcosmos International Preschool & Kindergarten (Sugamo)

A small immersion preschool with roughly one teacher to every five children. Alongside English-language play and learning, the week includes eurhythmics and music, trips to nearby gardens and parks, and food education built around meals cooked on the premises.

• Curriculum: native-teacher English immersion plus music and eurhythmics
• Ages: 2 to school entry
• Fees: contact the school
• Good fit if: your child does better in a quiet room with adults close by

Website: Microcosmos International Preschool & Kindergarten

7. RYOZAN PARK PRESCHOOL / Montessori (Minami-Otsuka)

Launched in 2018 by the RYOZAN PARK community hub in Otsuka. The kinder class for ages three to six follows Montessori principles, built around respecting the child and growing independence. A coworking space sits in the same building, which makes it unusually practical for parents who work nearby or remotely.

• Curriculum: English environment plus Montessori mixed-age kinder class
• Ages: 1.5–6
• Fees: contact the school (registration fee plus monthly rates by days per week)
• Good fit if: you work remotely or freelance and want your child close by

Website: RYOZAN PARK PRESCHOOL

8. First Steps International School (Higashi-Ikebukuro)

Two minutes from Higashi-Ikebukuro Station, open 7:30 to 19:00 on weekdays — the longest hours in the ward. The main school covers ages one to five, and an afterschool programme continues for graduates from Grade 1 upwards. It is not a conversation class: the afterschool uses US elementary textbooks and teaches subjects in English.

• Curriculum: bilingual education; US textbooks in the primary afterschool
• Ages: 1–5, plus afterschool from Grade 1
• Fees: contact the school
• Good fit if: both parents work long hours and you want English to continue past kindergarten

Website: First Steps International School

One warning. Several directory sites listing Toshima schools still show places that have closed or moved. SUPER GLOBAL PRESCHOOL in Mejiro now operates as the English afterschool and English juku inside Wisdom Academy Mejiro, and Doremi Garden Preschool has merged into First Learning Senkawa in Itabashi Ward. Always check the school’s own site before booking a tour.

When Toshima is not enough: the neighbouring wards

Toshima sits at the crossing of the Fukutoshin, Yurakucho and Marunouchi subway lines and the Toden Arakawa tram. Extending your search to a twenty-minute radius multiplies the options.

• Shinjuku (via Mejiro and Takadanobaba): one stop from Mejiro, Mejiro International School’s elementary division teaches subjects in English for around ¥1,100,000 a year — a price point Toshima simply does not have. See international schools in Shinjuku.
• Bunkyo (via Otsuka and Sugamo): a few minutes on the Marunouchi Line brings you to Myogadani and Hakusan, with a full-day primary school and an IB Diploma pathway for teenagers. See international schools in Bunkyo.
• Itabashi and Nerima (via Kanamecho and Senkawa): a few stops west opens up more preschool capacity. See Itabashi and Nerima.

If you would rather see the whole city first, start from international schools across Tokyo’s 23 wards.

How to choose: comparing the real trade-offs

Most families stuck on this decision are not really debating English. They are deciding which constraint they can live with. Put cost first and the path is a preschool followed by a Japanese public elementary school. Put continuity first and it is New International School. Put the commute first and it is a neighbouring ward. Choose one priority and you are down to two or three candidates.

There is a fifth axis people forget: the home language. Six years inside a full-day international school can leave English soaring while reading, writing and academic vocabulary in Japanese quietly stall. If Japanese is a worry in your household, our sister service Tomodachi Japan (online Japanese for children, also run by NIJIN) is worth a look. Planning for both languages from the start is what prevents regret later.

See how learning works online →

When fees or the commute are the wall: an online option

If you have reached this point thinking there is one realistic school in the ward and it costs around ¥2.5 million a year, this section is for you. We are building NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY, an online international school opening in September 2027, run by NIJIN Inc. in Japan. Our existing alternative school in Japan, NIJIN Academy, has more than 1,000 students enrolled. We do not rank children by test scores, classes are small and discussion-led, and the idea underneath everything is that a child should come to like themselves and the world. It is for ages 6 to 18 across Asia and Oceania, and we are aiming for roughly one-fifth of the fees of an on-site international school, with Japanese-language support built in so English can be added gradually.

The honest caveats: we have not opened yet, so we have no graduates to point to. And online is not the same experience as a campus. There is no playground, no shared school lunch, no wandering home together afterwards. Ikebukuro’s parks, the temples of Zoshigaya and the quiet streets of Mejiro are where that part of childhood happens — we work best combined with those, not instead of them.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What is the youngest age an international school in Toshima will accept?

A. One year old at Victoria, RYOZAN PARK and First Steps. Two at Microcosmos and Beyondia. Three at New International School’s Pre-K and at Globus. But because only three schools continue past age six, we would urge you to decide what happens at primary entry before you commit to a preschool, not after.

Q. Is there Japanese-language support?

A. New International School of Japan is explicitly dual-language and treats Japanese as a core subject, not an add-on. IISO teaches in English with Japanese as a second language, and Globus runs Japanese as one of its three languages. Most preschools have bilingual staff but do not teach Japanese as an academic subject — that part usually falls to the family.

Q. Can we transfer mid-year?

A. Often yes at the preschools, and Beyondia even sets half-rate fees for entry from October onwards. New International School has small year-group capacities and assesses English on entry, so if you already know your relocation date, contact them about six months ahead.

Note: fees and details reflect information published as of July 2026. Always confirm the current figures on each school’s own website.

A short list is not a failure on your part

The fact that Toshima has effectively one full-day international school from Grade 1 is not something you missed. It is simply how this ward is built. Ward boundaries and train times are not the ceiling on what your child can learn, though. One stop from Ikebukuro, one ward over, or no commute at all — every one of those still leads somewhere. We would be glad to be on your list of possibilities.

International Schools in Other Cities

• International Schools in Melbourne
• International Schools in Nagoya: All 8 Schools
• International Schools in Minato: Fees
• International Schools in Setagaya: All 14 Schools
• International Schools in Tsukuba: Fees
• International Schools in Sendai: 7 Picks and Fees
• International Schools in Suginami, Tokyo
• International Schools in Sumida, Tokyo
• International Schools in Sydney
• International Schools in Tokyo
• International Schools in Shibuya, Tokyo
• International Schools in Koto, Tokyo
• International Schools in Shinagawa, Tokyo
• International Schools in Meguro: All 8 Schools
• International Schools in Chofu and ASIJ Fees

Get opening updates by email →