HIS at a Glance

We’re located in the beautiful Hakuba Valley in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, near the site of the 1998 Winter Olympics. Our campus is surrounded by natural beauty and opportunities for adventure in every season of the year, from skiing to river rafting and hiking.

At HIS, students learn by doing. Through Project-Based Learning, Socratic Seminars, and Social-Emotional Learning, they dig deeper, think critically, and remember what they learn. Much of that learning happens outdoors, rooted in a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.

We are lucky enough to create our own culture here. HIS is small by design, based on research and our experience that smaller schools generate more positive and engaged student cultures. In the 2026-2027 school year we serve approximately 70 students in grades 7 through 12.

Building on excellent curricula from around the world, we have created our own university-preparatory curriculum. It offers all the core academic content expected in middle and high school years for university entrance, alongside a greater focus on the skills for human flourishing and environmental sustainability.

English is our core language of instruction, and all students must have at least intermediate English to enter HIS. We offer extra support for those working toward English fluency. All students also learn Japanese at a level suitable to their abilities, and have the option to study additional world languages.

Our founding class graduates on May 28, 2027, the first in HIS history. We expect our students to attend a wide range of excellent universities around the world, and our curriculum will ensure they are ready. With two university counselors on-staff, we have a robust support program to help them navigate to the right next step of their education.

HIS operates on an academic year from late August through June. Please see our school calendar for current dates. See the School Calendar 2026-2027.

We have a fantastic team of 30+ faculty & staff, and one intern (more here), bringing expertise from exceptional schools on four continents.

HIS is accredited by the Japanese government, and is currently in the accreditation process with WASC, the Western Association of Schools & Colleges. WASC is a leading global accreditor and currently accredits many of the best international schools in Asia. With WASC accreditation, HIS diplomas will be accepted at universities and other institutions globally.

Hakuba International School is a not-for-profit school, governed by a Board and supported by a combination of tuition and donor support.

HIS was founded by Tomoko Kusamoto, who envisioned a school that would offer more innovative learning methods while taking advantage of the beautiful Japanese countryside. She began in 2015 by operating summer programs, which quickly became popular as a combination of project-based learning and outdoor education. HIS opened its doors to full-time boarding and day students in August 2022.