Photo/Illutration The founder of Knightsbridge House International School John Fearon, left, signs an agreement with Senboku Mayor Tomoaki Taguchi, right, in Senboku, Akita Prefecture, on Feb. 14. (Takashi Takizawa)

SENBOKU, Akita Prefecture—The first international school in Akita Prefecture is scheduled to open here as early as September.

Based in Singapore, Knightsbridge House International School (KBH) is behind the international school. It opened its first school only three years ago and is on track to open a school in Thailand soon. The Senboku location will be its fourth. 

The intent is to recruit students mainly from Asian countries and regions. KBH intends to create curriculums incorporating the area's rich natural environment, including Lake Tazawako and other areas.

A signing ceremony between the organization and the Senboku municipal government was held at the municipal government’s building on Feb. 14. 

John Fearon, KBH's founder who is originally from South Africa, appeared at the ceremony. He said that they want to offer high-quality education comparable to that of Singapore and Britain with relatively cheap tuition.

“Senboku has many attractive places such as samurai residences located in Kakunodate and Lake Tazawako," Mayor Tomoaki Taguchi said at the ceremony. "We hope that students of the new school will take advantage of them in various ways to learn.”

BRITISH-STYLE SCHOOLING

Starting in September, the KBH institution is projected to temporarily operate in the municipality's Shiraiwa Elementary School that will close in March. KBH will also build a dormitory in the courtyard. 

The plan is to build the main school on the shores of Lake Tazawako and move there in a few years.

It hopes to start its first academic year with about 40 students, enrolling junior high to high school-age children from countries and regions across Asia, including Japan.

Its goal is to have around 600 students when it moves into the Lake Tazawako site in a few years. 

Students will be taught curriculums based on the globally used Cambridge International Education system. Although this means they will not be eligible to graduate from Japanese junior high or high schools, they will be able to obtain international qualifications for university admissions.

The school intends to apply for prefectural approval as a “miscellaneous school” under the School Education Law before its opening.

The city has been attracting international schools since 2023, aiming to increase its non-resident population and number of inbound tourists. In January last year, the city organized a promotional tour; five domestic and international companies participated, including KBH.

“The natural environment is the biggest attraction. The snow and ski slopes must be fascinating for foreign students,” Fearon said about the reason why he chose Senboku. “There are many other activities we can take advantage of in Senboku. We’d like to incorporate boating on Lake Tazawako into our curriculums.”

The school plans to set its annual tuition fee, excluding dormitory costs, at about 1.5 million yen ($10,000). On average, annual tuition at international schools is believed to be over 2 million yen, and KBH has been trying to draw in prospective students with its “affordable prices.”

Fearon also announced at the ceremony that tuition will cost even less for locals. “We are considering 30 percent discounts on tuition fees for children from Akita Prefecture.” 

DROP OFF THE KIDS?

KBH is not alone in choosing Japan—international schools are opening one after another, and a noticeable number of them have appeared in rural areas in recent years.

Harrow International School Appi Japan located in Hachimantai, Iwate Prefecture, and Hakuba International School located in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture, are among them. As both areas are known for their ski resorts, the schools lean into the natural majesty around them as one selling point.

“Japan has a high interest in quality education,” Fearon said at the ceremony. “Our goal is to open 50 schools across Japan. We’d like to establish schools in various regions, not only in big cities, and work with the local communities.”

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