Photograph pending

International School of the Sacred Heart (ISSH) — Confirm the IB Question Yourself

Tokyo, Japan

Founded 1908 in Shibuya-ku (Hiroo) — a girls' school (coeducational kindergarten only) with over a century of history in the worldwide Sacred Heart network.

Researched by William Prep from published sources. Not yet verified by the school. — Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24

ISSH was founded in 1908 by sisters of the Society of the Sacred Heart in Hiroo, Shibuya-ku. Kindergarten (K3–K5) is coeducational; Grade 1 onward is girls-only. It belongs to the worldwide Sacred Heart network, present in 44 countries.

At a Glance

Founded	1908 (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24
Coeducation	Coed Kindergarten (K3–K5) only; girls-only Grade 1–12 (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24
Accreditation	WASC, CIS (reported, unconfirmed) (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24
Est. First-Year Cost (G1–8)	≈¥3.92M2026-27 · as of: 2026-09-24

The IB Question — Not Confirmed This Session

Seisen is reported to have become Japan's first all-girls IB continuum school in 2020. Whether ISSH runs a similar IB track was not confirmed this session — and because that directly affects which route to Japanese university eligibility applies, it's worth confirming with the school directly before applying rather than assuming either way.

William Prep’s Analysis

It would be a mistake to assume ISSH runs the same curriculum as Seisen just because both are Sacred Heart-network girls' schools in the same part of Tokyo. They are separately run institutions with separate histories, and nothing here should be read as implying they share a curriculum — this is exactly the kind of assumption that needs checking school by school, not inferred from a shared name.

Fees: A Real First-Year Total of About ¥3.92M (Grade 1–8)

ISSH's own 2026-27 fee schedule lists three non-refundable one-time charges: a ¥30,000 application fee, a ¥300,000 registration fee, and a ¥600,000 education & building development fee. On top of that, an annual ¥220,000 building/maintenance fee applies alongside grade-banded tuition (¥2,770,000 for Grade 1–8). Added together, a genuine first-year total comes to roughly ¥3,920,000. Students in Grades 5–12 are required to have their own MacBook.

University Entrance Eligibility in Japan

School-accreditation route	Yes (not independently confirmed)
Student-qualification route (IB, etc.)	No not publicly confirmedWhether ISSH offers the IB Diploma or another curriculum that would trigger the individual-credential eligibility route was not confirmed this session.

The WASC/CIS accreditation is based on third-party reporting, not confirmed against either registry directly this session. Whether ISSH runs the IB or its own curriculum track was not confirmed this session either.

Fees & Estimated First-Year Cost

academic year: 2026-27

Application Fee	¥30,000
Registration Fee	¥300,000
Education & Building Development Fee	¥600,000
Building/Maintenance Fee	¥220,000
Tuition (Grade 1–8)G1-G8	¥2,770,000
Tuition (Grade 9–11)G9-G11	¥2,790,000
Tuition (Grade 12)G12	¥2,880,000
Estimated First-Year Total	¥3,920,000

Includes: application, registration, capital, facilities, tuition — Excludes: Excludes the required MacBook purchase for Grades 5–12. This uses Grade 1–8 tuition as the base.

What Makes This School Distinctive

Over a century inside the worldwide Sacred Heart network

Founded 1908, part of the Society of the Sacred Heart's network across 44 countries

April 13 is reportedly celebrated annually as "ISSH Birthday," marking the 1908 opening.

A long history and an international institutional network can translate into a broader alumnae network after graduation.

Admissions

Cycle

未確認 not publicly confirmed

What Japanese Families Should Know

Who Might Find This School a Good Fit

Might suit — Families willing to confirm the IB question directly with the school before applying

Might not suit — Families choosing schools on the assumption that a full IB continuum is guaranteed

William Prep’s Analysis

Researching ISSH made clear how risky it is to assume 'same religious network, same curriculum.' Even within the same Sacred Heart network, curriculum structure has to be confirmed school by school — and being unable to confirm the IB question this session is itself worth recording honestly, rather than guessing based on Seisen's example.

Questions to Ask the School

1.Does ISSH offer the IB Diploma, MYP, or PYP?
Why this matters: Not confirmed this session — and it directly affects which university-eligibility route applies.
2.What is the current status of the WASC and CIS accreditations?
Why this matters: Not confirmed against either registry directly this session.

Sources & Verification

Tuition & Fees — International School of the Sacred Heartprimary source · as of: 2026-09-24Fetched directly. 2026-27: application ¥30,000, registration ¥300,000, education & building development ¥600,000 (one-time), building/maintenance ¥220,000/yr, tuition by grade.
Search synthesis on ISSH history and structure — Multiple (incl. issh.ac.jp/welcome/history via search, Wikipedia)third-party source · as of: 2026-09-24Founded 1908 — four Religious of the Sacred Heart arrived in Yokohama Jan 1908; school opened Tokyo, April 13 1908 (celebrated as "ISSH Birthday"). Part of the worldwide Society of the Sacred Heart network (44 countries). Kindergarten (K3-K5) is coeducational; Junior School through High School (Grade 1-12) is girls-only. WASC and CIS accredited. Not independently confirmed against issh.ac.jp's own history page directly this session (fetched only via search synthesis).

Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24

Official Website ↗

Explore Other Schools

Let’s Talk About Your Child’s Learning

Worried whether your child is on the right track? Start with a free consultation, and we’ll map out concrete next steps tailored to their situation.

Book a Free Consultation