Sacred Heart School in Tokyo (聖心女子学院, Seishin Joshi Gakuin) is a private Catholic school for girls located in Shirokane, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1908, it serves grades 1 through 12 (elementary through senior high school). It is part of the worldwide Network of Sacred Heart Schools and is affiliated with the University of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo.
There are two closely related but distinct institutions that share the "Sacred Heart" name in Tokyo:
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Sacred Heart School in Tokyo (聖心女子学院) – The Japanese-language private girls' school in Shirokane, Minato. It follows the Japanese national curriculum and is accredited by the Japanese Ministry of Education.
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International School of the Sacred Heart (ISSH) – An English-language international school located in Hiroo, Shibuya, Tokyo. Kindergarten (ages 3–5) is co-educational, while Grades 1–12 are girls only. ISSH offers an international curriculum including Advanced Placement (AP) courses and English as a Second Language (ESL) support. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Council of International Schools (CIS).
History
The school was founded in 1908 by the Society of the Sacred Heart, a Roman Catholic religious order established in 1800 in Amiens, France, by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat. The school was established to provide education for girls in Japan, continuing the order's mission of holistic education.
Curriculum
- Sacred Heart School in Tokyo follows the Japanese national curriculum, with a strong emphasis on English language education.
- International School of the Sacred Heart offers an international curriculum with instruction in English, foreign language offerings in French and Japanese, and Advanced Placement programs. The school is divided into Kindergarten/Junior School (K–Grade 4), Middle School (Grades 5–8), and High School (Grades 9–12).
Notable Alumni
- Empress Michiko – Empress consort of Japan to Emperor Akihito
- Akie Abe – Japanese socialite, widow of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
- Sadako Ogata – Diplomat, former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
- Princess Tomohito of Mikasa – Member of the Imperial House of Japan
- Hisako, Princess Takamado – Member of the Imperial House of Japan
- Ayako Sono – Writer
- Momoko Abe – Miss Universe Japan 2017
- Giselle – Rapper and singer, member of K-pop group aespa (ISSH alumna)
- Joan Fontaine – English-American actress (ISSH alumna)
- Rima Nakabayashi – Rapper and singer, member of NiziU (ISSH alumna)
Campus
The Sacred Heart School in Tokyo campus is located at 4-11-1 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0072. The International School of the Sacred Heart is located at 4-3-1 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0012.
Affiliations
The school is part of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, which includes over 150 schools and institutions in 44 countries worldwide. ISSH holds memberships in the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia, the East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools, and the Japan Council of International Schools.
