The History of Yokohama Jogakuin Girls School

Mr. Tadashi Kaneko was born the oldest son of a prestigious Japanese family in 1915. His family was the community representative at the local shrine and Buddhist temple for several generations. From childhood, Kaneko was very religious, always searching for truth. As a young man, Kaneko served in the Japanese army and during that time was married. He married a girl from a strong Christian background and soon began to take an interest in her faith. After studying the Bible, he came to accept Jesus Christ, renounce his Japanese gods and his positionat the community shrine and temple, and begin to live life according to Christian principles. After the war, at thirty-one years old, Kaneko’s new job was to re-establish two all-girls schools lost during the war. One of the schools had been headed by a Japanese nobleman and was founded on the principles of the Shinto religion. The other school, originally Buddhist, had been founded by a noble couple in the Meji Era (1868-1911).

By the end of the war, not only were they elderly and in poor health, but they had also lost their own home during the bombings of World War II. It was hard for Kaneko to combine the two schools, but within five years, he managed to rebuild the schools into one Christian school. Since the founding of the school on September 13, 1947, he dedicated his life to an educational philosophy based on the Bible, “Love and Truth.” He required that the students are taught Christian ethics regarding character by establishing a sister school agreement with an American high school and by recruiting Christian teachers from America to come and teach English at Yokohama Jogakuin…Mr. Kaneko passed away in the year 2000. He was succeeded by his son, Yukata Kaneko, who is now the Chairman of the School Board and the Superintendent. Presently, Yokohama Jogakuin has over 1,000 students and over 100 faculty members. The school also has a Kindergarden Program.

Yokohama Jogakuin 2017-2018 Schedule

April

6

Entrance Ceremony for 7th Graders

7

Opening Ceremony of Term

10

Orientation

12

Regular Classes Begin / Emergency Drill 1

21

7th Grade Excursion

26

Easter Chapel

27

Open Classroom Day

29

National Holiday ( No School)

May

1

7th through 12th Grades Take Tests

2

Performing Arts Appreciation Day (No Classes)

3

Constitution Day (No School)

4

Greenery Day (No School)

5

Children’s Day (No School)

13

Parents Day( 7th~11th )

19

Pentecost Chapel

24〜26

12th Grade Mid-Term Exams

29〜June 2

12th Grade Visits Universities

29〜June 1

12th Grade goes to Cultivation Camp( Hachigakukai )

29〜31

7th through 9th Grades Mid-Term Exams

30〜June 1

10th~11th Grades Mid-Term Exams

June

1

7th-9th Grades Excursion

1

10th Grade Career Study

1

11th Grade Orientation for U.S. Trip

2

Make-up Exams ( No Classes )

6

12th grade takes test

14

Flower Day Chapel

17

English Day Camp

22〜23

Sports Festival

24

English Day Camp

July

1

English Day Camp

3

10th~12th Grades Take Tests

10

Closing Chapel for Summer

11〜31

Summer Courses 1

13〜15

7th Grade English Brush-Up Course

18〜21

9th and 10th Grades Study Camp

18〜21

8th Grade English Brush –Up Course

20〜28

7th and 8th Grades Summer Camp ( Hachigakukai )

24〜26

10th Grade English Brush-Up Course

August

17〜20

7th and 8th Grades Study Camp

17〜23

9th and 10th Grades have Intensive Computer Classes

17〜24

Summer Courses 2

25

Opening Chapel

September

17〜20

4〜7 10th~12th Grades Term Exams

5〜7

7th~9th Grades Term Exams

7

10th and 11th Grades Career Guidance

8

Make-up Exams ( No Classes )

12

School Foundation Chapel

13

School Foundation Day (No School)

18

Respect for the Aged Day National Holiday (No School)

21

10th~12th Grades Take Tests

23

Autumn Equinox Day National Holiday ( No School )

29

Chorus Contest

October

6

Closing Ceremony of 1st Term

9

Sports Day National Holiday (No School)

10

Opening Ceremony of 2nd Term

13

9th Graders leave for New Zealand

21

Parents Day( 7th~11th )

24

9th Grader return from New Zealand

25

9th Grade Substitute Holiday

27

Emergency Drill 2

November

1

Preparation Day for School Festival

2〜3

School Festival

6

Substitute Holiday

10

Open Classroom Day

13

7th~11th Grades Take Tests

14〜15

8th Grade Work Training Days

20

Thanksgiving Chapel

23

Labor Thanksgiving Day National Holiday (No School)

28〜30

11th Grade Mid-Term Exams

28〜Dec 1

12th Grade Term Exams

December

4-8

11th Grade School Trip to Nagasaki

5-7

7th-10th Grade Mid-Term Exams

8

Make-up Exams ( No Classes )

22

Christmas Chapel

25-28/Jan.4-6

Winter Courses

January

4-8

8 Coming of Age Day National Holiday (No School)

9

New Year Chapel

19

Emergency Drill 3

22

Students’ Council Election

February

1~4

Junior High Entrance Exams (No Classes)

9

7th~11th Grades Take Tests

11

National Foundation Day (No School)

March

1

Graduation Ceremony Rehearsal

2

Graduation Ceremony

5~8

10th and 11th Grades Final Exams

6~8

7th ~ 9th Grades Final Exams

9

Make-up Exams ( No Classes )

21

Vernal Equinox Day ( No School )

23

Closing Ceremony of Term

24~Apr 3

Spring Courses

Yokohama Jogakuin Clubs

Badminton

Teachers Involved:

Ms. Takeuchi Mr. Suzuki Ms.Hariganeya Mr.Kawaumi

Number of Students:

53

Club details:

Practice and playing badminton.

Upcoming Events:

April: High School game May: High School game
August: Junior High game
December: High School and Junior High games
March: Junior High game

States Club

Teachers Involved:

Mr. Shirai Ms.Nakagoshi Mr. Katayama Ms. Ozeki Mr.Fujii

Number of Students:

40

Club details:

Study American culture, history, and lifestyle.
Visit the USA (Washington D.C., Virginia, and New York) and stay with American families.
Prepare an exhibition for the school festival.

Upcoming Events:

July- August: Home stay program
November: School Festival

Additional Information:

We can learn a lot in the States Club. We can also experience things we can’t in Japan.
Why don’t you try and join us when you become a high school student!
We are looking forward to you coming!!

Literature

Teachers Involved:

Mr.Yagisawa Ms. Nakada

Number of Students:

12

Club details:

Recitation of “Heike Monogatari”
Produce tanka (a kind of Japanese poem), poems, and novels

Upcoming Events:

Summer: Going to Kyoto to visit the scenes and setting from “Heike Monogatari”

Additional Information:

We love to eat and chat a lot. We are also making good friendships.

Yokohama Christian Association (YCA)

Teachers Involved:

Mr. Tashiro Ms. Nakagoshi

Number of Students:

24

Club details:

We begin every meeting in greeting each other in English.
Then there is Bible reading in both English and Japanese.
English related lesson and discussion of the Bible verse.

Upcoming Events:

November: Bunkasai Sweet Shop

Volleyball Club

Teachers Involved:

Mr. Kamihira Ms Dejima Mr.Fujii

Number of Students:

16

Club details:

Our main goal is to promote friendships between teammates as we learn and enjoy the game of volleyball together.
We place friendship before the win and loss record.

Additional Information:

We welcome new members wanting to join our club!!

Nature Club

Teachers Involved:

Ms. Ogawa Mr. Miyashita

Number of Students:

17

Club details:

Producing vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, beans, etc.) in the school garden.

Upcoming Events:

Summer: Weeding and working to plant the garden under the hot sun
Autumn: Reap the benefits of our hard work with a harvest

Additional Information:

We would like to have new members, won’t you join us?

Dance Club

Teachers Involved:

Mr. Katayama Ms. Fukagawa Ms.Uekama

Number of Students:

60

Club details:

Students have hip-hop dance instruction two to three days a week.
Once a week a specialized instructor comes to instruct the students on routines and dance moves.

Upcoming Events:

November: School Festival (Junior High and High School)
January: Competition for High School
March: Exhibition (Junior High and High School)

Sencha (leaf tea ceremony)

Teachers Involved:

Ms.Ando Ms.Watanabe

Number of Students:

25

Club details:

Students learn how to serve green leaf tea in a formal way. There are many levels and styles.

Upcoming Events:

November: At the school festival the club has a tea ceremony.
All are encouraged to come and enjoy green tea with Japanese sweets.

Additional Information:

Sencha, leaf tea ceremony, is very different from the so-called “Tea Ceremony.”
While they use matcha, powdered green tea, which is well known to everyone, we use green leaf tea.
We also have a long history, as old as the other tea ceremony.
It is uncommon for a school to have a leaf tea ceremony club.
Why don’t you get to know the world of leaf-tea ceremony at Yokohama Jogakuin?
We are sure you’ll be satisfied with Japanese tastes that soften and soothe you.

Japanese Calligraphy

Teachers Involved:

Ms. Suzuki Ms. Inoue

Number of Students:

29

Club details:

Writing letters in their entirety beautifully with a brush or pencil

Upcoming Events:

The students visit Kyoto and see Heike Monogatari, which is the theme for the school festival exhibition.

Additional Information:

We are looking forward to the new members to join us.

Softball

Teachers Involved:

Mr. Tsukamoto Mr.Ukai Ms.Furuta Mr.Sasaki

Number of Students:

24

Club details:

Practice involves catching, batting, pitching, and bunting.
Students work on improving their skills with repetitions, and prepare for games.

Upcoming Events:

Junior High: 5 games through out the season
High School: 7 games through out the season

Additional Information:

We would like to have many students to join our club.

Tennis

Teachers Involved:

Mr. Yoshida Mr. Fukumura Ms. Furuya Ms. Hamada

Number of Students:

62

Club details:

Club members enjoy practice and playing tennis

Upcoming Events:

Tennis matches throughout the year

Additional Information:

We are striving for many wins and progression in our skill level

Basketall

Teachers Involved:

Mr. Shirai Ms. Ozeki Mr.miyashita