Kuma makes learning feel like a wooden breeze — structure as atmosphere, not object.
International (private) school in Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
Featured in Kengo Kuma's definitive monograph, Kengo Kuma: Complete Works.
Visitor Guide
This is a school: visit outside class peak times, be respectful, and treat it as an exterior study unless you’re attending an event.
From the street edge with the timber layering visible; morning light for warm wood tones and legible grain.
Limited public access (active school). Exterior viewing from public areas; interior typically only for students, staff, and invited visitors.
Kuma’s trick is always the same and always hard: dissolve the boundary by multiplying small elements until the building becomes a gradient.
15–30 minutes
Design & Structure
Detail-first design: repeated timber elements coordinated through digital fabrication logic; envelope tuned for daylight, shading, and human-scale tactility.
Timber and glass: warmth and permeability as a pedagogical environment.
Layered timber systems that behave structurally while reading as ‘screen’; connection detailing is the real engineering.
See Together
Buildings that pair well with Yokohama International School — they're nearby or share a compelling architectural conversation.
More by Kengo Kuma
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Misono-za
Nezu Museum
Suntory Museum of Art
Taikoo Li Sanlitun
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
MoN Takanawa
Nearby in Yokohama
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Yokohama International School?+
Yokohama International School was designed by Kengo Kuma and completed in 1924. It is located in Yokohama, Japan.
Where is Yokohama International School located?+
Yokohama International School is located in Yokohama, Japan. Its coordinates are 35.4299°, 139.6658°.
When was Yokohama International School built?+
Yokohama International School was completed in 1924. It was designed by Kengo Kuma.
Can I visit Yokohama International School?+
Yokohama International School is a real building in Yokohama that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.