Hiroo Gakuen to Open in Osaka: Kinrankai to Become Coed Hiroo Gakuen Osaka in 2028

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Hiroo Gakuen Junior and Senior High School in Minato Ward, Tokyo, and Kinrankai Girls’ Junior and Senior High School in Osaka City are forming an educational partnership. In April 2028, the coeducational “Hiroo Gakuen Osaka Junior and Senior High School” will open.

Following Hiroo Gakuen and Hiroo Gakuen Koishikawa, this will be the third middle-high school under the Hiroo Gakuen name. The new institution aims to become a leading coeducational college-prep school in Osaka by blending the tradition of girls’ education that Kinrankai has built over 121 years with Hiroo Gakuen’s model of international education and its track record as a top-tier college-prep school.

Kinrankai Junior and Senior High School to Change Name and Become Coeducational

On July 17, 2026, Hiroo Gakuen announced that it would strengthen its educational partnership with Kinrankai and change the school’s name to Hiroo Gakuen Osaka Junior and Senior High School effective April 2028.

At the same time, the school will transition from an all-girls school to a coeducational institution. The school will be based on a six-year integrated education program spanning junior high through senior high school, and it plans to continue accepting new students directly into the senior high school.

This reform does not involve the establishment of a new school by a new school corporation. Even after the name change, the school’s sponsor will remain the Kinrankai Gakuen Educational Foundation, and the school will advance educational development in collaboration with Hiroo Gakuen while upholding Kinrankai’s founding spirit and traditions.

Fusing 121 Years of Girls’ Education with Hiroo Gakuen’s Educational Model

Kinrankai is a traditional institution that has provided girls’ education for 121 years since its founding in the Meiji era.

Through this reform, the school will transition into a coeducational institution focused on college preparation that is adapted to the needs of the times, while preserving the educational culture, alumni network, and community ties that Kinrankai has cultivated over the years.

Added to this will be the expertise in international education and career guidance that Hiroo Gakuen has developed in Minato Ward, Tokyo.

Hiroo Gakuen has established an International Course designed to prepare students not only for domestic universities but also for universities abroad, offering an Advanced Group (AG) for students with strong English proficiency and a Standard Group (SG) for those who wish to improve their English skills after enrollment.

At the same time, the school is also focusing on medical and science fields, inquiry-based learning, ICT-based learning, and career education in collaboration with universities, research institutions, and experts.

However, details regarding the courses and specific curriculum to be offered at Hiroo Gakuen Osaka have not yet been announced. Which of Hiroo Gakuen’s educational programs will be introduced in Osaka will be a key point of interest moving forward.

The “Third Hiroo Gakuen” Following Hiroo Gakuen Koishikawa

Hiroo Gakuen Koishikawa in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, is a precedent for expanding Hiroo Gakuen’s educational model to a school operated by a different school corporation.

Through educational collaboration with Hiroo Gakuen, the school has facilitated faculty exchanges and joint training sessions, and has adopted Hiroo Gakuen’s curricula for both its regular and international courses, as well as joint career education programs. Official Information on Hiroo Gakuen Koishikawa

Currently, the school offers an International Course that combines the AG program, where foreign teachers instruct subjects in English, with the SG program, designed to help students improve their English proficiency after enrollment. Hiroo Gakuen Koishikawa: Course Introduction

At Hiroo Gakuen Osaka as well, the collaboration is likely to extend beyond a mere name change to encompass core aspects of school operations. These include teacher training, curriculum development, international education, career education, and support for university admissions both domestically and abroad.

A New Option for International Junior High School Entrance Exams in Kansai

In recent years, the number of private junior high and high schools in the Kansai region offering international programs focused on English education, inquiry-based learning, and preparation for admission to overseas universities has been increasing.

Hiroo Gakuen’s educational model has drawn strong attention in the Tokyo metropolitan area’s junior high admissions, so its expansion to Osaka holds great significance.

In particular, Hiroo Gakuen Osaka is likely to become a new educational option for returnee students, children enrolled in English-language after-school programs, graduates of English-language preschools, and families simultaneously considering admission to universities both in Japan and abroad.

On the other hand, Hiroo Gakuen Osaka is not a new international school but rather a school reform initiative based on a Japanese private junior and senior high school. The key focus will be whether the educational program can enable students to obtain Japanese junior and senior high school graduation credentials while enhancing their English proficiency, inquiry skills, and international perspective, so that they can consider both domestic and overseas universities.

Details regarding enrollment capacity, course structure, classes organized by English proficiency level, entrance exams for returnee students and general applicants, tuition fees, and the teaching staff are scheduled to be announced in the future.

How will the school preserve the traditions of the Kinrankai while establishing Hiroo Gakuen’s international education in Osaka? The launch of Hiroo Gakuen Osaka has the potential to significantly impact the landscape of junior high school admissions and international education in the Kansai region.

References:
Announcement from Hiroo Gakuen
Hiroo Gakuen Osaka