About

Philosophies of education

教育理念 日本語版はこちら

Integrity and Intelligence

The founder, Miwada Masako, established the phrase “Raising women with integrity and intelligence” as the school principle.  We want our students to become good citizens, have high moral standards, and be full of compassion and empathy for others during and after their six years at Miwada.  We believe these characteristics enable them to deepen their knowledge, carve out a career for themselves, and live their own lives flexibly in the international community. 

Our curriculum, school events, and extra-curricular activities have their own goals, and are programmed to let our students acquire skills to become women with integrity and intelligence. 

School Motto

As expressed in the school song, our school motto is “honesty is the best policy” and it is a priority of our education.  Miwada Masako taught us to keep this school motto in mind and to live fully and decently, which she believed leads to becoming a woman with integrity and intelligence.  We have maintained this teaching and let the students learn to live with integrity at all times during their school lives, including everyday classes, special activities, moral education and school events.

School History

The Founder, Miwada Masako

Road to Education for Girls

Miwada Masako was born in Kyoto in 1843.  Since her father was a Confucian scholar, she was familiar with Chinese books and classics.  When she was 12 years old, she was so educated she could substitute for her adoptive father, Nakajo Jiro, who was also a Confucian scholar and taught at his home school.  She started to learn Chinese classics, poetry and calligraphy from Mr. and Mrs. Yanagawa, and Japanese poetry from Takahashi Takeyuki at this time in her life.

 In 1866, Masako tutored the children of Iwakura Tomomi, one of the politicians in the Edo and Meiji eras.  She got married to Miwada Mototsuna, a clansman of the Iyo Matsuyama district, in 1869.  He held an important post in the New Meiji Government, but went back to Matsuyama with his family after resigning from the post, and in 1879 he passed away.  After his death, Masako opened a private school named “Meirin Gakusha” and devoted herself to the education of the students at her school and Ehime Prefectural Normal School.  

 In 1866, she was determined to come to Tokyo for her son’s education, closing her school in Matsuyama.  She established her second private school named “Suisho Gakusha” in Kanda, Tokyo.  In the beginning, the school had a boys’ department and a girls’ department; however, she keenly realized the importance of girls’ education at the time and closed the boys’ department and made the school for girls only.   This was the beginning of present Miwada Gakuen Junior and Senior High School.  

With a long and rewarding history of achievement in education behind us, we continue to move forward together with confidence, pride and enthusiasm.

Historical Development

1887Miwada Masako founded a private school, “Suisho Gakusha,” at Kanda-ku Higashi Matsushita-cho in Tokyo.
1902“Miwada Girls’ School” was founded on April 1st (student capacity 300).
1903The school was designated as “Miwada Girls’ High School” (5-year education system, student capacity 400).   It was the second authorized girls’ private school in Tokyo.
1926The first school uniform was adopted.
1945The firebombing of Tokyo on April 4th destroyed the school buildings and the school was closed temporarily for one week.
1947The school was designated as “Miwada Gakuen Junior High School”

in accordance with the reform of the educational system in Japan.

1948The school was designated as “Miwada Gakuen Senior High School”

in accordance with the reform of the educational system in Japan (student capacity 600).

1951In accordance with the Private Schools Act, Miwada Gakuen was designated as an “Incorporated Educational Institution”.
1987The 100th commemorative ceremony was held.
2005The second school uniform was adopted.
2010The new school buildings were completed.