Historic Kyoto Girls' School Opens Doors to Boys

Jun 01, 2026 | News On Japan

KYOTO - As Japan's shrinking youth population continues to reshape the education sector, a girls' high school in Kyoto has announced plans to become coeducational beginning next academic year.

Kacho Girls' High School in Kyoto's Higashiyama Ward said the move reflects changing demographic trends, including declining birthrates and increasingly diverse educational needs. The school plans to rename itself Kacho High School and introduce a university-style credit system, allowing students greater flexibility and independence in designing their studies as part of a broader educational reform program.

The school traces its origins to Kacho Girls' Academy, established in 1911 by Chion-in Temple, the head temple of the Jodo sect of Buddhism. In recent years, the school has struggled to fill its enrollment quota, reflecting wider challenges facing private educational institutions across Japan.

The announcement comes as Kyoto Kacho University and Kacho Junior College, which are operated by the same educational corporation, have already revealed plans to stop accepting new students from next academic year onward.

Educational institutions throughout Japan are facing mounting pressure from a declining population of 18-year-olds, prompting many schools and universities to reconsider their enrollment strategies, academic structures, and long-term viability.

Source: ABCTVnews

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