Fukuoka International School Opens New West Wing in Momochi

Aug 31, 2026

Business

Representatives of FIS, supporting organizations and the student body cut the ribbon at the West Wing opening ceremony.

On Aug 31, 2026, Fukuoka International School (FIS) marked the completion of its new West Wing with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, campus tour and community gathering. When students return for the new term on Sep 1, 2026, approximately 420 students representing around 40 countries will begin using the new facilities.

The new West Wing, at left, fits neatly into FIS’s compact Momochi campus beside the existing buildings.

Founded in 1972, FIS has been part of Fukuoka’s international community for more than half a century. It offers an international curriculum from early childhood through high school and has become an important piece of the city’s infrastructure for families arriving from overseas.

The West Wing is a practical response to growing demand. The expansion is intended to create room for roughly 80 additional students, bringing potential enrollment to about 500. It also relieves pressure on a compact campus where some grades have waiting lists even while limited spaces remain in others.

A carefully fitted addition

From outside, the four-story addition sits neatly beside the existing buildings and is almost easy to miss from some angles. Inside, it connects smoothly with the rest of the campus. Exposed ceiling services preserve height and give the rooms a practical, contemporary character, while bright furnishings, large whiteboard surfaces and generous windows make the classrooms feel open. Several rooms look out toward the nearby river and bridge.

A bright primary classroom in the new wing features flexible furniture, extensive whiteboard space and windows overlooking the nearby river.

The new facilities include science laboratories, primary classrooms, breakout areas and an expanded art space with a pottery room. During the opening ceremony, Head of School Brian Freeman stressed that the value of the project lies not simply in gaining floor space, but in what the rooms make possible.

One of the new science laboratories, designed to give students more space to experiment and work together.

“They give our teachers more opportunities in how they teach, our students more opportunities to collaborate, experiment and create, and they allow us to provide the kind of learning environment that we want for our students,” he said.

Freeman described the opening as another important chapter in the school’s development. “Today is not simply about opening a new building; it’s about opening new opportunities for our students,” he said.

A student’s view

Student representative Aili Ko offered the morning’s most personal explanation of what the expansion could mean. She recalled arriving at FIS at the age of nine after attending a Japanese school. Hearing different languages and meeting classmates and teachers from around the world made her own world feel larger, she said, but the school itself remained small, with students often staying in the same circles for years.

Student representative Aili Ko explains how the expansion will broaden students’ connections and opportunities.

“With this new building, FIS’s world gets bigger and, honestly, so does ours,” Ko told guests. More space, she added, means room to welcome new students, form new friendships and give older students quieter places for focused work.

Rooted in Fukuoka

The project was supported by local companies, public organizations, families and other members of the school community. Their contributions are recognized on a new donation wall in the fourth-floor multipurpose room. The wall, designed around FIS’s shark mascot, was unveiled during a program that also included student speeches and performances, followed by a community barbecue.

FIS Head of School Brian Freeman, left, and Fukuoka Now publisher Nick Szasz stand in front of the new donation wall.

A student performs in the fourth-floor multipurpose room, with the new shark-shaped donation wall behind him.

That local support matters. Although FIS serves an exceptionally international student body, the school is firmly rooted in Fukuoka. Its expansion reflects both the city’s growing international profile and the practical needs that accompany it.

For companies recruiting talent from abroad, relocation is not only about jobs. Housing, healthcare and transportation all matter, but for parents, access to suitable education can determine whether moving to a city is realistic at all. By increasing capacity and improving its learning environment, FIS is strengthening one of the institutions that helps international families build lives in Fukuoka.

FIS teacher Santiago Rey, left, and Head of School Brian Freeman work the grills during the West Wing opening event.

The West Wing is therefore more than an addition to one school. It is a significant milestone for FIS, and an encouraging sign of the wider community’s commitment to making Fukuoka a city where international families can put down roots.