Current and Upcoming Events

Announcements

and getting bitten by mosquitoes while enjoying a wonderfully starry night in August.

Literally, vasaroti means to do lots and lots of nothing really substantial.

I had a great summer, and I loved every moment of it! I hope you did too! But I’m also super happy to be back in our ASIJ PTA circles. The energy is amazing, the plans are exciting, and the hopes are high. It’s very likely that we’re heading into another rich and colorful school year. And we all get to be a part of it!

I can’t wait to see you at the PTA Welcome Coffee this coming Thursday at 10 a.m. in Tokyo American Club. Let us spend a couple of hours together, getting to know each other better and most importantly welcoming our new Head of School Eric F Niles and his wife Margaret.

Indre Mackeviciute
On behalf of the ASIJ PTA Board

Grant and Speakers Program (GSP)

The PTA has funds to help bring cool projects and guest speakers to ASIJ! If you’re a teacher, staff member, student group, or parent with a great idea to boost learning or add something special to school that would go beyond the standard curriculum, you can apply for financial support through the PTA Grants and Speakers Program (GSP). From author visits and student-led gardens to virtual reality in the classroom, past grants have made a difference. 

Want to know more or ready to apply? Check out the guidelines and the application form.

Save the Date 

PTA Welcome Coffee, Tokyo American Club  – Sept 4 at 10:00AM - 12:00PM

This year’s gathering will be extra special as we warmly welcome Eric F Niles, ASIJ’s new Head of School. And please come meet our fellow ASIJ Parents, our PTA Board Members and Coordinators, and find out more about all the events for the coming school year and how you can get involved.

We will also have our Mustang market at the event - don’t forget to bring your gold card or credit card! If you forgot to RSVP, don’t worry and we hope to see you on Thursday!

Please be aware that parking is limited to Tokyo American Club members only.

Volunteer Request

Call for Spirit Day Lead Volunteers – Join the Heart of the Action!

Spirit Day takes place on Saturday October 4th, and we’re looking for passionate parents to help lead some of the most exciting parts of this iconic ASIJ event!

This is a unique opportunity to contribute your talents to the first school-wide event of the year, experience the behind-the-scenes magic, and deepen your connection with the ASIJ community.

We’re currently seeking leads for:

• Cafeteria Food Coordinator

• Coffee Coordinator

• Sumo Transportation Coordinator

• Pilates Class Coordinator

We have experienced volunteers who are happy to support — you won’t be doing it alone!

If you're interested, email Natasha Shih or Olga Fisher at spiritday@pta.asij.ac.jp for more detailed role descriptions. 

Calling for Lead Volunteers for Winterfest ‘25

Not too far from the corner of Spirit Day ‘25 is Winterfest ‘25. We are also in need of volunteers to plan and host the fun, festive, and wintry event that is Winterfest. If you would like to be in charge of activities, hospitality, decorations, supplies, and/or volunteers, please contact Maricris Abelarde at winterfest@pta.asij.ac.jp to volunteer. We look forward to working with you to plan this year’s Winterfest and curate a day that will surely be filled with laughs and memories with our children…and maybe hot cocoa. 

Request for Donations of American Candies & Sweets for Winterfest ‘25

In keeping with traditions of past Winterfest events, we would like to continue to host the American Candy Booth at Winterfest 2025. For families/individuals who travelled back or are traveling back to the US this summer, we kindly request for your donations of American candies and sweets that we can offer at the booth. For questions and/or to arrange pick up of the candies upon your return, please contact Kristen Willden at  wf.candybooth@pta.asij.ac.jp and/or Maricris Abelarde at winterfest@pta.asij.ac.jp.  

Senior Parents Needed for Senior Donut Day - Sep 8
We are looking to start off the school year by hosting Senior Donut Day. All parents of the Class of 2026 are welcome to come celebrate this event on campus with your seniors. 

Please help us by volunteering your time and/or contributing a DOZEN donuts. Donuts can be sent in with your child to the HS Office on the morning of September 8. Volunteers would need to help with set-up, donut distributions and clean up from 9:45AM - 11:45AM. Please sign up from HERE.
For questions, please contact PTA Senior Activities Committee Chairs, Lalaka Fukuma and Atsuko Chiyoda senioractivities@pta.asij.ac.jp .

Also, if you haven't already, please join the ASIJ Class of 2026 Whatsapp group to keep yourself updated on special Senior Activities throughout the year!

Divisional Events

MS Welcome Parent Coffee - Sept 10 at 9:00AM
Middle School Parents! Come and share a coffee so we can all help each other navigate these transitional years for our kids. Help welcome the new parents and catch up with the folks you already know. Your kids might not share all the details at school but we will…

Join us at: The Community Hall, Izumi Garden Residence, 1-5-3 Roppongi
When: Wednesday, September 10, from 9:00 - 11:00AM

​​HS Welcome Parent Coffee - Sept 17 at 9:30AM

We would like to welcome all new and returning ASIJ families back to school this year.  We are hosting a High School (HS) Parents coffee social. Please join us at Azabu Gardens West - Club Lounge.  Please sign up today.  If you have any questions, please contact HS Social Coordinators, Lisa Draper and Emi Chachra at hssocial@pta.asij.ac.jp

ES Welcome Parent Coffee - Sept 22nd at 9:00AM

We would love to invite all parents, new and returning, to join us for a casual morning of coffee and conversation.  This is a wonderful chance to meet with other parents from your child’s grade and to build friendships and community.  Let’s kick off a fantastic school year together. Here is the sign-up link. If you have any questions, please contact ES social coordinators Jamie Holyfield and Massimo Locatelli at essocial@pta.ask.ac.jp  

ELC Back to School Night Parent Social Dinner - Sept 26 

ELC PTA is excited to invite you to our Back to School Night Parent Social Dinner! After the Back to School Night Teacher Sessions, come join us in the ELC Community Room at 7:30PM for a catered dinner & free flow drinks. Let’s kick off the year with community, conversation, and a whole lot of fun! 7500JPY per person. Click here to sign up! Questions? Contact Izumi, Sayumi and Cindy at elcsocial@pta.asij.ac.jp 

Parent-Led Clubs

Are you new to ASIJ or to Tokyo, or maybe a returning parent? Do you have hobbies or interests that you would like to share with the ASIJ community? We encourage you to establish a new club. The PTA will support you in starting, managing and promoting the club. If you have a club idea or questions, please contact Parent-led Clubs Chair, Jennifer Min at parentledclubs@pta.asij.ac.jp. 

View the full list of parent-led clubs on our website, including current photos. 

Run Happy Walk Happy Club - Sept 8, 15, 22 at 8:00AM (Nogawa Park)

Sign up to join a fun run or walk with optional breakfast afterwards. We meet on Monday mornings around 8:00AM in the parking area at Nogawa Park (next to ASIJ). All paces are encouraged to join this fun and friendly group! 

Christian Parents Club - Sept 9, 16, 23 at 9:00AM (Zoom)

Sign up to join this weekly club. Are you seeking a supportive community where you can pray for your children and their school? We invite you to participate in a time of worship, praise, and intercessory prayer. Our prayers are conducted in English and Japanese.

Grapevine Club - Sept 13 at 6 PM (Big Iowa BBQ, Roppongi)

Please join us to make some new friends or catch up with some old ones! Enjoy 2-1/2 hours of free flowing drinks and a delicious buffet of American barbecue on Sept 13 at 6:00-8:30PM at Big Iowa BBQ in Roppongi. Cost is ¥7,500/person (cash). We encourage you to join the Grapevine WhatsApp.

Book Club - Sept 18 at 1 PM (Oak Door, Grand Hyatt Tokyo)

Sign up to join the first book club meet-up of the year. We will be discussing Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov from 1:00-3:00PM on Sept 18 at the Oak Door, Grand Hyatt Tokyo in Roppongi.

Flower Arranging Club - Sept 24 at 10:00AM (Azabu Gardens)

This event is full but please check the sign up for cancellations or to join the waitlist. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced enthusiast, our skilled florists and ASIJ parents Nakaba and Rika will be with you to nurture your love for blooms. The cost is ¥6,500 including flowers and materials.

Brisk Walk Club - Sept 26 at 10:00AM (Roppongi Hills) 

Join us for our first brisk walk of the school year and sign up to attend. It is a great opportunity to get some exercise while exploring Tokyo. Discover a different part of the city, stay active and meet new friends! For the Sept walk, we will meet at Roppongi Hills (under the Maman Spider sculpture).

Jazz Club - Sept 27 at 12:00PM (Jazz Dining Bb, Akasaka)

Sign up for a fun jazz day filled with great music and conversation with fellow ASIJ parents. The Jeff Torchon Trio will be performing, sharing exciting new approaches to jazz standards and some Cuban classics. The trio features Jeff Torchon on piano—ASIJ MS/HS music teacher—, Mark Tourian on upright bass—ASIJ music sub and a sought-after bassist in Tokyo— and Dennis Frehse on drums—popular drummer on the Tokyo music scene— (Music Charge: ¥3,300 for adults / ¥2,200 for student + 1 drink per person). Doors open at 11:30AM. While the first set starts at 12:30PM, we plan to meet by 12:00PM. The deadline for cancellation is Sept 24. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to support the incredible talents of our own ASIJ teachers!