Mr. Koichi
YAMAMOTO
Principal of Rakuhoku Senior High School and its attached Junior High School

In Japan, another beautiful season has come, when the cherry blossoms are soon to be in full bloom.
I have been assigned as Principal to Rakuhoku Senior High School and the Junior High School Attached to Rakuhoku Senior High School today, succeeding the former principal Mr. Akinori MAEKAWA.
Rakuhoku High School opened in 1870 as Kyoto Prefectural Junior High School, the first junior high school in Japan. It has a long history, 147 years old this year, and a rich tradition. Our school motto is "Practice decorum, accomplish your academic goals, and love nature." Under the motto, Rakuhoku has produced a large number of accomplished people, including Nobel Prize winners, Hideki YUKAWA and Shin-ichiro TOMONAGA. In 2004, the Junior High School Attached to Rakuhoku Senior High School opened and the first six-year educational program from junior through senior high school among Kyoto Prefectural schools was established; Rakuhoku became the first public school built in Kyoto Prefecture to offer a systematic and integrated high-level continuous education from junior through senior high school.
Rakuhoku High School has three courses, the Liberal Arts and Science (Bun-ri) course, the Comprehensive Sport course, and the Unified Lower and Upper Secondary course. These courses cultivate students, making the most use of their characteristics, and aim to produce leaders in society. The school was designated as a Super Science High School by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in 2004. Since then, we have especially emphasized scientific subjects.
Rakuhoku High School is very energetic. A lot of students are working on their studies, club activities and sports. Our graduates have also achieved magnificent results toward advancing higher education. These results are, of course, the results of students' efforts, but at the same time, they are based on a lot of support and cooperation of parents, people in the community, graduates and those who support Rakuhoku, as well as the Rakuhoku education system.
It is said that the state of the world and its values are rapidly changing and the future is unclear. In such a situation, it is our mission to educate and cultivate students who hold the future of the world in their hands. We are ready to perform in order to meet the expectations of the graduates and citizens of Kyoto Prefecture. We are dedicated to nurturing our students on the cornerstone of tradition and creativity.
Thank you for your support and cooperation.

April 1, 2017
Koichi YAMAMOTO
Principal of Rakuhoku Senior High School & The Junior High School Attached to Rakuhoku Senior High School