Growing Japan’s Montessori Community

MST faculty with some members of Friends of AMI Nippon.

MST Head of School James Moore was invited to speak at a Friends of AMI Nippon gathering held at Café Slow in Tokyo. James shared his insights from MST’s journey in building a Montessori community.

The January event highlighted MST’s growing presence within Japan’s Montessori network and our commitment to collaboration and leadership beyond the school. With great coffee, a warm atmosphere, and a room full of Montessori educators and school leaders from across Japan (including a dedicated cohort of MST teachers), the event created a wonderful space for connection and shared learning.

The audience included several familiar faces from the recent AMI Elementary Assistant training hosted at MST’s Grove campus earlier this academic year, highlighting the growing network of Montessori professionals connected to our school. During the session, James shared reflections and practical examples from MST’s experience of building strong school communities, engaging families, and supporting a shared understanding of Montessori education.

Events like this reflect MST’s increasing recognition within the Japanese Montessori community and our ongoing commitment to contributing positively beyond our own campus. It was a meaningful opportunity to represent our school, strengthen professional relationships, and continue building bridges between Montessori communities across Japan.