| 1981 |
March |
Mt. Holyoke professor Tadashi Yamashita and his wife Nobue collected children living in the Amherst area that wanted to study Japanese and started the Japanese school in the Bangs Community Center in Amherst. |
| 1985 |
|
The school was closed for one year while the Yamashitas returned to Japan. |
| 1986 |
|
The school resumed with the return of the Yamashitas. |
| 1988 |
|
The West Massachusetts Japan Club (aka Japan Club) was established with the help of Japanese companies operating in the area: Kanzaki Specialty Paper, US Tsubaki, Marubeni Pulp & Paper Sales (until 1996), and Judd Wire. |
| 1989 |
|
Sanctioned by the Ministry of Education as an overseas educational institution (tutoring school). |
| 1999 |
June |
Registered as an IRS not-for-profit corporation in Massachusetts under the name Amherst Japanese Language School, Inc. |
| 2000 |
May |
Principal Tadashi Yamashita is a recipient of the 3rd Class Order of the Sacred Treasure (Zuihosho) awarded by the Japanese Government. |
| 2008 |
April |
Kitanodai Gagaku Association and Raikou held a meeting about the appreciation of gagaku, the music of the ancient imperial court of Japan. |
| 2009 |
|
The school published the article “Children Overseas Education” in the journal of the Children Overseas Education Foundation. |
| 2013 |
March |
Principal Tadashi Yamashita and his wife Nobue retire. |
| 2013 |
July |
Ex-principal Tadashi Yamashita was appointed an honorary advisor of the school. |
