About

What is Japan Spelling Bee?

It was established in 2010 and is the only spelling contest in Japan officially endorsed by the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the United States.
Registered schools hold a school bee and send their champion to Japan Spelling Bee to be held in March. The winner of Japan Spelling Bee will be sent to the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals in Washington in June 2021.

*The former “Japan Times Bee” has been officially renamed “Japan Spelling Bee”.

Rules

Under spelling bee rules, each speller must spell their word out loud, and they can request the definition, the language of origin and an alternate pronunciation as well as hearing the word used in an example sentence. Spellers cannot go back and change the order of their spelling once they have spelled a letter out loud.

History and purpose

The spelling bee has a history of over 90 years. It first started in the U.S. in 1925 when nine newspapers joined together to host a spelling bee. Its purpose is to help students improve their spelling, increase vocabulary, learn concepts and develop correct English usage.
In addition to a deeper appreciation for language, it also gives participants important lessons on the value of hard work and memories that will last a lifetime.


Past champions and participating school

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