Commercial high school (Asia)

Takamatsu Commercial High School, located in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan.

A commercial high school (商業高等学校, しょうぎょうこうとうがっこう, shōgyō kōtō gakkō), called shōgyō kōkō (商業高校, しょうぎょうこうこう) for short, is a Japanese high school which concentrates more on business knowledge and skills rather than the college preparatory courses taught in many Japanese high schools. Most students who graduate from a commercial high school directly enter the work force rather than go to college.

Brief summary

Commercial high schools focus primarily in curriculum designed to teach the skills necessary for success in the business world, though there are a wide variety of fields of study on which to focus. Many students focus on gaining the necessary qualifications and certifications in order to assist them once they begin searching for employment in their specialized field of study.

Many commercial high schools and information technology schools are members of the National Commercial High School Association or Zensho (全商協会, Zenshō Kyōkai), a very influential organization in the Japanese business world. The Zensho sponsors all kinds of official certifications and conventions.