What is a spelling bee? 

A spelling bee is a fun and exciting competition in which students are challenged to spell a broad variety of words, increasing in difficulty as the competition progresses. Spelling bees originated in the United States over 100 years ago, and today millions of students around the world participate in local, regional, and international competition. 

 

How do spelling bees work? 

Spelling bees are conducted in rounds, and each student is presented with a word from our judging panel to spell. Typically, the difficulty of the spelling words progress with each round. Incorrectly spelling a word leads to elimination. 

The Tokyo Spelling Bee has three levels of competition: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Students will participate in the level that is most appropriate for their grade and skill, as assessed by ....  

For a detailed explanation of our rules, please read the Tokyo Spelling Bee Rulebook. 

 

I’m not good at spelling. Can I still join the spelling bee? 

Yes! Everyone who meets our eligibility requirements is free to register. In fact, you may find that joining the spelling bee will help you become an expert speller! 

 

What are the benefits of joining a spelling bee competition? 

• Enhances vocabulary

• Improves spelling and pronunciation

• Elevates a student’s confidence

• Boosts memory 

• Excellent SSAT prep activity

• Great for boarding school applications

• Introduces students to friendly competition 

 

Can family and friends come to support a contestant? 

Yes! We will also livestream the competition for other family members and friends to support the contestants. We will also have a photographer during the event to capture all the action! These photos will be available to contestants after the competition. 

 

Is this a Scripps spelling bee? 

No, the Tokyo Spelling Bee is not currently certified by Scripps. 

 

Are Tokyo Spelling Bee winners eligible for higher level competitions? 

Since we are currently not affiliated with the Scripps National Spelling Bee, our winners will not be eligible to compete at higher level competitions. 

 

I have another question. 

Please send an email to kaitlyn@tokyospellingbee.org with any and all questions you may have about the Tokyo Spelling Bee.