Tohoku University

Template:Nihongo is a public research university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. It is colloquially referred to as Template:Nihongo or Template:Nihongo.

Established in 1907 as the third of the Imperial Universities, after the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, it initially focused on science and medicine, later expanding to include humanities studies as well.

In 2016, Tohoku University had 10 faculties, 16 graduate schools and 6 research institutes, with a total enrollment of 17,885 students.<ref>Tohoku University Annual Review Tohoku University's official website accessed June 2018</ref> The university's three core values are "Research First (Template:Lang)," "Open-Doors (Template:Lang)," and "Practice-Oriented Research and Education (Template:Lang)."

History

File:Kotaro Honda ,Albert Einstein,Keiichi Aichi,Sirouta Kusukabe.jpg

Albert Einstein visiting Tohoku Imperial University in 1922

File:Tohoku University(Katahira north gate).JPG

Tohoku University (Katahira campus Main Gate)

On 22 June 1907 (Mēji 40), Template:Nihongo was established by the Meiji government as the third Imperial University of Japan, after Tokyo Imperial University (1877) and Kyoto Imperial University (1897). From its inception, it advocated 'Open-door' policies, becoming the first university in Japan to accept both female students in 1913, and foreign students.<ref>on castle grounds, Tokuku.ac.jp, Retrieved 17 August 2016</ref>

It was not until 1911 that teaching and research activities started in Sendai. When the university was founded in 1907 it only had one faculty (college), the College of Agriculture, in Sapporo, Hokkaido. This college, originally founded in 1875 as the Template:Nihongo, precedes the establishment of the university, and in 1918, it became independent to form another imperial university, Hokkaido Imperial University, in its own right. The School of Science was established in Sendai in 1911, followed by the School of Medicine (formerly Sendai Medical College) in 1915, the Faculty of Engineering in 1919, and the Faculty of Law and Literature in 1922.<ref name="timeline"> Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1947, during the post-war educational reform, the university dropped the word 'imperial' along with other imperial universities, and assumed its current name, Tohoku University. It was also this year that the university's academic scope came to cover agriculture again, with the establishment of a new Faculty of Agriculture in Sendai. In 1949, the Faculty of Law and Literature was split to form independent faculties of Law, Literature, and Economics. A Faculty of Education was added in 1949, Dentistry in 1965, and Pharmacy in 1972. Tohoku has been a National University Corporation since April 2004.<ref name="timeline" />

2011 Tōhoku earthquake

Subsequent to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the university was declared closed until further notice, but with a tentative re-opening date of the end of the following April.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Aobayama, Katahira, Amamiya, and Kawauchi campuses are all at least Template:Convert from the ocean, towards the mountains, and therefore suffered no damage resulting from the tsunami. No deaths or serious injuries within the faculty and student body were reported on campus grounds. However, earthquake damage lead to the closure of 27 buildings and caused millions of dollars of damage to equipment. Classes have resumed normally since early May 2011 and plans for restoring, reinforcing or replacing damaged buildings are underway.

Campuses

File:City locator 14.svg Campus locations

Principal four campuses are in the Sendai City, Japan;

• Template:Nihongo

Administration Unit. and Principal institutes

• Template:Nihongo

North-Kawauchi; The freshmen and sophomore of all undergraduates

South-Kawauchi; Law, Education, Economics, Letters

• Template:Nihongo

Medicine, Dentistry

• Template:Nihongo

Science, Engineering, Pharmacy, Agriculture

Amamiya campus and some institutes transferred to the new extension at Aobayama campus in April 2017 [1].

• 
  Administration Unit of Tohoku university
• 
  Kawauchi north campus
• 
  Seiryo campus
• 
  The building of the faculty of science in Aobayama north campus
• 
  Aobayama new campus

Research institutes

Tohoku University has several research centers and institutes:

• Template:Nihongo<ref>Institute for Material Research Template:Webarchive On Tohoku University's official website accessed at December 15, 2008</ref>
• Template:Nihongo<ref>Research Institute of Electrical Communication Template:Webarchive On Tohoku University's official website accessed at December 15, 2008</ref>
• Template:Nihongo<ref>Institute of Development Aging and Cancer Template:Webarchive On Tohoku University's official website accessed at December 15, 2008</ref>
• Template:Nihongo<ref>Institute of Fluid Science Template:Webarchive On Tohoku University's official website accessed at December 15, 2008</ref>
• Template:Nihongo<ref>SRIS Accessed at 2025-10-17</ref>

National Collaborative Research Institute

• Template:Nihongo<ref>Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials On Tohoku University's official website accessed at December 15, 2008</ref>
• Template:Nihongo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Nihongo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)

• Template:Nihongo<ref>AIMR Accessed at 2025-10-17</ref>
• Template:Nihongo<ref>AIMEC Accessed at 2025-10-17</ref>

Centers and facilities

University library Tohoku University library Medical Library Kita-Aobayama Library Engineering Library Agricultural Library University hospital Tohoku University Hospital Seiryo Inter-department institutes for education and research Center for Northeast Asian Studies Center for the Advancement of Higher Education Health Administration Center University Counseling Center Admission Center Center for Career Support Center for Culture and Language Education The Center for Academic Resources and Archives Tohoku University Museum Tohoku University Archives Tohoku University Botanical Gardens Institute for International Advanced Research and Education Organization Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center New Industry Creation Hatchery Center (NICHe) Center for Interdisciplinary Research Technology Center for Research and Education Activities Center for Low-Temperature Science High-Voltage Electron Microscope Laboratory Information Synergy Organization Information Synergy Center (National Collaboration Institution)

Collaborating institutions Office of Cooperative Research and Development Office for Strategic Promotion of Basic Research Center for Research Strategy and Support(CRESS) Environment Conservation Research Institute Center for International Exchange Archaeological Research office on the Campus Global Operations center Campus Planning office Administration unit Tohoku University Overseas Office Tohoku University US Office Tohoku University China Office Biomedical Engineering Research Organization e-learning system Internet School of Tohoku University (ISTU) Dormitories Template:Nihongo Template:Nihongo Template:Nihongo Template:Nihongo Template:Nihongo Template:Nihongo Template:Nihongo Template:Nihongo Template:Nihongo

Academic rankings

Tohoku University has a high reputation, and this is recognised as shown in the rankings below.

General rankings

In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, it is ranked 103rd globally, making it the third-highest-ranking university in Japan, after the University of Tokyo (26th) and Kyoto University (61st).<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> The Times Higher Education Japan University Rankings, which is entirely based on teaching, resources, educational outcome, environment, and engagement, unlike the world university rankings, placed Tohoku University 1st in Japan in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025 (no ranking in 2024).<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Rankings_ENSMP_W">Template:Cite web</ref>

In the QS World University Rankings 2026, Tohoku University is ranked 109th globally and fifth in Japan, after UTokyo, KyotoU, OsakaU, and Tokyo Tech.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Subject rankings

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024<ref name="QSSubject">Template:Cite web</ref>

Subject	Global	National
Template:Left	Template:Rise =268	Template:Fall 7
Linguistics	Template:Center	Template:Center
Archaeology	Template:Center	Template:Center
Architecture and Built Environment	Template:Center	Template:Center
History	Template:Center	Template:Center
Modern Languages	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Left	Template:Fall 89	Template:Same position 4
Engineering – Chemical	Template:Center	Template:Center
Engineering – Civil and Structural	Template:Center	Template:Center
Computer Science and Information Systems	Template:Center	Template:Center
Engineering – Electrical and Electronic	Template:Center	Template:Center
Engineering – Mechanical	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Left	Template:Rise =155	Template:Same position 4
Agriculture and Forestry	Template:Center	Template:Center
Anatomy and Physiology	Template:Center	Template:Center
Biological Sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Dentistry	Template:Center	Template:Center
Medicine	Template:Center	Template:Center
Pharmacy and Pharmacology	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Left	Template:Fall =97	Template:Fall 5
Chemistry	Template:Center	Template:Center
Earth and Marine Sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Environmental Sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Geology	Template:Center	Template:Center
Geophysics	Template:Center	Template:Center
Materials Sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Mathematics	Template:Center	Template:Center
Physics and Astronomy	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Left	Template:Rise =295	Template:Fall 8
Economics and Econometrics	Template:Center	Template:Center
Law and Legal Studies	Template:Center	Template:Center
Sociology	Template:Center	Template:Center
Statistics and Operational Research	Template:Center	Template:Center

THE World University Rankings by Subject 2024<ref name="THESubject">Template:Cite web</ref>

Subject	Global	National
Arts & humanities	Template:Center	Template:Center
Clinical & health	Template:Center	Template:Center
Computer science	Template:Center	Template:Center
Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Life sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Physical sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Social sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center

ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023<ref name="ARWUSubject">Template:Cite web</ref>

Subject	Global	National
Natural Sciences
Mathematics	Template:Center	Template:Center
Physics	Template:Center	Template:Center
Chemistry	Template:Center	Template:Center
Earth Sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Ecology	Template:Center	Template:Center
Atmospheric Science	Template:Center	Template:Center
Engineering
Mechanical Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Telecommunication Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Computer Science & Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Civil Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Chemical Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Materials Science & Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Template:Center	Template:Center
Energy Science & Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Environmental Science & Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Biotechnology	Template:Center	Template:Center
Metallurgical Engineering	Template:Center	Template:Center
Life Sciences
Biological Sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Human Biological Sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Veterinary Sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Medical Sciences
Dentistry & Oral Sciences	Template:Center	Template:Center
Medical Technology	Template:Center	Template:Center
Social Sciences

Research performance

Tohoku University is one of the top research institutions in Japan. According to Thomson Reuters, Tohoku University is the ninth most innovative university in the Asia-Pacific area.<ref> Asia Pacific’s Most Innovative Universities – 2018 </ref>Its research excellence is especially distinctive in Materials Science (1st in Japan, third in the world), Physics (2nd in Japan, tenth in the world), Pharmacology & Toxicology (3rd in Japan, 64th in the world) and Chemistry (6th in Japan, 20th in the world).<ref name=executive>Template:Cite web (this ranking includes non-educational institutions)</ref>

Times Higher Education also reported that Tohoku University was ranked 3rd in Japan (201st - 250th in the world) for the World University Rankings 2022 by Subject: social sciences.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The social sciences ranking includes the weightings such as Research: volume, income and reputation (accounts for 32.6 per cent) and Citations: research influence (accounts for 25 per cent).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In addition, Nature Index ranked Tohoku University as 4th in Japan (90th in the world, 38th in Asia Pacific) on 2023 tables: Institutions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 2022 tables are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021. Before the 2022 edition, Nature Index also ranked Tohoku University as 5th in Japan (77th in the world, 28th in Asia Pacific) on 2021 tables: Institutions, that are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

According to the Qs World university rankings on 2012/9 surveyed about the general standards in Engineering&Technology field, Tohoku university was placed 56th (world), fifth (national).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As Tohoku University has been emphasizing 'practical' research, Tohoku received the top place for its number of patents accepted (324) during 2009 among Japanese Universities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Graduate school rankings

Tohoku University Law School is one of the most famous Law schools in Japan, as it was ranked fifth in the passing rate of Japanese Bar Examination in 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Alumni rankings

Mines ParisTech : Professional Ranking World Universities ranks Tohoku University as 13th in the world (5th in Japan) in 2011 in terms of the number of alumni listed among CEOs in the 500 largest worldwide companies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Popularity and selectivity

Tohoku University is regarded as a selective university, with its faculty of medicine being particularly noted for its selectivity. It is usually ranked amongst the most selective STEM degrees in the country, alongside the medicine, engineering and science degrees at the University of Tokyo and the faculties of medicine of TMDU, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, and Keio.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Evaluation from business world

The university ranking according to the order of the evaluation by Personnel Departments of Leading Companies in Japan

	Ranking
Japan	3rd<ref>Survey on the image seen from human resources personnel：Ranking of the ability to get jobs｜Nikkei HR 2021.06.02　release</ref> (out of 788<ref name="jpu">The number of universities in Japan is 788 as of April 1, 2021.｜Ōbun Sha</ref> universities in Japan as of 2021)
Source	2021 Nikkei Survey<ref name="r.nikkei">Image held by human resources personnel of companies of Japan / Valuation from the ex-students already employed / The Nikkei・Nikkei HR Survey　2021-06-02</ref> to all listed (3,714<ref name="jpx">Number of listed companies & listed shares of stock｜JPX</ref>) and leading unlisted (1,100), totally 4,850 companies<ref name="r.nikkei" />

Presidents

File:Akihisa Inoue James Zumwalt and Ann Kambara 2009.jpg

Akihisa Inoue (left) talked with James P. Zumwalt (chargé d'affaires) and Ann Kambara at Tohoku University in 2009.

Notable people

Sciences

• 
  Masataka Ogawa, chemist, former president, known for the discovery of rhenium
• 
  Koichi Tanaka, chemist, 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner
• 
  Akira Endo, biochemist, known for the discovery of first statin, 2008 Lasker Award and 2017 Gairdner Award winner
• 
  Atsuto Suzuki, physicist, 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics winner
• 
  Hideo Ohno, physicist, the 22nd president of Tohoku University

• Hitoshi Oshitani, scientist, virologist and public health expert
• Tetsuo Nozoe, chemist, known for hinokitiol
• Tsutomu Ōhashi, artist and scientist, Doctor of Agriculture
• Syun-Ichi Akasofu, geophysicist, the founding director of the International Arctic Research Center of UAF
• Hiroshi Maeda, pharmacologist and chemist, known for discovery of EPR effect
• Chen Wei-jao, a surgeon and president of National Taiwan University
• Lo Tung-bin, biochemist, pioneer in the research on proteins in Taiwan
• Susumu Satomi, a surgeon and president of Tohoku University
• Ryuta Kawashima, neuroscientist, currently resident professor, the supervisor of Nintendo DS gamesofts; Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! and Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain?
• Noriko Osumi, neuroscientist, the vice president of Tohoku University (2018–)
• Mahmoud Nili Ahmadabadi, president of University of Tehran

Engineering

• 
  Kotaro Honda, inventor, former president, 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics nominee
• 
  Hidetsugu Yagi, engineer, mentor of Yagi–Uda antenna
• 
  Shun-ichi Iwasaki, engineer, pioneer of perpendicular recording and modern hard disk drives
• 
  Jun-ichi Nishizawa, engineer, known for inventing optical communication systems including optical fiber, laser diode and so forth, PIN diode and SIT/SITh
• 
  Fujio Masuoka, engineer, the developer of flash memory
• 
  Sumio Iijima, physicist, inventor of carbon nanotubes
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Masatoshi Shima, inventor of CPU Intel 4004
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Masato Sagawa, inventor of sintered NdFeB magnets, the winner of 2022 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering<ref>"Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering honours magnet pioneer". BBC News. 1 February 2022.</ref>

• Shintaro Uda, an inventor of the Yagi-Uda antenna 1926, the ubiquitous television antenna
• Masayoshi Esashi, engineer, the global authority of Microelectromechanical systems
• Toshitada Doi, a pioneer in digital audio, originated Aibo the pet robot
• Fumihiko Imamura, civil engineer, the natural disaster expert for NHK after 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami<ref>CNN rebroadcasting NHK, 13 March 2011.</ref>
• Masataka Nakazawa, pioneer of optical solitons in high-speed optical communication in fiber optic networks and rare earth-doped optical amplifiers (such as EDFA)

Literature and arts

• Lu Xun, the greatest writer in modern China
  Lu Xun, the greatest writer in modern China
• Hajime Tanabe, philosopher of science, member of Kyoto School
  Hajime Tanabe, philosopher of science, member of Kyoto School
• Ido Reizan, a journalist, writer, poet, and involved in Freedom and People's Rights Movement
  Ido Reizan, a journalist, writer, poet, and involved in Freedom and People's Rights Movement
• Morio Kita, novelist, 1960 Akutagawa Prize winner
  Morio Kita, novelist, 1960 Akutagawa Prize winner
• Terumi Tanaka former professor, Representative of Nihon Hidankyo, 2024 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in Oslo, Norway
  Terumi Tanaka former professor, Representative of Nihon Hidankyo, 2024 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in Oslo, Norway

• Ben Goto, a Japanese writer
• Template:Ill, a Taiwanese author
• Template:Ill, novelist, 1938 Naoki Prize winner
• Template:Ill, novelist, 1978 Naoki Prize winner
• Template:Ill, novelist, 1994 Naoki Prize winner
• Template:Ill, novelist, 1999 Naoki Prize winner
• Toh EnJoe, author, 2012 Akutagawa Prize, Nihon SF Taisho Award, and 2013 Seiun Award winner
• Yuichi Kodama, a Japanese video director
• Kazumasa Oda, one of the most famous musicians in pop music in Japan since the 1970s
• Kōtarō Isaka, a mystery fiction writer, Japan Booksellers Award and Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize winner
• Hideaki Sena, a science fiction writer and Nihon SF Taisho Award winner
• Chūsei Sone, a Japanese film director and screenwriter
• Kenji Suzuki, an announcer of the NHK
• Chinggeltei (1924–2013), a Mongolist, the former vice-rector of Inner Mongolia University<ref name="PD">Template:Cite web</ref>

Mathematics, economics and business

• Hirofumi Uzawa, an economist, the father of Theoretical Economics in Japan
  Hirofumi Uzawa, an economist, the father of Theoretical Economics in Japan
• Shizuo Kakutani, mathematician, professor at Yale, known for Kakutani fixed-point theorem
  Shizuo Kakutani, mathematician, professor at Yale, known for Kakutani fixed-point theorem
• Ryōji Chūbachi, a Japanese businessman, former vice chairman and president of Sony Corporation
  Ryōji Chūbachi, a Japanese businessman, former vice chairman and president of Sony Corporation

• Nobuhiko Kawamoto, CEO of Honda Motor until 1995
• Su Buqing, a Chinese mathematician and former president of Fudan University
• Chen Jiangong, pioneer of modern Chinese mathematics
• Yasumasa Kanada, a mathematician most known for his numerous world records over the past two decades for calculating digits of π
• Shigeo Sasaki, a professor emeritus and mathematician who introduced the Sasaki manifold

Politics

• Shigeyoshi Matsumae, a Japanese politician, electrical engineer, and founder of Tokai University
  Shigeyoshi Matsumae, a Japanese politician, electrical engineer, and founder of Tokai University
• Yukio Edano, a Japanese politician and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet
  Yukio Edano, a Japanese politician and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet
• Eisuke Mori, a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party
  Eisuke Mori, a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party
• Masako Mori, a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party
  Masako Mori, a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party

• Kenya Akiba, a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party
• Masayuki Aoyama, Japanese politician in the House of Representatives
• Yoshihisa Inoue, Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party
• Akira Koike, a Japanese politician of Japanese Communist Party
• Sōichirō Miyashita, governor of Aomori Prefecture
• Mitsuru Sakurai, Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan
• Template:Ill, Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan
• Emiko Okuyama, Mayor of Sendai, 2009–2017

See also

• Tohoku Mathematical Journal
• Institute for Materials Research
• Sendai
• List of National Treasures of Japan (writings)
• Tegula kusairo

External links

• Tohoku University
• Annual review 2006
• Links