- #82 Ranking
- 17,758 Students
- Public Institution Type
In 1911, Vice Minister of Education Masataro Sawayanagi, moved to Sendai to become Tohoku University’s first president. Sawayanagi firmly believed that academic research should be integrated with education. He also believed that a university should not discriminate based on class or gender.
Following this principle, Tohoku University accepted graduates from technical and higher normal schools, and despite opposition from the government at that time, became Japan’s first university to admit female students in 1913.
Tohoku University, along with the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, received confirmation of its new status from the Japanese Government in June 2017. The three were chosen from among 86 national universities in the country.
The conferment of the Designated National University title is a recognition of the university's abilities to lead and shape global education and research. The new status provides the university with a better platform to further contribute to communities at home and abroad.
TUH is a public hospital with 57 departments and 1,262 beds. The hospital offers diagnostic and therapeutic treatment using advanced medical equipment by healthcare professionals who aim to provide patient-centered care. As an academic institution, TUH provides specialist training and is committed to continued research on intractable diseases and advanced medical care practices.
The ancient castle grounds of Sendai's famous feudal war lord Masamune Date, are home to the majority of Tohoku University's facilities. In addition to the five main campuses is the new Aobayama campus on Aobayama mountain surrounded by beautiful fir forests native to the region's hilly terrain.
The Tohoku University Botanical Gardens, was founded for research and education on Aobayama mountain, in 1958. Due to its preservation for 400 years it is now home to flora and fauna of priceless academic value. In 1972, the garden was designated a natural monument, a first for a national university botanical garden. It is one of only three national university botanical gardens in Japan.
The Student Friendship Association is a university-wide organization consisting of 47 sports and 24 cultural clubs. The university also provides facilities for extracurricular activity.