Tohoku University


Tohoku University is a public research university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. It is colloquially referred to as Tohokudai or Tonpei.
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. The university's three core values are "Research First," "Open-Doors," and "Practice-Oriented Research and Education."

History

On 22 June 1907, Tohoku Imperial University was established by the Meiji government as the third Imperial University of Japan, after Tokyo Imperial University and Kyoto Imperial University. From its inception, it advocated 'Open-door' policies, becoming the first university in Japan to accept both female students in 1913, and foreign students.
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, the College of Agriculture, in Sapporo, Hokkaido. This college, originally founded in 1875 as the Sapporo Agricultural College, 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 in 1915, the Faculty of Engineering in 1919, and the Faculty of Law and Literature in 1922.
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.

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. The Aobayama, Katahira, Amamiya, and Kawauchi campuses are all at least 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


Campus locations


Principal four campuses are in the Sendai City, Japan;
  • Katahira
  • Kawauchi
  • Seiryo
  • Aobayama
Amamiya campus and some institutes transferred to the new extension at Aobayama campus in April 2017 .

Research institutes

Tohoku University has several research centers and institutes:
  • Institute for Materials Research, IMR
  • Research Institute of Electrical Communication
  • Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer
  • Institute of Fluid Science
  • International Center for Synchrotron Radiation Innovation Smart, SRIS
  • Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials
  • International Research Institute of Disaster Science
  • Tohoku Medical Megabank Project
  • Advanced Institutes for Materials Research, AIMR
  • Advanced Institutes for Marine Ecosysttem Change, AIMEC

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
  • 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

Collaborating institutions

  • Office of Cooperative Research and Development
  • Office for Strategic Promotion of Basic Research
  • Center for Research Strategy and Support
  • Environment Conservation Research Institute
  • Center for International Exchange
  • Archaeological Research office on the Campus
  • Global Operations center
  • Campus Planning office

e-learning system

  • Internet School of Tohoku University

Dormitories

  • Ibun-ryo
  • Josyun-ryo
  • Seifu-ryo
  • Nissyu-ryo
  • Meizen-ryo
  • Matsukaze-ryo
  • University House Sanjo
  • University House Aobayama
  • International House

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 and Kyoto University. 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.
In the QS World University Rankings 2026, Tohoku University is ranked 109th globally and fifth in Japan, after UTokyo, KyotoU, OsakaU, and Tokyo Tech.

Subject rankings

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

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.Its research excellence is especially distinctive in Materials Science, Physics, Pharmacology & Toxicology and Chemistry.
Times Higher Education also reported that Tohoku University was ranked 3rd in Japan for the World University Rankings 2022 by Subject: social sciences. The social sciences ranking includes the weightings such as Research: volume, income and reputation and Citations: research influence.
In addition, Nature Index ranked Tohoku University as 4th in Japan on 2023 tables: Institutions. 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 on 2021 tables: Institutions, that are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.
According to the Qs World university rankings on 2012/9 surveyed about the general standards in Engineering&Technology field, Tohoku university was placed 56th, fifth.
As Tohoku University has been emphasizing 'practical' research, Tohoku received the top place for its number of patents accepted during 2009 among Japanese Universities.

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.

Alumni rankings

ranks Tohoku University as 13th in the world in 2011 in terms of the number of alumni listed among CEOs in the 500 largest worldwide companies.

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.

Notable people

Sciences

Engineering

Literature and arts

Mathematics, economics and business

Politics