About UTokyo
Home > About UTokyo > History > The University of Tokyo celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding in 2027

The University of Tokyo celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding in 2027

Kyōzon: Toward the University of Tokyo’s 150th Anniversary

In 2027, the University of Tokyo will celebrate our 150th anniversary. That celebration will be about more than the growth of a single institution. It will retrace the past century and a half, a period when modern Japan opened up to the world and people’s lives and the environment were transformed. Reflecting on that history, we want this anniversary to be an opportunity to reconsider the role that the University of Tokyo should play in protecting our planet and building a better society.

To create a future where knowledge has value and power, a future that nurtures happiness and the kyōzon of harmonious coexistence, the University of Tokyo must stand at the forefront of scholarship, transcending existing divisions and building new connections with society. We thus embark on this commemoration with aspirations for the next 150 years. Along with the fundamental principles of UTokyo Compass—Knowledge, People, and Place—we center our upcoming anniversary around the following three ideas.

 

Reflecting on the University of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo was born when Japan was setting out to build a modern nation through its opening to the world and the Meiji Restoration. As a comprehensive institution then called an “imperial” university, it produced talented individuals who excelled in many fields, including law, public administration, science, medicine, industry, economics, culture, and education, and it dedicated itself to research and education that rivaled academic institutions abroad. But we must not only highlight our past achievements. We must also learn from our failures and mistakes that may have been forgotten. Today, when the world is burdened by divisions and disparities both within and among countries, when markets cannot thrive without recognizing their impact on society and the environment, and when the practice of science is inseparable from research ethics and justice, the relevance of universities is being questioned throughout the world. The University of Tokyo must now consider what needs to be changed and what must be preserved. We must envision what the future should be and advance toward that future together.

 

Creating by the University of Tokyo

Humanity faces many issues of global significance, challenges that will have a profound impact on the future of life on Earth—climate change, extreme weather, pandemics, rapid advances in information technology and artificial intelligence, growing geopolitical instability, and the sustainability of natural resources and the global commons. Solving those problems requires the cultivation of comprehensive knowledge that crosses the boundaries between academic specializations, an even stronger desire to pursue the unknown and the mysterious, and the realization of diversity and inclusion that aim for mutual resonance, for kyōzon. In 2004, when Japan’s national universities were incorporated as autonomous entities, we adopted the University of Tokyo Charter as our declaration of self-governance, committing our institution to serve not only Japan but the global public as well. That commitment is one of our founding principles, and we will continue to share with the world our wide-ranging accomplishments achieved through free and autonomous exploration.

 

Connecting with the University of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo community extends far beyond our current faculty, staff, and students. In addition to our alumni, who are active in many fields, people of many professions, organizations, positions, fields, ages, and regions are also essential partners in our endeavors. As stated in UTokyo Compass, rather than being a closed and isolated organization, we aim to be a place where diverse knowledge and people from throughout society and around the world can come together for dialogue. By connecting with society and the world, with people and nature, with the past and the future, we acquire new strengths for solving problems. A vital step for creating such a place is expanding UTokyo NEXT150, the autonomous fund that supports our long-term mission. As we embark on our anniversary celebrations, we look forward to renewing our ties with everyone in the University of Tokyo community.

The History and Origins of the University of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo was founded on April 12, 1877 through the restructuring and consolidation of Tokyo Kaisei School and Tokyo Medical School. The origin of the latter dates back to the Otamagaike Vaccination Clinic that was opened in the Kanda area in 1858. Meanwhile, Tokyo Kaisei School originated from the Kaiseisho (Institute for Western Studies) that was established by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1863. This institute was created as a result of the reorganization of its predecessor, the Bansho Shirabesho (Institute for the Study of Barbarian Books), which had been founded in 1857.

The Institute for the Study of Barbarian Books is connected to Tenmonkata (the Astronomy Agency), which was formed in 1684. The Astronomy Agency was the entity authorized by the shogunate to compile calendars. Since its foundation, officers at the Astronomy Agency studied and researched Western knowledge, with a particular focus on the field of astronomy and the study of calendars. As the importance of Western knowledge increased, a section called Bansho Wage Goyo (the Western Books Translation Agency) was established within the Astronomy Agency. During the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate and the end of the Edo period, there was a sudden and drastic increase in demand for the translation of and research on Western books. To answer this demand, the Western Books Translation Agency developed into the Institute for the Study of Barbarian Books, an educational and research institute focusing on Western learning.

Two former officers at the Astronomy Agency, Genpo Mitsukuri and Seikei Sugita, became the first two instructors at the Institute for the Study of Barbarian Books. Also, Western books housed in the Astronomy Agency and the Momijiyama Library of Edo Castle were transferred to the Institute for the Study of Barbarian Books upon the Institute’s establishment. Thus, it can be said that the history of the University of Tokyo, through its predecessor Tokyo Kaisei School, can be traced back to the Astronomy Agency in terms of not only academic but also personal connections. Another noteworthy personal connection was Hiroyuki Kato, the first superintendent and second president of the University, who had previously been an instructor at the Institute for the Study of Barbarian Books.

images
Yasuda Auditorium around 1926
images
Yasuda Auditorium in 2021
images
Akamon around 1900
images
Akamon in 2011
 

See the pages below for more information on UTokyo’s history.

 

2027 – UTokyo’s 150th Anniversary

The University of Tokyo celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding in 2027.
Information on projects and events related to UTokyo’s 150th anniversary will be posted here. Please check this page for updates.

150th Anniversary Logo
Logo picture

150th Anniversary Logo Concept
An image illustrating the parts of the logo. At the logo's base is a circle that represents the world and connections with others. Tradition (number) and innovation (words) are conveyed through different typefaces. The ginkgo leaves of the UTokyo logo have been simplified and arranged onto the logo.

Learn More

Donate to UTokyo NEXT150 (Discretionary Fund)

UTokyo NEXT 150 logo image

In order to realize UTokyo’s aim to create a campus to which anyone from around the world would want to come, the UTokyo Foundation started accepting donations on October 15, 2022 for the UTokyo NEXT150 Discretionary Fund.
The goal is for the UTokyo Foundation’s balance to reach 20 billion yen by 2027, UTokyo’s 150th anniversary. The capital and investment profit gained from donations to UTokyo NEXT150 will be used at UTokyo’s discretion for the University’s most urgent and vital needs.
Anyone can donate to UTokyo, including alumni, students, guardians, faculty and staff. Your donation may be tax deductible.

UTokyo NEXT150

The University of Tokyo Archives

Established in April 2014, the University of Tokyo Archives aims to contribute to education and research at UTokyo through the proper management, preservation and use of corporate documents important to UTokyo and various materials related to UTokyo’s history.
While inheriting the materials and accomplishments of the 150-year History Compilation Office and the Archives Section, The University of Tokyo Archives will go on to shoulder new responsibilities in the future.

 
 

The University of Tokyo Archives Website (Japanese)

Inquiries about the content of this page: Public Relations GroupSend inquiry
Access Map
Close
Kashiwa Campus
Close
Hongo Campus
Close
Komaba Campus
Close