Kaisei Academy facts for kids

The Kaisei Academy (開成学園) is a special private school for boys in Tokyo, Japan. It's located in the Arakawa area. This school was started a long time ago, in 1871.

Kaisei Academy is famous because many important people have studied there. Because of this, it's known as one of the best secondary schools in Japan. In fact, as of 2024, it has sent the most students to the University of Tokyo. This university is considered the top one in Japan.

About Kaisei Academy

Kaisei Academy opened its doors in 1871. Since then, it has helped many students become successful. Every year, 300 students join the junior high school. Another 100 students are admitted to the high school.

The school has a main rule called "Shitsu-jitsu-gou-ken" (質実剛健). This means being strong, simple, and tough. You can see this rule in action during school events. For example, there's an athletic meeting and a marathon. Students also take part in a swimming summer school. There's even an annual boat race with another school, Senior High School at Otsuka.

A Look at History

The school, which has taught hundreds of famous people, began in 1871. It was first called the Kyōryū Gakkō. It started as a school to help students get ready for higher education. After World War II, this school became part of the University of Tokyo. Its motto is "The pen is mightier than the sword". This means that thinking and writing are more powerful than fighting.

Famous People Who Studied Here

Many notable people have attended Kaisei Academy. Here are some of them:

• Okada Keisuke (1868 – 1952) – He was the Prime Minister of Japan from 1934 to 1936.
• Ikeda Kikunae (1864 – 1936) – He discovered the fifth basic taste, called umami.
• Kogorō Takahira (1854 - 1926) – He was Japan's Ambassador to the United States.
• Nagaoka Hantarō (1865 – 1950) – A physicist who created a model of the atom.
• Masaoka Shiki – A famous poet, known for his haiku poems.
• Shimazaki Tōson (1872-1943) – A leading poet and writer in the Meiji era.
• Akiyama Saneyuki (1868 – 1918) – An admiral who planned Japan's strategy at the Battle of Tsushima.
• Yamaguchi Tamon (1892 – 1942) – A vice admiral who commanded the aircraft carrier Hiryū.
• Mutō Toshirō (1934 – ) – He used to be a high-ranking official at the Bank of Japan.
• Fumio Kishida (1957 – ) – He became the Prime Minister of Japan in 2021.
• Chikahiko Koizumi (1884 - 1945) – A surgeon and vice-general in the Japanese military.
• Takayuki Kobayashi (1974 -) – A politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2012.
• Chikara Yoshihara (1999 -) – A quiz player who won several "ABC" quiz competitions.
• Keiichi Tadaki (1943 -) – A lawyer who served as Prosecutor-General.
• Shinji Inoue (1969 -) – A politician and former Minister.
• Michio Yuzawa (1888 - 1963) – A politician who served as governor of several prefectures.
• Taro Tsujimura (1890 - 1983) – A geographer who led the Association of Japanese Geographers.
• Masaaki Koizumi (1964 -) – A certified public accountant.
• Yoshiyuki Murata (1954 -) – Former President of Taisei Corporation.
• Shuji Yoshino (1970-) – A geography teacher at Kaisei.
• Toshio Kagami (1936 -) – A director at Oriental Land Co., Ltd.
• Kiyotaka Sasaki (1961 -) – The first Director of the General Policy Bureau of the Financial Services Agency.
• Teiji Seta (1916 - 1979) – A writer of children’s books and a translator.
• Kuroda Seiki (1866 - 1924) – A famous painter and politician.
• Shin'ichirō Nakamura (1918 - 1997) – A novelist, critic, and poet.
• Kōichirō Asakai (1906 - 1995) – A diplomat.
• Takushi Izawa (1994 -) – A quiz player who founded QuizKnock.
• Minoru Kiuchi (1965 -) – A politician who served as Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs.
• Ryokichi Inada (1874 - 1950) – A bacteriologist and professor.
• Yukio Ninagawa (1935-2016) – A famous theatre and film director.
• Shozo Uchida (1885 - 1972) – An architect and former president of Tokyo Imperial University.

See also

• List of high schools in Tokyo