Tohoku University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tohoku University

東北大学
Motto	研究第一主義 (research first principle) 門戸開放 (open-door policy) 実学尊重 (respect for practical studies)
Type	Public (National)
Established	June 22, 1907
Academic affiliations	APRU, AEARU, HeKKSaGOn, T.I.M.E., RENKEI
Endowment	US$1.3 billion (JP¥120,138 billion)
President	Teiji Tominaga
Administrative staff	5,756
Undergraduates	11,094
Postgraduates	7,704
Other students	1,346 (international students)
Location	Sendai, Miyagi , Japan
Campus	Urban, 250 ha (620 acres)
Colors	Violet      Black
Sporting affiliations	TCAA, SEN6 [ja]

Tohoku University (東北大学, Tōhoku daigaku) is a public research university located in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. People often call it Tohokudai (東北大, Tōhokudai) or Tonpei (トンペイ, Tompei).

It was started in 1907. It was the third of the important universities in Japan, after the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University. At first, it focused on science and medicine. Later, it also started teaching subjects like history and literature.

In 2016, Tohoku University had 10 main colleges, 16 graduate schools, and 6 research centers. About 17,885 students were studying there. The university has three main ideas: "Research First," "Open-Doors," and "Practical Studies."

Tohoku University is known for its great teaching. The Times Higher Education Japan University Rankings placed it as the best university in Japan for four years in a row (2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023). In the 2024 world rankings, it was 130th globally. This makes it the third highest-ranked university in Japan.

University History

Tohoku Imperial University was created on June 22, 1907. It was the third "Imperial University" in Japan. From the very beginning, it had an "Open-door" policy. This meant it was the first university in Japan to welcome both female students (in 1913) and students from other countries.

Teaching and research began in Sendai in 1911. When the university first opened, it only had one college, the College of Agriculture, in Sapporo. This college later became its own university, Hokkaido University. Over the years, Tohoku University added many new colleges. These included the School of Science (1911), the School of Medicine (1915), Engineering (1919), and Law and Literature (1922).

In 1947, after World War II, the university changed its name to Tohoku University. It also started teaching agriculture again in Sendai. More colleges were added later, like Education (1949), Dentistry (1965), and Pharmacy (1972). Since 2004, it has been a National University Corporation.

The 2011 Earthquake

In 2011, a big earthquake and tsunami hit the Tohoku region. The university had to close for a while. Luckily, the main campuses were far from the ocean. They were about 12 kilometers inland, towards the mountains. This meant they were safe from the tsunami. No students or staff were seriously hurt on campus.

However, the earthquake did damage 27 buildings. It also caused millions of dollars of damage to equipment. Classes started again in May 2011. The university has been working to fix and strengthen its buildings since then.

University Campuses

Kawauchi

Aobayama

Katahira

Seiryo

Campus locations

Tohoku University has four main campuses in Sendai City, Japan:

• Katahira (片平, Katahira): This campus holds the main administration offices and important research centers.
• Kawauchi (川内, Kawauchi):

* North-Kawauchi is for first and second-year undergraduate students. * South-Kawauchi is home to colleges like Law, Education, Economics, and Literature.

• Seiryo (星陵, Seiryō): This campus is where the Medicine and Dentistry colleges are located.
• Aobayama (青葉山, Aobayama): This campus houses the Science, Engineering, Pharmacy, and Agriculture colleges.

Some older campuses and institutes moved to a new part of the Aobayama campus in April 2017.

Research and Study Centers

Tohoku University has many special places for research and learning:

• Research Institute of Electrical Communication (電気通信研究所, 通研, Denki Tsūshin Kenkyūsjo, Tsūken)
• Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (加齢医学研究所, Karei Igaku Kenkyūjo)
• Institute of Fluid Science (流体科学研究所, Ryūtai Kagaku Kenkyūsyo)
• Institute for Materials Research,IMR (金属材料研究所, 金研, Kinzoku Zairyō Kenkyūsjo, Kinken)
• Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (多元物質科学研究所, Tagen Busshitsu Kagaku Kenkyūjo)
• International Research Institute of Disaster Science (災害科学国際研究所, Saigai Kagaku Kokusai Kenkyūjo)
• Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization

University Libraries

Tohoku University has several libraries for its students and researchers:

• Tohoku University Library (main library)
• Medical Library
• Kita-Aobayama Library
• Engineering Library
• Agricultural Library

Other Important Facilities

• Tohoku University Hospital Seiryo
• Center for Northeast Asian Studies
• Center for the Advancement of Higher Education
• The Center for Academic Resources and Archives, which includes the Tohoku University Museum and Botanical Gardens.
• Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center
• New Industry Creation Hatchery Center (NICHe)
• Center for Interdisciplinary Research
• Technology Center for Research and Education Activities
• Information Synergy Organization

Student Life: Dorms

The university offers several dormitories for students:

• Ibun-ryo (以文寮, Ibun ryō)
• Josyun-ryo (如春寮, Josyun ryō)
• Seifu-ryo (霽風寮, Seifū ryō)
• Nissyu-ryo (日就寮, Nissyū ryō)
• Meizen-ryo (明善寮, Meizen ryō)
• Matsukaze-ryo (松風寮, Matsukaze ryō)
• University House Sanjo (ユニバーシティ・ハウス三条, University House Sanjo)
• International House (国際交流会館, Kokusai kōryū kaikan)

University Rankings

Tohoku University is highly respected around the world.

Overall Rankings

In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2024, Tohoku University was ranked 130th globally. It is the third highest-ranked university in Japan. The top two are the University of Tokyo (29th) and Kyoto University (55th). For teaching quality in Japan, Tohoku University was ranked 1st from 2020 to 2023.

The QS World University Rankings for 2024 placed Tohoku University 113th globally. It was the fifth best in Japan.

Research Achievements

Tohoku University is a leading research center in Japan. It is known for its excellent research in:

• Materials Science (1st in Japan, 3rd in the world)
• Physics (2nd in Japan, 10th in the world)
• Pharmacology & Toxicology (3rd in Japan, 64th in the world)
• Chemistry (6th in Japan, 20th in the world)

The university also ranks high in social sciences research. In 2023, the Nature Index ranked Tohoku University as the 4th best institution in Japan for research. It was 90th in the world and 38th in Asia Pacific.

Tohoku University focuses on "practical" research. This means it works on inventions that can be used in real life. In 2009, it had the most patents accepted (324) among all Japanese universities.

Law School Rankings

Tohoku University Law School is very famous in Japan. In 2020, it ranked fifth for the number of students who passed the Japanese Bar Examination.

Alumni Success

A study by Mines ParisTech in 2011 ranked Tohoku University 13th in the world. This ranking was based on how many of its graduates became CEOs of the 500 largest companies worldwide. It was 5th in Japan for this measure.

Popularity and Entry Difficulty

Tohoku University is a very competitive university to get into. Its medical school is especially hard to enter. It is often ranked among the toughest programs in STEM fields in Japan. This includes medicine, engineering, and science degrees.

Famous People from Tohoku University

Many well-known people have studied or worked at Tohoku University.

Scientists

• 

  Koichi Tanaka, chemist, won the 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

• 

  Akira Endo, biochemist, discovered the first statin drug.

• 

  Atsuto Suzuki, physicist, won the 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.

• 

  Hideo Ohno, physicist, and the 22nd president of Tohoku University.

• Hitoshi Oshitani: A scientist who studies viruses and public health.
• Tetsuo Nozoe: A chemist known for his work with hinokitiol.
• Syun-Ichi Akasofu: A geophysicist who founded the International Arctic Research Center.
• Hiroshi Maeda: A pharmacologist and chemist who discovered the EPR effect.
• Morio Kasai: A surgeon who created the Kasai procedure for a liver condition.
• Ryuta Kawashima: A neuroscientist who helped create the popular Nintendo DS games Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! and Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain?.
• Noriko Osumi: A neuroscientist and the vice president of Tohoku University.

Engineers

• 

  Kotaro Honda, former president, nominated for the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics.

• 

  Masataka Ogawa, former president, discovered the element rhenium.

• 

  Hidetsugu Yagi, electrical engineer, known for the Yagi–Uda antenna.

• Sumio Iijima.jpg

  Sumio Iijima, physicist, invented carbon nanotubes.

• 

  Masatoshi Shima, inventor of the CPU Intel 4004.

• 

  Masato Sagawa, invented special magnets, won the 2022 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering.

• Shintaro Uda: Co-inventor of the Yagi-Uda antenna, used for television.
• Jun-Ichi Nishizawa: An engineer who invented optical communication systems like optical fiber and laser diode.
• Fujio Masuoka: Developed Flash Memory, used in many electronic devices.
• Masayoshi Esashi: A world expert in Microelectromechanical systems.
• Toshitada Doi: A pioneer in digital audio, who also created the Aibo robot.
• Fumihiko Imamura: A civil engineer and expert on natural disasters.

Writers and Artists

• 

  Lu Xun, a very important writer in modern China.

• 

  Morio Kita, novelist, won the 1960 Akutagawa Prize.

• Ben Goto: A Japanese writer.
• Toh EnJoe: An author who won the 2012 Akutagawa Prize.
• Yuichi Kodama: A Japanese video director.
• Kazumasa Oda: A famous pop musician in Japan.
• Kōtarō Isaka: A mystery fiction writer.
• Hideaki Sena: A science fiction writer.

Mathematics, Economics, and Business Leaders

• 

  Shizuo Kakutani, mathematician, professor at Yale, known for his fixed-point theorem.

• 

  Ryōji Chūbachi, a Japanese businessman, former president of Sony Corporation.

• Nobuhiko Kawamoto: Former CEO of Honda Motor.
• Hirofumi Uzawa: An economist, known as the father of theoretical economics in Japan.
• Yasumasa Kanada: A mathematician famous for calculating many digits of π.

Politicians

• Shigeyoshi Matsumae.JPG

  Shigeyoshi Matsumae, a Japanese politician and engineer, founded Tokai University.

• 

  Yukio Edano, a Japanese politician and member of the House of Representatives.

• 

  Eisuke Mori, a Japanese politician.

• 

  Masako Mori, a Japanese politician.

• Masayuki Aoyama: A Japanese politician.
• Mitsuru Sakurai: A Japanese politician.
• Emiko Okuyama: Mayor of Sendai from 2009 to 2017.

Images for kids

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  Albert Einstein visiting Tohoku Imperial University in 1922.

• 

  Tohoku University (Katahira campus Main Gate).