“You, Unlimited” is the resonant motto that greets you here at Ryukoku University. This private university in Kyoto began its journey in 1639. It started as a school for Buddhist priests of the Nishi Hongan-ji denomination.
Ryukoku University transformed into a secularized university in 1876. Professors and students here founded the literary magazine Chūdōron in 1887. Ryukoku University now operates three campuses. You’ll find them in Fukakusa and Omiya in Kyoto and Seta in Shiga prefecture. Notably all campuses are smoke-free.
Ryukoku University is part of San-Kin-Ko-Ryu. This is a group of semi-major private universities in the Kansai area. Ryukoku University offers diverse undergraduate programs. These include Letters, Economics, and Business Administration. Law, International Studies, and Advanced Science and Technology are included too. Also offered are Sociology, Policy Studies, Agriculture, and Psychology.
The Graduate Schools at Ryukoku University offer advanced studies. These encompass Letters, Economics, and Business Administration. You can also study Law, Policy Science, and International Studies here. Science and Technology, Sociology, and Practical Shin Buddhist Studies are included. Agriculture is also an option.
Ryukoku University boasts several notable alumni. Yuji Fujii is a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. Ayano Tsuji is a singer-songwriter who honed her skills here. Takamaro Shigaraki became a Buddhologist and later president of Ryukoku University.
Ryukoku University’s history stretches back centuries. Ryonyo the 13th abbot of Nishi-Hongwanji Temple established it. It began as Gakuryo a Buddhist seminary to promote Shin Buddhism education. Ryukoku is older than Shoheiko the official Edo Shogunate school. It stands as one of Japan’s oldest higher education institutions.
A city fire destroyed the institution in 1788. However it was restored in 1792. Ryukoku was granted university status in 1922. Its founding spirit is rooted in the Buddhist tradition. The spirit embodies the desire to awaken all living beings from ignorance to enlightenment. The university educates its students to seek truth. They should live in truth and reveal truth. Ryukoku University teaches its students to value equality. It is important to value independence and contemplation. Gratitude and peace are also important to become wise individuals.
Ryukoku University accepted female students for the first time in 1928. The Fukakusa Campus was established in 1960. This commemorated the 700th anniversary of Shinran Shonin. A unique piece of Ryukoku’s history involves the Otani Expedition. Otani Kozui dispatched the exploration party three times to Central Asia. The goal was to study Buddhism’s eastward expansion from India. The Omiya Library holds research materials collected by the Otani Expedition. They are known as Cultural materials of the West.
In 1981 one of the 3000 camphor trees was replanted on the Fukakusa campus. It was planted in the peace forest surrounding the Atomic Dome site in Hiroshima. This act symbolizes Ryukoku University’s commitment to peace.
Ryukoku University continues to evolve. The Ryukoku Strategic Plan 400 was initiated in 2020. The university moves forward. It continues to be a place of learning and enlightenment.