Ritsumeikan University

The air is alive with the energy of a thousand minds. You stand right in front of Ritsumeikan University. It’s a haven of learning, brimming with history and ambition. It all started back in 1869, when Prince Kinmochi Saionji, a renowned statesman, established a private academy right on the grounds of Kyoto Imperial Palace. The academy evolved into the Kyoto Hosei School in 1900. This law school eventually took on the prestigious name Ritsumeikan, meaning “establishing one’s destiny.” Ritsumeikan University is one of the most prominent private universities in Western Japan. The university is known for its strong social sciences, especially its international relations program. It’s also renowned for its science and engineering departments. But did you know? Ritsumeikan’s Graduate School of International Relations is the only Japanese member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. The name Ritsumeikan derives from a Mencius quote: “Some die young, as some live long lives. This is decided by fate. Therefore, one’s duty consists of cultivating one’s mind during this mortal span and thereby establishing one’s destiny.” You can almost feel the weight of that enduring philosophy as you walk through the university’s gates. You are standing at a place that has been a vibrant center of learning and an incubator of future leaders for over a century.