Ritsumeikan University
Encyclopedia
Ritsumeikan University has a growing reputation as one of the main private universities of Japan. It is part of a group of prestigious private universities in the Kansai (Western Japan) area, called "Kan (Kwansei Gakuin University)-Kan (Kansai University)-Dou (Doushisha University)-Ritsu (Ritsumeikan University)". In an annual survey conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of private companies in Japan, Ritsumeikan University was ranked 1st in Industry-Academia-Government collaboration activities for 2 years in a row (2004, 2005), and is continuously working to keep this rank.
quotation:
It literally means "place to establish one's destiny."
, Kyoto. This liberal arts-oriented campus is a roughly five minute-walk from Ryōan-ji
and Kinkaku-ji
temples. The campus has eight graduate schools, 17,000 undergraduate and 1,100 graduate students.
, Kyoto. This campus houses the School of Law, Graduate School of Management, and Graduate School of Public Policy, in addition to the Ritsumeikan Academy headquarters.
, the largest freshwater lake in Japan, and is a 30 minute train ride from Kyōto Station
. The campus has four undergraduate colleges, four graduate schools, 16,000 undergraduates and 1,600 graduate students.
(立命館 アジア 太平洋 大学, Ritsumeikan Ajia Taiheiyō Daigaku) is a private institution inaugurated April 2000 in Beppu, Ōita Prefecture
, Japan. Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University was made possible through the collaboration of three parties from the public and private sectors: Oita Prefecture, Beppu City and the Ritsumeikan University. APU has an enrollment of over 6,000 students. Approximately half of the students and faculty members come from overseas.
seeks to critically examine Japan’s militaristic past, and includes numerous exhibits ranging from the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-5 to the Iraq War.
.
The University of Melbourne
The University of Queensland
Tsinghua University
Fudan University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
University of Science and Technology of China
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
City University of Hong Kong
University of Edinburgh
The University of Manchester
New York University
Ohio Northern University
(ONU)
University of Alabama
University of Washington
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Minnesota
(NUS)
Nanyang Technological University
(NTU)
KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology
Pohang University of Science And Technology (POSTECH)
Yonsei University
Origins of the name Ritsumeikan
Its name was adapted from a MenciusMencius
Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.-Life:Mencius, also known by his birth name Meng Ke or Ko, was born in the State of Zou, now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng , Shandong province, only thirty kilometres ...
quotation:
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.
It literally means "place to establish one's destiny."
Colleges and graduate schools (by campus)
Kinugasa Campus
In Kita-kuKita-ku, Kyoto
is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Its name means "North Ward." As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 122,391 people.-Universities:*Bukkyo University*Kyoto Sangyo University...
, Kyoto. This liberal arts-oriented campus is a roughly five minute-walk from Ryōan-ji
Ryoan-ji
is a Zen temple located in northwest Kyoto, Japan. Belonging to the Myoshin-ji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism, the temple and karesansui garden is one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site....
and Kinkaku-ji
Kinkaku-ji
, also known as , is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. The garden complex is an excellent example of Muromachi period garden design. It is designated as a National Special Historic Site and a National Special Landscape, and it is one of 17 locations comprising the Historic Monuments of Ancient...
temples. The campus has eight graduate schools, 17,000 undergraduate and 1,100 graduate students.
- Colleges (学部)
- College of Law (法学部)
- College of Social Sciences (産業社会学部)
- College of International Relations (国際関係学部)
- College of Policy Science (政策科学部)
- College of Letters (文学部)
- College of Image Arts and Sciences (映像学部)
- Graduate Schools (大学院)
- Graduate school of Law (法学研究科)
- Graduate school of Sociology (社会学研究科)
- Graduate school of International Relations (国際関係研究科)
- Graduate school of Policy Science (政策科学研究科)
- Graduate school of Letters (文学研究科)
- Graduate school of Science for Human Services (応用人間科学研究科)
- Graduate school of Language Education and Information Science (言語教育情報研究科)
- Graduate school of CoreEthics and Frontier Sciences (先端総合学術研究科)
- Institute at Kinugasa Campus (インスティテュート)
- Inter-faculty Institute for International Studies (国際インスティテュート)
- International Law & Business Program (国際法務プログラム)
- International Civil Service Program (国際公共プログラム)
- International Community Program(国際社会プログラム)
- International Welfare Program (国際福祉プログラム)
- Inter-faculty Institute for International Studies (国際インスティテュート)
Suzaku Campus
In Nakagyō-kuNakagyo-ku, Kyoto
is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Its name means "central capital ward."As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 102,620 people. Tourism, shopping, and entertainment are the primary sources of income in the area. The Kamo River flows through the...
, Kyoto. This campus houses the School of Law, Graduate School of Management, and Graduate School of Public Policy, in addition to the Ritsumeikan Academy headquarters.
- Graduate Schools (大学院)
- Graduate School of Management (経営管理研究科)
- Graduate School of Public Policy (公務研究科)
- Schools (専門職大学院)
- School of Law (法務研究科)
Biwako-Kusatsu Campus (BKC)
In Kusatsu, Shiga. This technology-oriented campus is southeast of Lake BiwaLake Biwa
is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga Prefecture , northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Because of its proximity to the ancient capital, references to Lake Biwa appear frequently in Japanese literature, particularly in poetry and in historical accounts of battles.-...
, the largest freshwater lake in Japan, and is a 30 minute train ride from Kyōto Station
Kyoto Station
is the most important transportation hub in Kyoto, Japan. It has Japan's second-largest train station building and is one of the country's largest buildings, incorporating a shopping mall, hotel, movie theater, Isetan department store, and several local government facilities under one 15-story roof...
. The campus has four undergraduate colleges, four graduate schools, 16,000 undergraduates and 1,600 graduate students.
- Colleges (学部)
- College of Economics (経済学部) The College of Economics offers three programs pertaining to Economic Strategy, Economic Cooperation and International Economics, and Human Welfare and Economic Conditions. The curriculum integrates theory, history, and knowledge of the current state of affairs in a structured approach on a domestic and foreign scale.
- College of Business Administration (経営学部)
- College of Science and Engineering (理工学部)
- College of Information Science & Engineering (情報理工学部)
- Integrated Institute of Arts & Science (文理総合インスティテュート)
- College of Life Sciences (生命科学部)
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (薬学部)
- Graduate schools (大学院)
- Graduate School of Economics (経済学研究科)
- Graduate School of Business Administration (経営学研究科)
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering (理工学研究科)
- Graduate School of Technology Management (テクノロジー・マネジメント研究科)
- Institute at BKC (インスティテュート)
- Integrated Institute for Arts and Science
- Environment & Design Institute (環境・デザインインスティテュート)
- Finance Institute (ファイナンス・情報インスティテュート)
- Service Management Institute (サービス・マネジメントインスティテュート)
- Integrated Institute for Arts and Science
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
The Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific UniversityRitsumeikan Asia Pacific University
, or APU, is a private institution inaugurated April 2000 in Beppu, Ōita, Japan. APU was made possible through the collaboration of three parties from the public and private sectors: Ōita Prefecture, Beppu City and the Ritsumeikan Academy. APU has an enrollment of over 6,000 students...
(立命館 アジア 太平洋 大学, Ritsumeikan Ajia Taiheiyō Daigaku) is a private institution inaugurated April 2000 in Beppu, Ōita Prefecture
Oita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
, Japan. Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University was made possible through the collaboration of three parties from the public and private sectors: Oita Prefecture, Beppu City and the Ritsumeikan University. APU has an enrollment of over 6,000 students. Approximately half of the students and faculty members come from overseas.
Facilities
Research Center for Disaster Mitigation Systems
Established in April 2005 on the Biwako-Kusatsu Campus, work at this center focuses on disaster mitigation using sensor systems and computer networks.Art Research Center
Located at Kinugasa Campus, this center houses the Digital Humanities Center for Japanese Arts and Cultures, which focuses on research on Japanese art and culture using digital archives, databases and geographical information systems.Museums
The Kyoto Museum for World PeaceKyoto Museum for World Peace
The is part of Ritsumeikan University in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The Museum is accessible to the public for a 400-600 Yen fee. The displays and materials are mostly in Japanese but there is a 25 page English booklet describing the exhibits...
seeks to critically examine Japan’s militaristic past, and includes numerous exhibits ranging from the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-5 to the Iraq War.
SR center
Located at BKC campus, This center is established for research using Synchrotron RadiationSynchrotron radiation
The electromagnetic radiation emitted when charged particles are accelerated radially is called synchrotron radiation. It is produced in synchrotrons using bending magnets, undulators and/or wigglers...
.
Controversy
As of 2006, Ritsumeikan University and the General Union were in dispute over a contract system that limited employment for some educators to three years.Notable people associated with Ritsumeikan
Famous people affiliated with Ritsumeikan University, including graduates, former students, and professors:- Momofuku AndoMomofuku Ando, ORS, was a Taiwanese-Japanese businessman who founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. He is famed as the inventor of instant noodles and cup noodles.- Early life :...
(1934 College of Economics), founder of Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd.NissinNissin Foods is a world-wide company that makes instant ramen noodles. It was established in Japan on September 4, 1948 by Momofuku Ando as and ten years later introduced the first instant ramen noodle product, Chikin Ramen . They established a US subsidiary Nissin Foods in 1970 and sold instant...
who invent world's first instant noodlesInstant noodlesInstant noodles are dried or precooked noodles and are often sold with packets of flavoring including seasoning oil. Dried noodles are usually eaten after being cooked or soaked in boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes, while precooked noodles can be reheated or eaten straight from the packet...
and cup noodlesCup noodlesCup Noodles is a brand of instant ramen noodle snack manufactured by Nissin, packaged in a polyethylene foam, hard plastic or paper cup. The product is known for being inexpensive and easy to prepare...
. - Kenichiro Satō (佐藤 研一郎)(College of Engineering), founder of RohmRohmROHM Semiconductor is a Japanese electronic parts supplier based in Kyoto, Japan. ROHM was incorporated as Toyo Electronics Industry Corporation by Kenichiro Sato on September 17, 1958. The name was officially changed to Rohm in 1981 and then changed again to "ROHM Semiconductor" in January of...
Co., Ltd. - Atsuya FurutaAtsuya FurutaAtsuya Furuta is a Japanese former baseball player and player-manager for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows professional baseball club in the Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League...
(1988 College of Business Administration), Nippon Professional Baseball player (Tokyo Yakult SwallowsTokyo Yakult Swallowsis a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
) - Cico, (College of International Relations), singer and half of Bennie KBennie KBennie K is an urban female duo that consists of vocalist Yuki and rapper Cico, who both love American hip-hop music. They met while Yuki was in Los Angeles undergoing voice training with Roger Burnley...
- Shigetoshi HasegawaShigetoshi Hasegawais a retired relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and best-selling author and Japanese television personality. He achieved the most recognition when he played for the Seattle Mariners from through . Previously, Hasegawa played with the Anaheim Angels , and before that spent six years with the...
(1990 College of Social Sciences), MLB player - Masafumi KawaguchiMasafumi KawaguchiMasafumi Kawaguchi is an American Football player from Japan. Born on February 19, 1973 in Kawanishi, Hyogo,Kawaguchi was introduced to football during his senior year at San Clemente High School . He enrolled at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto as an international relations major. He played for...
(1996 College of International Relations), American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player - Noriaki KinoshitaNoriaki KinoshitaNoriaki Kinoshita is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Amsterdam Admirals in 2005. He played college football at Ritsumeikan.-Early years:...
(College of Business Administration), American football player - Rikiya KoyamaRikiya Koyama' is a Japanese actor and voice actor who is a member of Haiyuza Theatre Company.He has done popular voicing roles in Hajime no Ippo, Utawarerumono and Kamen no Maid Guy.He is also known by the nicknames "Rikki" and "Riki-chan".- Biography :...
(College of Law), ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - Daisuke MatsuiDaisuke Matsuiis a Japanese footballer who currently plays for Dijon in Ligue 1.-Early years:In 2000, Matsui graduated from and began his professional career with Kyoto Purple Sanga of the J. League.-Kyoto Purple Sanga:...
(College of Business Administration), soccer player - Tsutomu Minakami, novelist, Naoki PrizeNaoki PrizeThe Naoki Prize is a Japanese literary award presented semiannually. The official name is Naoki Sanjugo Prize. It was created in 1935 by Kikuchi Kan, then editor of the Bungeishunjū magazine, and named in memory of novelist Naoki Sanjugo...
winner - Masayuki NagareMasayuki Nagareis a modernist Japanese sculptor who has the nickname "Samurai Artist". In 1923, he was born in Nagasaki, Nagasaki to Kojuro Nakagawa, who established Ritsumeikan University. As a teenager, he lived in several temples in Kyoto where he studied the patterns of rocks, plants and water created by...
, artist - Hiroyuki NagatoHiroyuki Nagatowas a Japanese actor.Nagato was born in Kyoto. He starred in Season of the Sun, Endless Desire, My Second Brother, Stolen Desire, and Sukeban Deka, and Yo-Yo Girl Cop. He died in Tokyo on May 21, 2011....
, Actor - Gorō NayaGoro Nayais a Japanese actor, voice actor, narrator and theatre director from Hakodate, Hokkaidō. He is a drop-out of the legal education division of Ritsumeikan University. He is connected to Theatre Echo. He is the older brother of actor and seiyū Rokurō Naya. He is the husband of actress and seiyū...
, actor - Rokuro NayaRokuro Nayais a Japanese voice actor. He is the brother of voice actor Gorō Naya. A lifetime resident of Tokyo, he is affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-Anime:*Aquarius Camus in Saint Seiya*Sensui Shinobu in Yu Yu Hakusho*Enchou in Crayon Shin-chan...
(College of Law), actor - Tomokazu Ohka (College of Business Administration), MLB player
- Takashi OkamuraTakashi Okamura (comedian)is a Japanese comedian and one half of the owarai duo Ninety-nine , playing the "comic stooge" or boke of the group. His nicknames range from "OkatakaLeader" to "Okachan"...
(College of Business Administration), comedian, Ninety-nineNinety-nine (Owarai), or is a Japanese comic duo from Osaka working for the entertainment conglomorate Yoshimoto Kogyo. The duo , consisting of Takashi Okamura as boke and Hiroyuki Yabe as tsukkomi , formed in 1990....
) - QuruliQuruliis a popular Japanese music group formed in 1996. As of March 2007, the lineup consists of Masashi Satoh and Shigeru Kishida. Their music is produced and distributed by Victor Entertainment.- Career :...
, Japanese music group - SavannaSavanna (Owarai)Savanna are a Japanese comedy duo consisting of and . Both attended Ritsumeikan University High School and created the manzai team as a joke during their years at Ritsumeikan University, having first met in the school's judo club. They then decided to join Yoshimoto Kogyo as a professional kombi...
, both halves of this comic pair - Mai KurakiMai Kurakiis a Japanese pop and R&B singer-songwriter and producer from Funabashi, Chiba. Kuraki debuted in 1999 with the single, "Love, Day After Tomorrow". In 2000, she released her debut album, Delicious Way, which debuted at number-one and sold over 2,210,000 copies in its first week...
(College of Social Sciences, 2005), singer - Hiroshi TanahashiHiroshi Tanahashiis a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.-Early life:...
, professional wrestler - Tomoaki TaniguchiTomoaki TaniguchiTomoaki Taniguchi is a Japanese rugby player who plays at lock for Toyota Verblitz and Japan. He scored two tries after coming on in the second half for Japan against Australia A on June 8, 2008 .Born on August 26, 1982 in Hyogo prefecture, he graduated from Ritsumeikan University...
, Japan rugby player - Yuji IjiriYuji IjiriYuji Ijiri is a retired accounting researcher and educator. He was the Robert M. Trueblood University Professor of Accounting and Economics at Carnegie Mellon University until his retirement on June 30, 2011....
, accounting professor - Princess Raiyah of Jordan
- Tomotaka TakahashiTomotaka Takahashi, roboticist and founder of Kyoto University's ROBO-GARAGE since 1999, creates humanoid robots known for their smooth, fluid motions and sleek appearance...
, robot creator - Akira MachidaAkira MachidaAkira Machida was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan from 2002 to 2006.He first began his career in 1959, when he was appointed as a legal apprentice...
, archaeologist - Yamaguchi Gogen (山口剛玄)(College of Law), Karate Master
- Uzumaki SasakiUzumaki Sasakiis a Japanese adult video director and co-founder of two AV production studios.-Life and career:Uzumaki Sasaki was born in Kyoto, Japan on March 16, 1978. Soon after graduating from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, he began working in the AV industry...
, adult video (AV) director and co-founder of two AV studios - YOGURT-pooh, Japanese pop band
- Mama Studio, Japanese pop band
- Limited Express...Has Gone?, Japanese indie band
- Ni-Hao!, Japanese indie band
List of the partner universities
A full list of partner institutions of Ritsumeikan University can be found on the website: http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/eng/html/about/abo_06.html/Australia
The University of SydneyThe University of Melbourne
The University of Queensland
China
Peking UniversityPeking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
Fudan University
Fudan University
Fudan University , located in Shanghai, is one of the oldest and most selective universities in China, and is a member of the C9 League. Its institutional predecessor was founded in 1905, shortly before the end of China's imperial Qing dynasty...
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University or SJTU), sometimes referred to as Shanghai Jiaotong University , is a top public research university located in Shanghai, China. Shanghai Jiao Tong University is known as one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China...
University of Science and Technology of China
University of Science and Technology of China
The University of Science and Technology of China is a national research university in Hefei, People's Republic of China. It is a member of the C9 League formed by nine top universities in China...
Hong Kong
University of Hong KongThe Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
City University of Hong Kong
City University of Hong Kong
City University of Hong Kong is a comprehensive research university in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1984 as City Polytechnic of Hong Kong and became a fully accredited university in 1994. It has achieved fast growth in recent years and received international recognition for its academic achievements...
The United Kingdom
Kings College London (University of London)University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
The University of Manchester
The United States
University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
Ohio Northern University
Ohio Northern University
Ohio Northern University is a private, United Methodist Church-affiliated university located in the United States in Ada, Ohio, founded by Henry Solomon Lehr in 1871. ONU is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. ONU is a sister...
(ONU)
University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Minnesota
Singapore
National University of SingaporeNational University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
(NUS)
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University is one of the two largest public universities in Singapore with the biggest campus in Singapore and the world's largest engineering college. Its lush 200-hectare Yunnan Garden campus was the Youth Olympic Village of the world's first 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in...
(NTU)
South Korea
Seoul National UniversitySeoul National University
Seoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology
Pohang University of Science And Technology (POSTECH)
Yonsei University
Yonsei University
Yonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...