ATLAS · UNIVERSITIES · JAPAN

Universities in Japan

Japan has 1,030 universities on the map. The oldest dates to 1449. 1 was founded before 1600. Below: how they spread across the centuries, and the country’s oldest institutions. From Wikidata, snapshot 2026-06-22.

UNIVERSITIES1,030

OLDEST1449

FOUNDED 1900+905

By founding era

Before 12000 · 0%

1200–15991 · 0%

1600–1899105 · 10%

1900 or later905 · 88%

Date unknown19 · 2%

Oldest universities in Japan

The country’s earliest institutions — the deepest roots of higher education here.

1449Gunma University of Social Welfare

1639Ryukoku University

1665Ōtani University

1725Hiroshima Shudo University

1826Doho University

1827Aichi Shinshiro Otani College

1838Juntendo University

1855Nagasaki Naval Training Center

1858Keio University

1863Meiji Gakuin University

1866Imperial Japanese Naval Academy

1870Niigata University

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