Cultural Properties of Tohoku University

Oxford, Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, Stanford, Cornell. These iconic universities concentrated in the UK and USA are world-famous not only for their high-quality education, but also long history, visibly represented in archives, architecture, and ruins. When it comes to Japanese universities, names such as Waseda, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto may jump to mind. However, in this article I would like to shine light on a different location: Tohoku University in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture. With the perfect blend of philosophy, history, and education, the university not only stands out among Japanese universities, but deserves to be worthy of global attention.

Simply walking the university’s original Katahira campus will allow you to feel the history, become inspired, and lead to sense of enlightenment—or least to a feeling of being smarter than when you arrived! With an impressive 13 “Registered Tangible Cultural Properties”, abundant greenery, and easy-to-access downtown location, the campus is ideal for a leisurely morning or afternoon stroll.

Tohoku University was established as the third imperial university of Japan in 1907, though its educational roots go back even further. The university evolved from the previous Sendai Medical College, while it had a ready supply of smart students from the now defunct adjacent Second Senior High School—the second high school built in Japan after the first in Tokyo. The university focuses on research, practical education, and an open-door policy for students and faculty. Tohoku University was the first in the country to accept female students and the first to accept an international student. The university offers a range in curriculum, but is particularly strong in medical, material science, computer engineering, and, more recently, disaster prevention research. Inventions and improvements to technologies used every day were born at Tohoku University; for example, fiber optics, flash memory, the Yagi antenna, and the split-anode magnetron, an essential component of the microwave oven!

Tohoku University is comprised of 4 campuses: the newest hilltop “Aobayama”, medical-focused “Seiro” clustered around Tohoku University Hospital, “Kawauchi” built on the former second compound of Sendai Castle, and “Katahira”, the original campus with all these lovely historic buildings and relics.

In order to be considered a “Registered Tangible Cultural Property”, the building or monument has to be at least 50 years old, contribute to the historical landscape of Japan, serve as an example of formative design, and be such that it would be difficult to reproduce. Intricate brick work and wood work certainly qualify.

Tohoku University continues to make history as it was recognized as the top university in Japan for the third consecutive year (as of 2021) by “Times Higher Education”. See where the legacy of education all began at Katahira Campus, Sendai. To see the full list and locations of the properties, visit the official website linked to this article.

Do you love old buildings? See more in Sendai's Kawaramachi neighborhood.