University of Tokyo
The University of Tokyo (東京大学; Tōkyō Daigaku, abbreviated as 東大 Tōdai) is generally ranked as Japan's most prestigious university. The University has fives campuses in Hongo, Komaba, Tsukuba, Shirokane and Nakano and 10 faculties with a total of around 28,000 students, some 2,100 of them foreign (an exceptionally high number by Japanese standards). While nearly all academic disciplines are taught at the University, it is perhaps best known for its faculties of law and literature. Many top Japanese politicians are Todai graduates.
The main Hongo campus occupies the former estate of Kaga Yashiki, an Edo-era feudal lord. The university's best known landmark, the Akamon (Red Gate) is a relic of this era. The symbol of the university is the ginkgo flower, from the abundant trees throughout the area.
The university was founded by the Meiji government in 1877 under its current name, but was renamed to Imperial University (帝国大学 Teikoku Daigaku) in 1886 and then "Tokyo Imperial University" (東京帝国大学 Tōkyō Teikoku Daigaku) in 1887. In 1947, after Japan's defeat in World War II, it assumed the original name again.
Famous alumni
See also: Kyoto university
