Tokyo University of the Arts

Tokyo University of the Arts, a national comprehensive art university, was established in 1949 through the merger of two institutions, Tokyo Fine Arts School and Tokyo Music School, both founded in 1887. At its inception, the university consisted of ten departments across two faculties: the Faculty of Fine Arts (comprising the Departments of Painting, Sculpture, Crafts, Architecture, and Aesthetics and Art History) and the Faculty of Music (comprising the Departments of Composition, Vocal Music, Instrumental Music, Conducting, and Musicology). It also included the University Library.

Over the years, the faculties have expanded and undergone reorganization, leading to the current structure of 14 departments across two faculties. The Faculty of Fine Arts now includes the Departments of Painting, Sculpture, Crafts, Design, Architecture, Inter-Media Art, and Aesthetics and Art History, while the Faculty of Music comprises the Departments of Composition, Vocal Music, Instrumental Music, Conducting, Traditional Japanese Music, Musicology, and Musical Creativity and the Environment. Additionally, the university features facilities such as the University Library, the University Art Museum, and the Performing Arts Center.

In 1963, a graduate school was established, which has since expanded to offer master's and doctoral programmes across four graduate schools: the Graduate School of Fine Arts, the Graduate School of Music, the Graduate School of Film and New Media, and the Graduate School of Global Arts.

In recent years, the university has been involved with art projects and other initiatives to address social issues through the power of the arts.

Tokyo University of the Arts is located across four campuses: the Ueno Campus (its main headquarters) in Taito-ku, Tokyo; the Toride Campus in Ibaraki Prefecture; the Yokohama Campus in Kanagawa Prefecture; and the Senju Campus in Adachi-ku, Tokyo.

Tokyo University of the Arts has produced many exceptional artists, educators, and researchers in the field of the arts, spanning secondary to higher education. The university preserves the traditions and cultural heritage of Japan while embracing and integrating artistic ideas and techniques from around the world.

Building on this rich history, the mission of Tokyo University of the Arts is to uphold the spirit of freedom and creativity that has defined it since its founding, to play a leading role in advancing art and culture in Japan and globally, and to collaborate with the wider society in creating diverse artistic values.

To achieve this mission, we have outlined the following goals:

• Provide art education at the highest global standards, fostering superior expertise and a strong sense of integrity among artists, educators, researchers, and all art practitioners.

• Promote the preservation of traditional culture and the creation of new artistic expressions, while collaborating with other academic disciplines and art education and research institutions both in Japan and internationally.

• Engage in activities that emphasize the importance of art in building a spiritually rich and dynamic society, create opportunities for people to engage with art, and contribute to society through artistic endeavors.