Hitotsubashi University

Hitotsubashi University stands as a distinguished national university in Kunitachi Tokyo which serves as Japan's leading hub for social science research. The university operates as a "small and smart" organization which creates a "Harvard of Japan" atmosphere because of its specialized programs and elite academic standards. The university campus features a forested landscape which showcases unique Romanesque buildings that create a peaceful environment for research activities at one of Asia's leading research institutions. The university functions as a Designated National University which develops the modern educational system of Japan through its deep commitment to studying civil society and producing international leaders.

The university originates from its establishment as the Commercial Training School in Ginza Tokyo through Arinori Mori who served as Japan's first Minister of Education and received backing from prominent business figures such as Eiichi Shibusawa. The Meiji Restoration established the institution to develop Japan's economic system which later transformed into Tokyo University of Commerce in 1920 as the first college in Japan to offer commercial degree programs. The campus established its current location in Kunitachi to build a "cultural and educational zone" after the Great Kanto Earthquake destroyed the original campus site. The university chose the name Hitotsubashi in 1949 to honor the central Tokyo district which had been its home base for thirty years.