Imperial Universities

The name 'Imperial University' was initially used by what is now the University of Tokyo, the nation's first university. Although it was originally established under its current name, the Meiji government renamed it in 1886. In 1897, when it was decided to establish the nation's second university in Kyoto, the original Imperial University was renamed Tokyo Imperial University. Meanwhile, the newly established university was named Kyoto Imperial University.{{Cite web |title=The University of Tokyo |url=https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/about/chronology.html |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=The University of Tokyo |language=en}}

Unlike in Europe and North America, modern higher education in Japan mostly originated as national projects. There had been no private universities in Japan until 1920, when Keio and Waseda were granted university status.{{Cite web |last=SORA |title=97年前の今日（2/5）。慶應義塾大学と早稲田大学の歴史がはじまった |url=https://tabi-labo.com/240264/university-history |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=TABI LABO}} Thus, for the majority of its pre-war history, Japan's political, business and academic establishment predominantly consisted of alumni of the Imperial Universities and universities abroad, which further strengthened the prestige and power of these universities.

Today, these university are no longer 'imperial', as Japan ceased to be an empire after the loss of World War II, and are often described as the {{nihongo|former Imperial Universities|旧帝国大学|kyū-teikoku daigaku|abbr. : {{nihongo2|旧帝大}} kyū-teidai|}}. They are viewed as some of the most prestigious in Japan. These former imperial universities are generally perceived as Japan's equivalent of the Ivy League in the United States, Golden Triangle in the United Kingdom, and the C9 League in China.{{cite news|last=Sainsbury|first=Michael|date=4 November 2009|title=China establishes group of Ivy League universities|work=The Australian|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/china-establishes-group-of-ivy-league-universities/story-e6frg6so-1225794050411}} The alumni club of these nine imperial universities is called {{nihongo|Gakushikai|学士会|}}.[http://www.gakushikai.or.jp/gakushikai/about/intro2.html 学士会について] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208055732/http://www.gakushikai.or.jp/gakushikai/about/intro2.html |date=2013-02-08 }} (学士会)

Unlike Taihoku Imperial University (renamed in 1945 to National Taiwan University) in then-Japanese Taiwan, the Keijō Imperial University in then-Japanese Korea was closed by the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK) with U.S. Military Ordinance No. 102. Seoul National University was built by merging nine schools in Seoul and the remaining properties of Keijō Imperial University (Kyŏngsŏng University). The National Taiwan University and Seoul National University are today among the most prestigious universities of Taiwan and Korea.

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The universities are notable for hosting special-rules judo competitions called Nanatei Judo (:ja:七帝柔道, Seven Emperors Judo) since 1952.{{cite web |title=全国七大学総合体育大会柔道競技大会（男子） |url=https://www.judo-ch.jp/result/hichitei/1960.shtml |website=Judo Channel |access-date=2023-05-09}} In 1962, the athletic competition expanded under the sponsorship of Hokkaido University, formerly known as {{nihongo|National Athletic Competition of the Seven Universities|全国七大学総合体育大会|zenkoku nana-daigaku sōgō taiiku-taikai }}, its name was later changed to {{nihongo|Seven Universities Athletic Meet|国立七大学総合体育大会|kokuritsu nana-daigaku sōgō taiiku-taikai}}[http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/static/en/news_data/h/h1/news7/2012/120707_2.htm 51st Seven Universities Athletic Meet Opening Ceremony (July 7, 2012)] (Kyoto University)[http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/news/topics/topics_z0602_00002.html UTokyo's Ice Hockey Team Wins at the Seven Universities Athletic Meet for the First Time in 46 Years (Student Support Group)] (University of Tokyo) in 2002. The competition is commonly called the {{nihongo|Competition of the Seven Imperial Universities|七帝戦|shichi-tei sen}} or the {{nihongo|national athletic meet of the seven former imperial universities|七大戦|Nanadai-sen}}.[http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/about/publications/tansei/12/trivia.html Long-awaited overall victory in Nanadai-sen] (University of Tokyo)

{{Commonscat|Imperial Universities (Japan)}}

• Higher school (Japan)
• Designated National University
• List of oldest universities in continuous operation
• Ancient universities, oldest universities in Great Britain and Ireland
• Ancient universities of Scotland, oldest universities in Scotland
• Colonial colleges, oldest universities in the United States of America
• Sandstone universities, oldest universities in Australia
• Group of Eight, formal group of eight universities in Australia
• Institutes of National Importance, group of premier universities in India
• National Institutes of Technology – 30 leading public engineering universities in India
• TU9, alliance of nine leading Technical Universities in Germany
• C9 League, Chinese state group of elite universities
• SKY (universities), group of prestigious Korean universities

{{reflist}}

{{National_Seven_Universities}}

Category:Japanese national universities

Category:Lists of universities and colleges in Japan

Category:College and university associations and consortia in Asia