33 Best universities for Architecture in Japan

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Japan ranked based on their research performance in Architecture. A graph of 57.3K citations received by 8.35K academic papers made by 33 universities in Japan was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Tokyo

For Architecture

#15 in Asia

#71 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,479
Founded: 1877

2. Osaka University

For Architecture

#35 in Asia

#180 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,123
Founded: 1931

3. Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Architecture

#40 in Asia

#195 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1881

4. Kyoto University

For Architecture

#46 in Asia

#243 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,455
Founded: 1897

5. Waseda University

For Architecture

#52 in Asia

#267 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 47,094
Founded: 1882

6. Tohoku University

For Architecture

#57 in Asia

#294 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 17,591
Founded: 1907

7. Keio University

For Architecture

#60 in Asia

#312 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 33,518
Founded: 1858

8. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Architecture

#77 in Asia

#392 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 18,560
Founded: 1911

9. Nagoya University

For Architecture

#95 in Asia

#466 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 15,834
Founded: 1939

10. Hiroshima University

Japan | Higashihiroshima

For Architecture

#114 in Asia

#543 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 15,066
Founded: 1949

11. University of Tsukuba

Japan | Tsukuba

For Architecture

#115 in Asia

#550 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 16,507
Founded: 1973

12. University of Aizu

Japan | Aizuwakamatsu

For Architecture

#132 in Asia

#627 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 1,371
Founded: 1993

13. Hokkaido University

Japan | Sapporo

For Architecture

#138 in Asia

#648 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 17,541
Founded: 1918

14. University of Electro-Communications

For Architecture

#147 in Asia

#674 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1949

15. Nara Institute of Science and Technology

For Architecture

#205 in Asia

#823 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1991

16. Kyushu Institute of Technology

Japan | Kitakyushu

For Architecture

#216 in Asia

#845 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1907

17. Tokyo University of Science

For Architecture

#219 in Asia

#849 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 19,768
Founded: 1881

18. Nagoya Institute of Technology

For Architecture

#221 in Asia

#854 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1905

19. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

For Architecture

#236 in Asia

#898 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1990

20. Hosei University

For Architecture

#250 in Asia

#931 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1880

21. Kobe University

For Architecture

#253 in Asia

#942 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1902

22. Ritsumeikan University

For Architecture

#284 in Asia

#1014 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1899

23. Tokyo Metropolitan University

Japan | Hachioji

For Architecture

#291 in Asia

#1027 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 9,059
Founded: 2005

24. Yokohama National University

Japan | Yokohama

For Architecture

#321 in Asia

#1089 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1949

25. Chiba University

For Architecture

#361 in Asia

#1179 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 13,983
Founded: 1949

26. Tokyo Denki University

For Architecture

#375 in Asia

#1206 in the World

Founded: 1907

27. Shibaura Institute of Technology

For Architecture

#382 in Asia

#1221 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Founded: 1949

28. Nihon University

For Architecture

#406 in Asia

#1269 in the World

Founded: 1889

29. Toyo University

For Architecture

#429 in Asia

#1305 in the World

Founded: 1887

30. Kumamoto University

Japan | Kumamoto

For Architecture

#432 in Asia

#1311 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 7,629
Founded: 1949

31. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

For Architecture

#436 in Asia

#1320 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1949

32. Kyoto Institute of Technology

For Architecture

#451 in Asia

#1347 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1949

33. Meiji University

For Architecture

#480 in Asia

#1383 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Founded: 1881

The best cities to study Architecture in Japan based on the number of universities and their ranks are Tokyo, Suita, Kyoto, and Sendai.