100 Best universities for Neuroscience in Japan

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Japan ranked based on their research performance in Neuroscience. A graph of 12.5M citations received by 551K academic papers made by 407 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.

1. University of Tokyo

For Neuroscience

#1 in Asia

#39 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,918
Founded: 1877

2. Kyoto University

For Neuroscience

#2 in Asia

#56 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,365
Founded: 1897

3. Osaka University

For Neuroscience

#4 in Asia

#89 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,234
Founded: 1931

4. Tohoku University

For Neuroscience

#6 in Asia

#116 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 17,975
Founded: 1907

5. Nagoya University

For Neuroscience

#11 in Asia

#139 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 15,959
Founded: 1939

6. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Neuroscience

#12 in Asia

#140 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 18,813
Founded: 1911

7. Hokkaido University

Japan | Sapporo

For Neuroscience

#21 in Asia

#185 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 17,770
Founded: 1918

8. Keio University

For Neuroscience

#24 in Asia

#213 in the World

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

9. University of Tsukuba

Japan | Tsukuba

For Neuroscience

#28 in Asia

#242 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 16,684
Founded: 1973

10. Tokyo Medical and Dental University

For Neuroscience

#35 in Asia

#282 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Founded: 1946

11. Okayama University

Japan | Okayama

For Neuroscience

#38 in Asia

#296 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 13,057
Founded: 1922

12. Kanazawa University

Japan | Kanazawa

For Neuroscience

#44 in Asia

#315 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 10,127
Founded: 1949

13. Hiroshima University

Japan | Higashihiroshima

For Neuroscience

#45 in Asia

#317 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 15,505
Founded: 1949

14. Chiba University

For Neuroscience

#46 in Asia

#318 in the World

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

15. Niigata University

Japan | Niigata

For Neuroscience

#47 in Asia

#324 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 12,068
Founded: 1922

16. Kobe University

For Neuroscience

#50 in Asia

#338 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 16,214
Founded: 1902

17. Gunma University

Japan | Maebashi

For Neuroscience

#51 in Asia

#347 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1949

18. Juntendo University

For Neuroscience

#56 in Asia

#366 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1836

19. Nihon University

For Neuroscience

#70 in Asia

#426 in the World

Founded: 1889

20. Kumamoto University

Japan | Kumamoto

For Neuroscience

#73 in Asia

#436 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 11,098
Founded: 1949

21. Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine

For Neuroscience

#76 in Asia

#445 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1872

22. Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Neuroscience

#80 in Asia

#476 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1881

23. Yokohama City University

Japan | Yokohama

For Neuroscience

#82 in Asia

#480 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 5,198
Founded: 1928

24. University of Tokushima

Japan | Tokushima

For Neuroscience

#84 in Asia

#485 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

25. Waseda University

For Neuroscience

#85 in Asia

#494 in the World

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

26. Yamaguchi University

Japan | Yamaguchi

For Neuroscience

#88 in Asia

#508 in the World

Founded: 1949

27. Kagoshima University

Japan | Kagoshima

For Neuroscience

#90 in Asia

#518 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

28. Jichi Medical University

Japan | Tochigi

For Neuroscience

#92 in Asia

#523 in the World

Founded: 1972

29. Tokyo University of Science

For Neuroscience

#93 in Asia

#527 in the World

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

30. Nippon Medical School

For Neuroscience

#97 in Asia

#540 in the World

Founded: 1904

31. Nagasaki University

Japan | Nagasaki

For Neuroscience

#102 in Asia

#557 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 9,090
Founded: 1949

32. Gifu University

For Neuroscience

#103 in Asia

#559 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 7,227
Founded: 1949

33. Showa University

For Neuroscience

#106 in Asia

#566 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Founded: 1928

34. Osaka City University

For Neuroscience

#109 in Asia

#570 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Enrollment: 8,230
Founded: 1928

35. Nagoya City University

For Neuroscience

#110 in Asia

#571 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Enrollment: 4,685
Founded: 1950

36. Kitasato University

For Neuroscience

#111 in Asia

#579 in the World

Founded: 1962

37. Kurume University

For Neuroscience

#112 in Asia

#583 in the World

Founded: 1928

38. Toho University

For Neuroscience

#119 in Asia

#604 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Founded: 1925

39. University of Toyama

For Neuroscience

#127 in Asia

#614 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 9,208
Founded: 1975

40. University of Fukui

For Neuroscience

#128 in Asia

#619 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

41. Tohoku Pharmaceutical University

For Neuroscience

#129 in Asia

#620 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1939

42. Hirosaki University

Japan | Hirosaki

For Neuroscience

#131 in Asia

#624 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Founded: 1949

43. Fujita Health University

Japan | Toyoake

For Neuroscience

#132 in Asia

#627 in the World

Enrollment: 3,106
Founded: 1964

44. Shinshu University

Japan | Matsumoto

For Neuroscience

#133 in Asia

#628 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 10,849
Founded: 1949

45. Ehime University

Japan | Matsuyama

For Neuroscience

#134 in Asia

#629 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 9,033
Founded: 1949

46. Shiga University of Medical Science

For Neuroscience

#144 in Asia

#651 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1974

47. Tottori University

Japan | Tottori

For Neuroscience

#146 in Asia

#654 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 6,179
Founded: 1949

48. Fukuoka University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Neuroscience

#149 in Asia

#658 in the World

Founded: 1934

49. University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan

Japan | Kitakyushu

For Neuroscience

#150 in Asia

#662 in the World

Founded: 1978

50. Jikei University School of Medicine

For Neuroscience

#151 in Asia

#664 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 981
Founded: 1881

51. Sapporo Medical University

Japan | Sapporo

For Neuroscience

#153 in Asia

#668 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Founded: 1950

52. Kindai University

Japan | Higashiosaka

For Neuroscience

#156 in Asia

#677 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 38,857
Founded: 1949

53. Teikyo University

For Neuroscience

#157 in Asia

#679 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1966

54. Fukushima Medical University

Japan | Fukushima

For Neuroscience

#158 in Asia

#682 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1952

55. Hamamatsu University School of Medicine

Japan | Hamamatsu

For Neuroscience

#159 in Asia

#683 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1974

56. Tokai University

For Neuroscience

#160 in Asia

#685 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 29,700
Founded: 1946

57. Graduate University for Advanced Studies

For Neuroscience

#168 in Asia

#706 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1988

58. Shimane University

For Neuroscience

#171 in Asia

#712 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1949

59. Nara Medical University

Japan | Kashihara

For Neuroscience

#173 in Asia

#715 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1945

60. Hyogo College of Medicine

Japan | Nishinomiya

For Neuroscience

#177 in Asia

#730 in the World

Founded: 1971

61. Mie University

For Neuroscience

#178 in Asia

#736 in the World

Enrollment: 8,455
Founded: 1949

62. Kansai Medical University

Japan | Moriguchi

For Neuroscience

#180 in Asia

#739 in the World

Founded: 1928

63. Kagawa University

Japan | Takamatsu

For Neuroscience

#183 in Asia

#752 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1949

64. Tokyo Medical University

For Neuroscience

#188 in Asia

#769 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1916

65. University of Yamanashi

For Neuroscience

#189 in Asia

#776 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

66. Akita University

For Neuroscience

#190 in Asia

#784 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Founded: 1949

67. Saitama Medical School

Japan | Moroyama

For Neuroscience

#193 in Asia

#790 in the World

Founded: 1972

68. Nara Institute of Science and Technology

For Neuroscience

#198 in Asia

#809 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1991

69. Iwate Medical University

Japan | Morioka

For Neuroscience

#206 in Asia

#828 in the World

Founded: 1928

70. University of Miyazaki

Japan | Miyazaki

For Neuroscience

#217 in Asia

#849 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1949

71. Kyoto Pharmaceutical University

For Neuroscience

#218 in Asia

#850 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1884

72. Wakayama Medical University

Japan | Wakayama

For Neuroscience

#219 in Asia

#856 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1945

73. Yamagata University

Japan | Yamagata

For Neuroscience

#220 in Asia

#860 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

74. Tokyo Metropolitan University

Japan | Hachioji

For Neuroscience

#221 in Asia

#862 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 9,126
Founded: 2005

75. Aichi Medical University

Japan | Nagakute

For Neuroscience

#234 in Asia

#894 in the World

Founded: 1971

76. St. Marianna University School of Medicine

Japan | Kawasaki

For Neuroscience

#245 in Asia

#919 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1971

77. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)

For Neuroscience

#247 in Asia

#921 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 237
Male:Female: 56:44

78. Kyorin University

For Neuroscience

#248 in Asia

#923 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1966

79. Oita University

For Neuroscience

#249 in Asia

#927 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 5,781
Founded: 1949

80. University of Shizuoka

Japan | Shizuoka

For Neuroscience

#260 in Asia

#955 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1987

81. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

For Neuroscience

#263 in Asia

#961 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1949

82. Dokkyo University

For Neuroscience

#273 in Asia

#994 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Founded: 1964

83. Osaka Medical College

Japan | Takatsuki

For Neuroscience

#275 in Asia

#1005 in the World

Founded: 1927

84. Kanazawa Medical University

For Neuroscience

#280 in Asia

#1029 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1972

85. Doshisha University

For Neuroscience

#291 in Asia

#1048 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 28,354
Founded: 1920

86. University of Electro-Communications

For Neuroscience

#296 in Asia

#1066 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1949

87. Hoshi University

For Neuroscience

#297 in Asia

#1067 in the World

Founded: 1911

88. Kochi University

For Neuroscience

#299 in Asia

#1072 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

89. Osaka Prefecture University

For Neuroscience

#303 in Asia

#1082 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1949

90. Ritsumeikan University

For Neuroscience

#307 in Asia

#1089 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1899

91. Health Science University

Japan | Fujikawaguchiko

For Neuroscience

#317 in Asia

#1112 in the World

Founded: 2003

92. International University of Health and Welfare

Japan | Otawara

For Neuroscience

#318 in Asia

#1113 in the World

Founded: 1995

93. Dokkyo Medical University

Japan | Tochigi

For Neuroscience

#331 in Asia

#1137 in the World

Founded: 1972

94. University of the Ryukyus

Japan | Nishihara

For Neuroscience

#337 in Asia

#1155 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1950

95. Saga University

For Neuroscience

#338 in Asia

#1156 in the World

Founded: 1949

96. Saitama University

Japan | Saitama

For Neuroscience

#344 in Asia

#1173 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

97. Nagoya Institute of Technology

For Neuroscience

#355 in Asia

#1188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1905

98. Meijo University

For Neuroscience

#358 in Asia

#1204 in the World

Founded: 1926

99. Kyushu Institute of Technology

Japan | Kitakyushu

For Neuroscience

#374 in Asia

#1229 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1907

100. Tokyo University of the Arts

For Neuroscience

#376 in Asia

#1237 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Enrollment: 3,217
Founded: 1949

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