100 Best universities for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 23.6M citations received by 1.37M academic papers made by 536 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

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#4 in Asia

#84 in the World

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

2. Kyoto University

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#10 in Asia

#146 in the World

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

3. Osaka University

Japan | Suita

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#25 in Asia

#297 in the World

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

4. Tohoku University

Japan | Sendai

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#34 in Asia

#361 in the World

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

5. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#43 in Asia

#407 in the World

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

6. Nagoya University

Japan | Nagoya

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#48 in Asia

#434 in the World

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

7. Hokkaido University

Japan | Sapporo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#57 in Asia

#470 in the World

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

8. Tokyo Institute of Technology

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#59 in Asia

#476 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1881

9. University of Tsukuba

Japan | Tsukuba

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#65 in Asia

#497 in the World

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

10. Keio University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#85 in Asia

#588 in the World

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

11. Waseda University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#103 in Asia

#650 in the World

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

12. Hiroshima University

Japan | Higashihiroshima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#113 in Asia

#699 in the World

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

13. Kobe University

Japan | Kobe

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#122 in Asia

#734 in the World

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

14. Tokyo University of Science

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#157 in Asia

#861 in the World

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

15. Chiba University

Japan | Chiba

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#169 in Asia

#898 in the World

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

16. Tokyo Metropolitan University

Japan | Hachioji

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#188 in Asia

#970 in the World

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

17. Okayama University

Japan | Okayama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#207 in Asia

#1018 in the World

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

18. Nihon University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#244 in Asia

#1135 in the World

Founded: 1889

19. Kanazawa University

Japan | Kanazawa

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#249 in Asia

#1145 in the World

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

20. Tokyo Medical and Dental University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#273 in Asia

#1223 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Founded: 1946

21. Nagasaki University

Japan | Nagasaki

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#304 in Asia

#1316 in the World

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

22. Kumamoto University

Japan | Kumamoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#305 in Asia

#1317 in the World

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

23. Niigata University

Japan | Niigata

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#314 in Asia

#1337 in the World

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

24. Ritsumeikan University

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#326 in Asia

#1369 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1899

25. Hitotsubashi University

Japan | Kunitachi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#329 in Asia

#1378 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 6,287
Founded: 1875

26. Osaka Prefecture University

Japan | Sakai

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#330 in Asia

#1385 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1949

27. Shinshu University

Japan | Matsumoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#332 in Asia

#1387 in the World

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

28. Osaka City University

Japan | Osaka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#338 in Asia

#1409 in the World

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

29. University of Tokushima

Japan | Tokushima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#354 in Asia

#1449 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

30. University of Electro-Communications

Japan | Chofu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#356 in Asia

#1456 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1949

31. Tokai University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#376 in Asia

#1516 in the World

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

32. Yokohama National University

Japan | Yokohama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#409 in Asia

#1596 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1949

33. Ehime University

Japan | Matsuyama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#414 in Asia

#1614 in the World

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

34. Kyushu Institute of Technology

Japan | Kitakyushu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#417 in Asia

#1621 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1907

35. Nara Institute of Science and Technology

Japan | Ikoma

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#419 in Asia

#1626 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1991

36. Yamaguchi University

Japan | Yamaguchi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#424 in Asia

#1634 in the World

Founded: 1949

37. Kindai University

Japan | Higashiosaka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#428 in Asia

#1648 in the World

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

38. Juntendo University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#429 in Asia

#1652 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1836

39. Gunma University

Japan | Maebashi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#432 in Asia

#1655 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1949

40. Gifu University

Japan | Gifu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#436 in Asia

#1662 in the World

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

41. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Japan | Nomi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#443 in Asia

#1683 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1990

42. Nagoya Institute of Technology

Japan | Nagoya

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#460 in Asia

#1727 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1905

43. Jichi Medical University

Japan | Tochigi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#470 in Asia

#1746 in the World

Founded: 1972

44. Mie University

Japan | Tsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#471 in Asia

#1747 in the World

Enrollment: 8,455
Founded: 1949

45. Yokohama City University

Japan | Yokohama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#477 in Asia

#1761 in the World

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

46. Shizuoka University

Japan | Shizuoka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#479 in Asia

#1764 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1949

47. Kagoshima University

Japan | Kagoshima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#489 in Asia

#1793 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

48. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Japan | Fuchu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#492 in Asia

#1800 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1949

49. Kitasato University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#494 in Asia

#1804 in the World

Founded: 1962

50. Tottori University

Japan | Tottori

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#537 in Asia

#1936 in the World

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

51. Nagoya City University

Japan | Nagoya

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#541 in Asia

#1950 in the World

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

52. Doshisha University

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#567 in Asia

#2025 in the World

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

53. Fukuoka University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#585 in Asia

#2067 in the World

Founded: 1934

54. Meiji University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#589 in Asia

#2077 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Founded: 1881

55. Hosei University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#593 in Asia

#2085 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1880

56. Kansai University

Japan | Suita

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#594 in Asia

#2088 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 29,749
Founded: 1922

57. University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan

Japan | Kitakyushu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#598 in Asia

#2097 in the World

Founded: 1978

58. Chuo University

Japan | Hachioji

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#602 in Asia

#2105 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 31,739
Founded: 1885

59. Nippon Medical School

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#612 in Asia

#2120 in the World

Founded: 1904

60. Yamagata University

Japan | Yamagata

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#614 in Asia

#2125 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

61. University of the Ryukyus

Japan | Nishihara

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#621 in Asia

#2138 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1950

62. Saga University

Japan | Saga

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#636 in Asia

#2172 in the World

Founded: 1949

63. Kagawa University

Japan | Takamatsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#637 in Asia

#2173 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1949

64. University of Toyama

Japan | Toyama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#639 in Asia

#2178 in the World

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

65. Teikyo University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#641 in Asia

#2185 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1966

66. Toyohashi University of Technology

Japan | Toyohashi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#648 in Asia

#2205 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Founded: 1976

67. Shimane University

Japan | Matsue

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#651 in Asia

#2208 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1949

68. Toho University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#653 in Asia

#2210 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Founded: 1925

69. Ibaraki University

Japan | Mito

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#655 in Asia

#2216 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

70. Saitama University

Japan | Saitama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#657 in Asia

#2220 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

71. Kurume University

Japan | Kurume

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#668 in Asia

#2238 in the World

Founded: 1928

72. Sapporo Medical University

Japan | Sapporo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#673 in Asia

#2252 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Founded: 1950

73. Sophia University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#677 in Asia

#2257 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 13,280
Founded: 1913

74. Aoyama Gakuin University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#686 in Asia

#2278 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 20,285
Founded: 1874

75. University of Yamanashi

Japan | Kofu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#693 in Asia

#2298 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

76. Health Science University

Japan | Fujikawaguchiko

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#698 in Asia

#2309 in the World

Founded: 2003

77. Showa University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#704 in Asia

#2322 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Founded: 1928

78. Hirosaki University

Japan | Hirosaki

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#709 in Asia

#2335 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Founded: 1949

79. University of Fukui

Japan | Fukui

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#711 in Asia

#2339 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

80. University of Aizu

Japan | Aizuwakamatsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#728 in Asia

#2383 in the World

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

81. Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#740 in Asia

#2420 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1872

82. Graduate University for Advanced Studies

Japan | Miura

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#741 in Asia

#2423 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1988

83. Jikei University School of Medicine

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#753 in Asia

#2454 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 981
Founded: 1881

84. Kwansei Gakuin University

Japan | Nishinomiya

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#763 in Asia

#2477 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 26,248
Founded: 1912

85. Akita University

Japan | Akita

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#777 in Asia

#2507 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Founded: 1949

86. Kyoto Institute of Technology

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#780 in Asia

#2513 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1949

87. Ryukoku University

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#796 in Asia

#2542 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1639

88. Oita University

Japan | Oita

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#813 in Asia

#2576 in the World

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

89. Hamamatsu University School of Medicine

Japan | Hamamatsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#840 in Asia

#2633 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1974

90. Tokyo Medical University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#841 in Asia

#2635 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1916

91. Rikkyo University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#857 in Asia

#2670 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 20,720
Founded: 1922

92. Saitama Medical School

Japan | Moroyama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#861 in Asia

#2687 in the World

Founded: 1972

93. Fukushima Medical University

Japan | Fukushima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#862 in Asia

#2691 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1952

94. Tokyo Denki University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#876 in Asia

#2719 in the World

Founded: 1907

95. Toyo University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#884 in Asia

#2731 in the World

Founded: 1887

96. Shiga University of Medical Science

Japan | Otsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#885 in Asia

#2736 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1974

97. Fujita Health University

Japan | Toyoake

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#920 in Asia

#2825 in the World

Enrollment: 3,106
Founded: 1964

98. Nagaoka University of Technology

Japan | Nagaoka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#925 in Asia

#2832 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1976

99. Ochanomizu University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#929 in Asia

#2839 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 2,075
Founded: 1874

100. University of Miyazaki

Japan | Miyazaki

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#930 in Asia

#2840 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1949

The best cities to study Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Japan based on the number of universities and their ranks are Tokyo, Kyoto, Suita, and Sendai.