100 Best universities for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Japan

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 16.3M citations received by 1.19M academic papers made by 527 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

#3 in Asia

#77 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,218
Founded: 1877

2. Kyoto University

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#8 in Asia

#126 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,455
Male:Female: 76:24
Founded: 1897

3. Osaka University

Japan | Suita

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#18 in Asia

#253 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,123
Male:Female: 68:32
Founded: 1931

4. Tohoku University

Japan | Sendai

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#25 in Asia

#306 in the World

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

5. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#31 in Asia

#334 in the World

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

6. Nagoya University

Japan | Nagoya

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#38 in Asia

#386 in the World

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

7. Tokyo Institute of Technology

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#40 in Asia

#412 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 10,357
Founded: 1881

8. Hokkaido University

Japan | Sapporo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#47 in Asia

#431 in the World

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

9. University of Tsukuba

Japan | Tsukuba

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#49 in Asia

#440 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 16,507
Male:Female: 61:39
Founded: 1973

10. Keio University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#66 in Asia

#548 in the World

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

11. Waseda University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#77 in Asia

#604 in the World

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

12. Hiroshima University

Japan | Higashihiroshima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#84 in Asia

#633 in the World

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

13. Kobe University

Japan | Kobe

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#97 in Asia

#690 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 15,871
Founded: 1902

14. Tokyo University of Science

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#104 in Asia

#715 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1881

15. Chiba University

Japan | Chiba

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#120 in Asia

#794 in the World

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

16. Okayama University

Japan | Okayama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#123 in Asia

#799 in the World

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

17. Tokyo Metropolitan University

Japan | Hachioji

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#142 in Asia

#861 in the World

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

18. Kanazawa University

Japan | Kanazawa

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#175 in Asia

#972 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 10,127
Male:Female: 64:36
Founded: 1949

19. Nihon University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#183 in Asia

#1015 in the World

Enrollment: 77,651
Male:Female: 68:32
Founded: 1889

20. Tokyo Medical and Dental University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#212 in Asia

#1096 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Founded: 1946

21. Osaka Prefecture University

Japan | Sakai

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#227 in Asia

#1152 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 8,051
Founded: 1949

22. Kumamoto University

Japan | Kumamoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#233 in Asia

#1171 in the World

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

23. Nagasaki University

Japan | Nagasaki

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#234 in Asia

#1172 in the World

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

24. Niigata University

Japan | Niigata

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#239 in Asia

#1193 in the World

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

25. Shinshu University

Japan | Matsumoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#252 in Asia

#1224 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Founded: 1949

26. Osaka City University

Japan | Osaka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#255 in Asia

#1232 in the World

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

27. Hitotsubashi University

Japan | Kunitachi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#268 in Asia

#1261 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 6,287
Male:Female: 70:30
Founded: 1875

28. University of Electro-Communications

Japan | Chofu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#271 in Asia

#1266 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 5,329
Founded: 1949

29. University of Tokushima

Japan | Tokushima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#274 in Asia

#1277 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

30. Ritsumeikan University

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#284 in Asia

#1301 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1899

31. Tokai University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#298 in Asia

#1357 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 28,535
Founded: 1946

32. Ehime University

Japan | Matsuyama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#315 in Asia

#1407 in the World

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

33. Yokohama National University

Japan | Yokohama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#326 in Asia

#1436 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1949

34. Gunma University

Japan | Maebashi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#327 in Asia

#1439 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 6,556
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1949

35. Yamaguchi University

Japan | Yamaguchi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#328 in Asia

#1440 in the World

Founded: 1949

36. Kyushu Institute of Technology

Japan | Kitakyushu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#329 in Asia

#1443 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 5,876
Founded: 1907

37. Gifu University

Japan | Gifu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#343 in Asia

#1474 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 7,227
Male:Female: 65:35
Founded: 1949

38. Kindai University

Japan | Higashiosaka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#346 in Asia

#1487 in the World

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

39. Nagoya Institute of Technology

Japan | Nagoya

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#351 in Asia

#1497 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Enrollment: 5,776
Founded: 1905

40. Nara Institute of Science and Technology

Japan | Ikoma

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#353 in Asia

#1500 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1991

41. Shizuoka University

Japan | Shizuoka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#371 in Asia

#1538 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 10,090
Founded: 1949

42. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Japan | Nomi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#374 in Asia

#1545 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 891
Male:Female: 83:17
Founded: 1990

43. Juntendo University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#376 in Asia

#1550 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 3,802
Founded: 1836

44. Mie University

Japan | Tsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#384 in Asia

#1571 in the World

Enrollment: 8,455
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1949

45. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Japan | Fuchu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#385 in Asia

#1576 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1949

46. Yokohama City University

Japan | Yokohama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#391 in Asia

#1591 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1928

47. Jichi Medical University

Japan | Tochigi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#395 in Asia

#1600 in the World

Founded: 1972

48. Kagoshima University

Japan | Kagoshima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#400 in Asia

#1612 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 10,661
Male:Female: 62:38
Founded: 1949

49. Kitasato University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#405 in Asia

#1619 in the World

Enrollment: 8,576
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1962

50. Nagoya City University

Japan | Nagoya

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#435 in Asia

#1705 in the World

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

51. Yamagata University

Japan | Yamagata

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#458 in Asia

#1770 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

52. Tottori University

Japan | Tottori

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#465 in Asia

#1792 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 6,195
Founded: 1949

53. Fukuoka University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#471 in Asia

#1808 in the World

Enrollment: 20,356
Founded: 1934

54. Health Science University

Japan | Fujikawaguchiko

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#472 in Asia

#1809 in the World

Founded: 2003

55. University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan

Japan | Kitakyushu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#476 in Asia

#1820 in the World

Founded: 1978

56. Kansai University

Japan | Suita

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#477 in Asia

#1822 in the World

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

57. Meiji University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#487 in Asia

#1858 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Enrollment: 31,339
Founded: 1881

58. Hosei University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#488 in Asia

#1859 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1880

59. Teikyo University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#490 in Asia

#1863 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1966

60. University of the Ryukyus

Japan | Nishihara

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#492 in Asia

#1878 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1950

61. Doshisha University

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#494 in Asia

#1881 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 28,354
Male:Female: 62:38
Founded: 1920

62. Kagawa University

Japan | Takamatsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#503 in Asia

#1905 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 6,539
Founded: 1949

63. Ibaraki University

Japan | Mito

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#506 in Asia

#1909 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 8,249
Founded: 1949

64. Toyohashi University of Technology

Japan | Toyohashi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#509 in Asia

#1915 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Founded: 1976

65. Showa University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#512 in Asia

#1927 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Founded: 1928

66. Toho University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#517 in Asia

#1941 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Founded: 1925

67. Chuo University

Japan | Hachioji

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#518 in Asia

#1942 in the World

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

68. Sapporo Medical University

Japan | Sapporo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#520 in Asia

#1946 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Founded: 1950

69. Nippon Medical School

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#521 in Asia

#1948 in the World

Founded: 1904

70. Kurume University

Japan | Kurume

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#522 in Asia

#1949 in the World

Founded: 1928

71. Saitama University

Japan | Saitama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#523 in Asia

#1951 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 9,031
Male:Female: 68:32
Founded: 1949

72. Saga University

Japan | Saga

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#530 in Asia

#1962 in the World

Founded: 1949

73. University of Toyama

Japan | Toyama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#535 in Asia

#1979 in the World

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

74. Shimane University

Japan | Matsue

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#543 in Asia

#1997 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1949

75. University of Fukui

Japan | Fukui

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#556 in Asia

#2026 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 5,167
Founded: 1949

76. Sophia University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#562 in Asia

#2043 in the World

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

77. University of Yamanashi

Japan | Kofu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#569 in Asia

#2059 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

78. Aoyama Gakuin University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#582 in Asia

#2088 in the World

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

79. Graduate University for Advanced Studies

Japan | Miura

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#584 in Asia

#2092 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1988

80. Hirosaki University

Japan | Hirosaki

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#585 in Asia

#2094 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Founded: 1949

81. Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#600 in Asia

#2123 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 1,223
Founded: 1872

82. University of Aizu

Japan | Aizuwakamatsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#609 in Asia

#2156 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1993

83. Ryukoku University

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#619 in Asia

#2181 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1639

84. Jikei University School of Medicine

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#627 in Asia

#2193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1881

85. Kwansei Gakuin University

Japan | Nishinomiya

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#634 in Asia

#2216 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 25,254
Founded: 1912

86. Akita University

Japan | Akita

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#643 in Asia

#2250 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 5,157
Founded: 1949

87. Kyoto Institute of Technology

Japan | Kyoto

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#647 in Asia

#2263 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1949

88. Oita University

Japan | Oita

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#672 in Asia

#2339 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 5,781
Male:Female: 62:38
Founded: 1949

89. Hamamatsu University School of Medicine

Japan | Hamamatsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#686 in Asia

#2370 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 934
Male:Female: 51:49
Founded: 1974

90. Tokyo Medical University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#693 in Asia

#2383 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1916

91. Shiga University of Medical Science

Japan | Otsu

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#695 in Asia

#2385 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Enrollment: 1,107
Founded: 1974

92. Okayama University of Science

Japan | Okayama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#711 in Asia

#2420 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 6,050
Founded: 1962

93. Saitama Medical School

Japan | Moroyama

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#719 in Asia

#2431 in the World

Founded: 1972

94. Tokyo Denki University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#725 in Asia

#2447 in the World

Founded: 1907

95. Fukushima Medical University

Japan | Fukushima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#748 in Asia

#2496 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 1,095
Founded: 1952

96. Nagaoka University of Technology

Japan | Nagaoka

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#752 in Asia

#2508 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1976

97. University of Miyazaki

Japan | Miyazaki

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#758 in Asia

#2518 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1949

98. Toyo University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#759 in Asia

#2520 in the World

Enrollment: 29,300
Male:Female: 59:41
Founded: 1887

99. Rikkyo University

Japan | Tokyo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#769 in Asia

#2550 in the World

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

100. Nara Medical University

Japan | Kashihara

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#796 in Asia

#2598 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1945

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.