Tokyo University of the Arts

Tokyo University of the Arts is located in the northwest of Ueno, about 20 minutes on foot from Ueno Station.

This university is different from other universities : No doubt is this university “the school of geniuses” . When Japan opened its door to the western world 150 years ago, it decided to learn full gamut of western culture . As the base for learning western culture, they established two art universities: one is for painting and the other is for music. But , at odds with the mindset of the leaders at that time, the students entered these universities showed extraordinary talents which often surpassed their western teachers. Since then, these universities have produced many geniuses who became world-famous artists. After WWII these two universities merged into the current Tokyo University of the Arts, but it keeps the prestige of its origins and be regarded as “the school of geniuses”.