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Ryukoku University
龍谷大学
Former name
Gakuryo
Bukkyo Daigaku
MottoYou, Unlimited
TypePrivate
FounderRyonyo
Religious affiliation
Buddhism
Budget¥37,927,059,000 (FY2018)[1]
ChancellorChiko Iwagami
PresidentTakashi Irisawa
Academic staff
543[2]
Students19,826[2]
Postgraduates533[2]
Location,
CampusUrban
LanguageJapanese, English
WebsiteOfficial website
To incorporate/research

Ryukoku University (龍谷大学, Ryukoku daigaku) is a private university in Kyoto, Japan. The university was founded initially as a boarding school in 1639 as a part of the Nishi-Hongwanji Temple.

History

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Ryukoku University was founded in 1639 as a boarding school for Buddhist monks of the Nishi Hongan-ji denomination. The school was established by Ryonyo, the temple’s 13th abbot. It became a secularized university in 1876.

Campuses

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Ryukoku University is split into three areas:

  • Fukukusa Campus
  • Omiya Campus
  • Seta Campus

The Fukukusa and Omiya campuses are located in Kyoto, whereas the Seta campus is in Otsu in Shiga Prefecture. Each campus contains a number of undergraduate and graduate departments. The Fukukusa Campus also maintains a number of special, short-term programs for international students, such as in Japanese culture and language.

Facilities

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The university maintains numerous research institutes focused on Buddhism, the empirical sciences, and social sciences. Its Research Center for Humanities, Sciences, and Religion supports multidisciplinary research activities, and there are more specialized research centers, such as the Center for Research on Food Palatability or the Research Center for World Buddhist Cultures.

Ryūkoku Museum

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The Ryūkoku Museum (龍谷ミュージアム) is a museum of Buddhist art and history in Kyōto, Japan. Conceived as part of the 370th anniversary celebrations of the foundation of what is now Ryūkoku University, it opened facing Nishi Hongan-ji in 2011. The museum displays works from its collections, while some cultural properties are held by the Ryūkoku University library for academic purposes. There is also a digital recreation of the corridor of Cave 15 at Bezeklik.[3][4]

Ryukoku Libraries

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The Ryukoku University library system is comprised of three libraries: The Omiya Library (completed in November 1936, renovation completed in 2006) with a collection focused on the Humanities, the new Fukakusa Library (completed in February 2015) with a collection focused on Intercultural Studies and Sociology, and the Seta Library (completed in 1989) with a collection focused on Social Welfare and Natural Sciences. As of March 2020, the libraries maintain over 2.2 million books, and have received over 26,000 books for use.[5]

While there is evidence of library activities as early as 1652, a campaign was initiated in the 1890s with the aim of becoming the world’s largest Buddhist library. As per the resolution of the Myounyo Suzerain, a donation of the majority of books from successive generations of Nishi Hongwanji Suzerains, “Shaji Dai Bunko” (approximately 30,000 volumes) took place in 1892 (Meiji 25) and 1904 (Meiji 37). These precious university documents were digitized in approximately 1998 and have been made publicly available on the internet. In addition, the Omiya Library collection includes a collection of data from the Otani Expedition (donated by the Nishi Hongwanji Temple Suzerain) and two volumes of the “Rikaku Sekitoku Ko” (a National Cultural Treasure).[6]


Governance and administration

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Academics

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Student life

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References

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  1. ^ "Financial Reports". Financial Reports. Ryukoku University. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Facts & Figures". www.ryukoku.ac.jp. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Ryukoku Museum". Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  4. ^ "About the Ryukoku Museum". Ryukoku Museum. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  5. ^ "図書館データ - 龍谷大学図書館". library.ryukoku.ac.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  6. ^ "沿革 - 龍谷大学図書館". library.ryukoku.ac.jp (in Japanese). Ryukoku University. Retrieved 14 September 2020.