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The story
On 5ch’s “Live Everything G” board, a thread was started listing universities that don’t have high hensachi (the standardized deviation scores used to rank Japanese schools) but are known locally for their reputation and strong job placement. Starting with Hakuoh University in Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture, and Nihon University’s Faculty of Engineering in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, posters introduced one university after another from the Kita-Kanto, Tohoku, and Hokuriku regions, including International University of Health and Welfare, University of Aizu, and Kanazawa Institute of Technology. Partway through, the thread turned into a ranking debate over former Imperial University-tier schools like Tohoku University and Hiroshima University, with opinions split on whether Hiroshima University counts as “quasi-former-Imperial” or ranks below Chiba University.
What people said
Where do you think the last one is!?
Re: #1
・Hakuoh University (Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture)
Hensachi isn't high, but it's fairly strong for finding jobs within Tochigi Prefecture.
Also, a lot of schoolteachers in Tochigi are graduates of this place.
Plus, it's right in front of Oyama Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen, so the location's pretty good too.
・Hakuoh University (Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture)
Hensachi isn't high, but it's fairly strong for finding jobs within Tochigi Prefecture.
Also, a lot of schoolteachers in Tochigi are graduates of this place.
Plus, it's right in front of Oyama Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen, so the location's pretty good too.
・Nihon University Faculty of Engineering (Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture)
Maybe because it's out in the regions instead of the Tokyo metro area, its hensachi is surprisingly low for a "Nitto-Komasen" school (Nihon, Toyo, Komazawa, Senshu — a well-known tier of mid-level Tokyo-area private universities). (For reference, the School of Science and Technology, which has a higher hensachi, is based in the Tokyo area.)
That said, it seems to be pretty strong for job hunting, probably riding on the Nihon University brand name.
The downsides are that the coursework is tough and it's hard to graduate (the dropout rate is high too), and the location isn't great (it's far from Koriyama Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen)…
Also, Nihon University Tohoku High School is attached to the campus!
Re: #4
A lot of people get into Nichidai Engineering (Koriyama) on recommendation from technical high schools, but those students tend to have a high rate of repeating a year.
Even though the hensachi isn't high, the level of math and physics is genuinely high, so you won't graduate without actually studying.
To begin with, technical high schools don't cover much math and the like, unlike the science track at regular high schools… (honestly, they're iffy even next to the humanities track at regular high schools).
A lot of people get into Nichidai Engineering (Koriyama) on recommendation from technical high schools, but those students tend to have a high rate of repeating a year.
Even though the hensachi isn't high, the level of math and physics is genuinely high, so you won't graduate without actually studying.
To begin with, technical high schools don't cover much math and the like, unlike the science track at regular high schools… (honestly, they're iffy even next to the humanities track at regular high schools).
Re: #4
By the way, quite a few students at Nichidai Engineering actually come from Tochigi Prefecture (Kita-Kanto) too.
By the way, quite a few students at Nichidai Engineering actually come from Tochigi Prefecture (Kita-Kanto) too.
・International University of Health and Welfare (Otawara, Tochigi Prefecture)
It's fairly tough to graduate from, but job placement within the prefecture is extremely strong. (There's even a rumor it beats the local national university, Utsunomiya University.)
That said, getting into the Pharmacy, Nursing, and Radiological Sciences departments is fairly difficult too.
Also, it's far from Nishi-Nasuno Station (JR Utsunomiya Line) and Nasushiobara Station (Tohoku Shinkansen), so the location isn't exactly great to put it kindly…
*By the way, the School of Medicine is actually located in Narita, Chiba Prefecture.
Re: #6
International University of Health and Welfare's Narita, Chiba campus
International University of Health and Welfare's Narita, Chiba campus
・Teikyo University, Utsunomiya Campus (Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture)
Actually, the School of Science and Engineering and the Department of Regional Economics have their campus in Utsunomiya (formerly Toyosato Village, Kawachi District).
・Takasaki University of Health and Welfare (Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture)
It has departments in Pharmacy, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Nutrition, Medical Informatics, Social Welfare, and more.
They also recently added a Faculty of Agriculture.
・Tohoku Gakuin University (Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture)
Its reputation in the Tokyo metro area is so-so, but (aside from the medical-related schools and Nichidai Engineering) it's the best-regarded private university in the Tohoku region.
By the way, voice actor Koichi Yamadera is an alum!
Re: #10
Koichi Yamadera, Tohoku Gakuin University alum
Koichi Yamadera, Tohoku Gakuin University alum
・Tohoku University of Art and Design (Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture)
Apparently it's the most well-known art college in the Tohoku region, for what that's worth.
・University of Aizu (Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture)
A small public university, but reportedly a big name in the field of information science/IT.
・Fukushima University
Its hensachi is on the lower side even among regional national universities, but thanks to its roots as a former commercial college, job placement (especially out of the Faculty of Economics) is surprisingly strong.
I actually know someone who graduated from there and now works as an SE (systems engineer) at a top-tier company in the Tokyo metro area.
・Kanazawa Institute of Technology (Nonoichi, Ishikawa Prefecture)
Its hensachi isn't exactly high to put it kindly, but job placement is apparently quite good given that.
That said, some people say they regret enrolling once they're actually in… (the coursework is tough and it's hard to graduate).
・Keio University, Tsuruoka Town Campus (Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture)
Keio University is Japan's strongest private university, but it actually has a graduate-school campus out in the Shonai region too.
The Institute for Advanced Biosciences is based there.
Re: #16
・Tohoku University of Community Service and Science (Yamagata Prefecture)
A private university in the Shonai region. But it's actually funded by the various municipalities of Shonai, so it's basically half-public.
Also, it's actually a sister school of Keio University. (And Tsuruoka also hosts a graduate campus of Keio's Science and Engineering department.)
・Tohoku University of Community Service and Science (Yamagata Prefecture)
A private university in the Shonai region. But it's actually funded by the various municipalities of Shonai, so it's basically half-public.
Also, it's actually a sister school of Keio University. (And Tsuruoka also hosts a graduate campus of Keio's Science and Engineering department.)
Let me throw in a curveball here!
・Tohoku University (Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture)
Its hensachi isn't as high as the former Imperial universities in the three major metro areas (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya) or Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology), but its reputation and research level in the sciences — especially engineering — are genuinely high.
The humanities side, though, isn't exactly strong to put it kindly…
It's not on a level where it can look down on the other regional former Imperial universities (Hokkaido, Kyushu), and it loses to Waseda and Keio as a matter of course.
Honestly, these days it's questionable whether it can even beat Sophia or the GMARCH schools (Gakushuin, Meiji, Aoyama Gakuin, Rikkyo, Chuo, Hosei)…
By the way, Tohoku University isn't even the top humanities school in the Tohoku region.
That's because Akita Prefecture has Akita International University (AIU).
・Tohoku University (Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture)
Its hensachi isn't as high as the former Imperial universities in the three major metro areas (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya) or Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology), but its reputation and research level in the sciences — especially engineering — are genuinely high.
The humanities side, though, isn't exactly strong to put it kindly…
It's not on a level where it can look down on the other regional former Imperial universities (Hokkaido, Kyushu), and it loses to Waseda and Keio as a matter of course.
Honestly, these days it's questionable whether it can even beat Sophia or the GMARCH schools (Gakushuin, Meiji, Aoyama Gakuin, Rikkyo, Chuo, Hosei)…
By the way, Tohoku University isn't even the top humanities school in the Tohoku region.
That's because Akita Prefecture has Akita International University (AIU).
Re: #17
Tohoku University's sciences (especially engineering) are legitimately impressive
*Though its medical/dental/pharmacy programs lose out to Kyushu University and Nagoya University (though Nagoya doesn't even have pharmacy or dentistry schools)
Meanwhile, Tohoku University's humanities side isn't as strong.
The Faculty of Letters in particular loses out in hensachi even to Hokkaido University (which has a strong image as the weakest former Imperial university)
*Though Tohoku University requires math on the second-stage exam even for the Faculty of Letters, while Hokkaido University lets you compete with history/geography instead
Tohoku University's sciences (especially engineering) are legitimately impressive
*Though its medical/dental/pharmacy programs lose out to Kyushu University and Nagoya University (though Nagoya doesn't even have pharmacy or dentistry schools)
Meanwhile, Tohoku University's humanities side isn't as strong.
The Faculty of Letters in particular loses out in hensachi even to Hokkaido University (which has a strong image as the weakest former Imperial university)
*Though Tohoku University requires math on the second-stage exam even for the Faculty of Letters, while Hokkaido University lets you compete with history/geography instead
Re: #17
By the way, Akita International University (AIU) is an up-and-coming public university in Akita Prefecture.
Its English proficiency is reportedly top-level within Japan.
These days there's even talk that it outranks not just Tohoku University's humanities programs (Sendai, Miyagi) but even Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
For a school that isn't in one of the three major metro areas and doesn't have a long history, that's an impressive showing 👍
By the way, Akita International University (AIU) is an up-and-coming public university in Akita Prefecture.
Its English proficiency is reportedly top-level within Japan.
These days there's even talk that it outranks not just Tohoku University's humanities programs (Sendai, Miyagi) but even Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
For a school that isn't in one of the three major metro areas and doesn't have a long history, that's an impressive showing 👍
Re: #17
By the way, here's roughly how the former Imperial university pecking order looks!
Tokyo > Kyoto, (Institute of Science Tokyo, Hitotsubashi) > Osaka > Nagoya, (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) > Tohoku ≥ (Kobe) > Hokkaido, Kyushu, (Tsukuba)
By the way, here's roughly how the former Imperial university pecking order looks!
Tokyo > Kyoto, (Institute of Science Tokyo, Hitotsubashi) > Osaka > Nagoya, (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) > Tohoku ≥ (Kobe) > Hokkaido, Kyushu, (Tsukuba)
You seem like the type who'd be into Kirby or something. "Shinken University"! (a jab referencing Benesse's Shinken Zemi study-service ad manga, implying an oddly on-the-nose personal callout)
Re: #20
Thanks 😊
Yeah, I actually do like Kirby!
Thanks 😊
Yeah, I actually do like Kirby!
By the way, Mabel-chan's hometown is Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture — home to Tohoku University!
Rabbit girl "Mabel-chan"
*AI-generated illustration
Rabbit girl "Mabel-chan"
*AI-generated illustration
Re: #21
Hey, Tetsugaku News (a 5ch news-aggregator site known for turning threads into articles)! Please write this one up!
Hey, Tetsugaku News (a 5ch news-aggregator site known for turning threads into articles)! Please write this one up!
・Hiroshima University (Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture)
It's not a former Imperial university, but since it's positioned as the flagship school of the Chugoku region, it sometimes gets treated as quasi-Imperial-tier depending on the context.
Historically, it's actually a former University of Literature and Science, putting it on the same footing as Tsukuba University (formerly Tokyo University of Education).
That said, in the medical/dental/pharmacy fields alone, Okayama University — one of the old Six Medical Colleges — clearly outranks it.
Re: #27
Nah, by hensachi it's basically quasi-former-Imperial tier, come on.
Nah, by hensachi it's basically quasi-former-Imperial tier, come on.
Re: #27
For what it's worth, by hensachi Hiroshima University ranks below not just the former Imperial universities but even Chiba University (an "ekiben" regional national university in the Tokyo metro area — so called because, like train-station bento boxes, there's one in every region).
It's only a bit higher than Kanazawa University (the Hokuriku flagship) or Kumamoto University.
For what it's worth, by hensachi Hiroshima University ranks below not just the former Imperial universities but even Chiba University (an "ekiben" regional national university in the Tokyo metro area — so called because, like train-station bento boxes, there's one in every region).
It's only a bit higher than Kanazawa University (the Hokuriku flagship) or Kumamoto University.
Re: #27
I graduated from Tokyo Medical and Dental University's School of Medicine, but back in Yamaguchi Prefecture where my mom's family is from, people would say stuff like "Taka-kun, gonna be a dentist? You could get into Hiroshima University's med school easy" — that's how strong the reverence for Hiroshima University is out there.
I graduated from Tokyo Medical and Dental University's School of Medicine, but back in Yamaguchi Prefecture where my mom's family is from, people would say stuff like "Taka-kun, gonna be a dentist? You could get into Hiroshima University's med school easy" — that's how strong the reverence for Hiroshima University is out there.
Was it Nihon University's College of Industrial Technology, in Tsudanuma? Hensachi's in the 40s, but it's great value for money.
Re: #31
Yeah, it does seem lower than the School of Science and Technology.
That said, I don't think the class quality is necessarily low.
Kogakuin University and Chiba Institute of Technology could probably also be described as "hensachi isn't much, but strong on job placement."
By the way, I'd say Nihon University's Science and Technology and Shibaura Institute of Technology are genuinely tough to get into.
Yeah, it does seem lower than the School of Science and Technology.
That said, I don't think the class quality is necessarily low.
Kogakuin University and Chiba Institute of Technology could probably also be described as "hensachi isn't much, but strong on job placement."
By the way, I'd say Nihon University's Science and Technology and Shibaura Institute of Technology are genuinely tough to get into.
Re: #31
Nihon University College of Industrial Technology (Tsudanuma, Narashino, Chiba Prefecture)
Nihon University College of Industrial Technology (Tsudanuma, Narashino, Chiba Prefecture)
I mean, for science departments with hensachi in the 40s, the exams are just plug-in-the-formula stuff with zero twist to them. Same deal at Toyo or Tokai.
Re: #52
That's about the entrance exam, though — once you're in, the coursework at science/engineering schools is genuinely tough, so isn't it hard to actually graduate?
It's at least a much higher level than a technical high school or vocational school.
*Though vocational schools granting special national licenses — hairdressing, auto maintenance, culinary — might be tough too.
That's about the entrance exam, though — once you're in, the coursework at science/engineering schools is genuinely tough, so isn't it hard to actually graduate?
It's at least a much higher level than a technical high school or vocational school.
*Though vocational schools granting special national licenses — hairdressing, auto maintenance, culinary — might be tough too.
Re: #52
Toyo University's School of Science and Engineering is in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, right?
By the way, Toyo University also used to have a Faculty of Agriculture in Itakura, Ora District, Gunma Prefecture (though that's basically Saitama) — right by a station on the Tobu Nikko Line — but apparently it's since moved to Asaka City…
Toyo University's School of Science and Engineering is in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, right?
By the way, Toyo University also used to have a Faculty of Agriculture in Itakura, Ora District, Gunma Prefecture (though that's basically Saitama) — right by a station on the Tobu Nikko Line — but apparently it's since moved to Asaka City…
Re: #52
Tokai University is in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, right? Though the School of Medicine is in Isehara.
Tokai University is in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, right? Though the School of Medicine is in Isehara.
What about Joubu University?
Re: #56
That's the one in Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, right?
Hensachi's nothing special, sure, but I've never heard anyone say it has a bad reputation.
I think they have a Faculty of Business Administration and a Faculty of Nursing, if I recall.
That's the one in Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, right?
Hensachi's nothing special, sure, but I've never heard anyone say it has a bad reputation.
I think they have a Faculty of Business Administration and a Faculty of Nursing, if I recall.
Background and key points of this discussion
“Former Imperial universities” (kyu-teikoku daigaku) refers to the seven universities founded before World War II in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Tohoku, Hokkaido, and Kyushu, and debates over their ranking are a perennial topic on 5ch’s academic-background boards. Hiroshima University and Tsukuba University (formerly Tokyo University of Education) come from a separate historical lineage as former “Universities of Literature and Science,” so they aren’t technically former Imperial universities, but their research standing sometimes earns them comparable treatment. That said, hensachi and job-placement strength don’t always line up. Schools like International University of Health and Welfare and Nihon University’s Faculty of Engineering show that universities located away from major cities can still be strong on employment thanks to licensing-focused programs and ties with local employers — a point raised repeatedly in the thread. Note that the hensachi rankings and evaluations in the thread reflect individual posters’ personal impressions, not official statistics or rankings.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Live Everything G) thread “[Academic Background] Big 3: Universities with Low Hensachi but Good Local Reputations — “Hakuoh University,” “Nihon University’s Faculty of Engineering”.”
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