Tokyo Geidai (Tokyo University of the Arts) Admissions Guide: Tuition, Scholarships, Programs, Student Life

Thinking about studying art, music, film, or arts management in Japan? Tokyo University of the Arts—known locally as “Tokyo Geidai”—is the country’s only national arts university and a magnet for ambitious creators. With a main campus tucked inside Ueno Park’s museum district and satellite sites in Yokohama, Toride, and Senju, the university blends classical training with contemporary practice and industry collaboration. Below you’ll find quick facts, a concise history, strengths and facilities, student life essentials, exchange options, climate and cost-of-living notes, and career outcomes—everything a prospective international student needs to decide whether “Geidai” is the right next step.

Quick-Facts Table

Snapshot figures are provided to help you compare universities at a glance. Data points marked with a year come from the latest publicly available English sources from Tokyo University of the Arts (TUA). For current tuition and fees, always check the official pages before you apply.

Type	National University (National University Corporation) Official site (EN)
Total Students	3,289 (as of May 1, 2024) University Outline 2024 (JP, PDF)
Campuses	Ueno (Main), Toride (Ibaraki), Yokohama (Kanagawa), Senju (Adachi, Tokyo) Access & campus list (EN)
Faculties/Schools	Faculty of Fine Arts; Faculty of Music; Graduate Schools of Fine Arts, Music, Film & New Media, and Global Arts University brochure 2024–2025 (EN, PDF)
Tasse scolastiche	Tuition ¥642,960/year (¥321,480 per semester) for most programs; Admission fee ¥338,400; some programs add mandatory fees (insurance, facilities, etc.) Tuition (JP) ／ Admission fee example (Fine Arts, JP)
Gender Ratio	≈ 37% men / 63% women (2024 total enrollment) Students by year & gender (EN, PDF)
Intl-Student %	≈ 13.5% (443 international students; 2024)* International students table (EN, PDF)
Students per Staff	≈ 7.9 : 1 (3,289 students / 419 staff; 2024)** Number of staff (EN, PDF) ／ Total students (JP, PDF)

Campus Maps

Ueno Campus (Main, Tokyo)

Address: 12-8 Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo 110-8714, Japan

Toride Campus (Ibaraki)

Address: 5000 Omonma, Toride, Ibaraki 302-0001, Japan

Yokohama Campus (Kanagawa)

Address: Graduate School of Film and New Media (Bashamichi Campus), 4-44 Honcho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0005, Japan

Senju Campus (Adachi, Tokyo)

Address: 1-25-1 Senju, Adachi Ward, Tokyo 120-0034, Japan

Mission, History & Founding Story

Tokyo University of the Arts (TUA, or “Tokyo Geidai”) traces its roots to two specialist schools founded in 1887: the Tokyo Fine Arts School and the Tokyo Music School. In 1949, those schools merged to form Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, laying the foundation for Japan’s premier national institution dedicated exclusively to the arts. Over the decades, Geidai built out master’s programs (1963) and doctoral programs (1977), elevating research and professional training across painting, sculpture, crafts, design, architecture, curation, and the full spectrum of music disciplines. A Brief History of the University

Geidai’s growth mirrors Japan’s modernization. The opening of the Toride campus in Ibaraki (1991) introduced large-scale workshops for metalworking and lacquer—a nod to Japan’s deep craft traditions at industrial scale. The university incorporated as a National University Corporation in 2004, gaining managerial autonomy while preserving its public mission. A year later, Geidai launched the Graduate School of Film and New Media in Yokohama—reflecting the rising importance of film, animation, and digital arts—followed by the establishment of the Graduate School of Global Arts in 2016 to address arts management and curatorial practice in a globalized field. History milestones (official)

Today Geidai operates across four sites—Ueno (main), Toride, Yokohama, and Senju—each with a distinct role. Ueno situates students inside one of Tokyo’s densest cultural districts (museums, concert halls, and Ueno Park). Toride emphasizes expansive workshop production; Yokohama hosts film and new media; and Senju, in northern Tokyo, supports music practice and performance spaces close to major transit. The official access page includes addresses and campus maps for each location. Access & Maps

Key Strengths & Unique Features

Flagship Disciplines in Art & Music

Fine Arts (Painting, Sculpture, Crafts, Design, Architecture, Intermedia, Conservation)

The Faculty of Fine Arts covers classical to contemporary practice: Japanese Painting (nihonga) and Oil Painting, Sculpture, Crafts (ceramics, metal, lacquer, textiles), Design, Architecture, Intermedia Art, Aesthetics & Art History, and Conservation. That breadth is not just academic—Geidai’s workshops and studio complexes underpin hands-on learning in traditional and experimental materials. Recent university brochures and official statistics outline these departments and degree paths. University brochure (EN) Department lineup (2017 data)

Music (Composition, Vocal/Instrumental, Conducting, Traditional Japanese Music, Musicology)

The Faculty of Music spans Western and Japanese traditions: composition, voice, orchestral instruments, conducting, traditional Japanese music (gagaku, koto, shamisen, shakuhachi), and musicology—and includes innovative areas such as “Musical Creativity and the Environment.” Performance happens constantly on campus and in the city, supported by world-class venues like Sogakudo Concert Hall. Facilities overview (incl. Sogakudo) University brochure

Graduate School of Film & New Media (Yokohama)

Opened in 2005, the Graduate School of Film and New Media anchors Geidai’s media practice in Yokohama, with programs in Film Production, Animation, New Media, and Film/New Media Studies. The school’s ethos is production-driven: students collaborate across departments and ship festival-quality work. Alumni outcomes speak for themselves—Oscar-winning director Ryūsuke Hamaguchi studied at Geidai’s Graduate School of Film and New Media before global breakout success with Drive My Car. History: founding year Asahi Shimbun (Hamaguchi at Geidai)

Global Arts & Arts Management

Established in 2016, the Graduate School of Global Arts (GSA) responds to how art circulates through museums, festivals, biennales, platforms, and creative industries. Programs such as Arts Studies and Curatorial Practices, plus the MFA Global Art Practice track, emphasize cross-border collaboration, professional practice, and exhibition-making. The latest Global Art Practice guidelines highlight international, project-based learning and outline fees (including a program-specific materials fee). Founding (2016) GAP (MFA) guidelines (2026)

On-Campus Museums, Halls & Creative Hubs

Beyond studios and classrooms, Geidai’s cultural infrastructure is unusually rich: the University Art Museum (multiple galleries), Sogakudo Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center, Art Media Center, and the Hisao & Hiroko TAKI PLAZA community hub. These venues enable exhibitions, premieres, and public engagement all year long—crucial résumé-builders for artists and performers. Facilities (official)

Tradition Meets Innovation

Few universities balance cultural heritage and contemporary practice as tightly as Geidai. Departments in traditional arts (nihonga, lacquer, metal arts, koto, gagaku) sit alongside intermedia, animation, and new media. Conservation labs and a “Center of Creative Inheritance for the Future” safeguard techniques while encouraging reinterpretation. Internationally acclaimed artist Takashi Murakami—BA, MFA, and PhD from TUA—embodies that synthesis of tradition and pop culture. Centers & labs Murakami bio (Gagosian)

Student Life for Internationals

Clubs & Circles That Welcome Overseas Students

From orchestra sections, jazz groups, and contemporary ensembles to craft, design, and interdisciplinary collectives, Geidai’s student organizations are a fast track to community. The official page lists clubs and activities—and many are comfortable integrating English-speaking members, especially performance groups and project-based circles. Clubs & Groups (official)

Support Offices (Visa, Housing, Health & Daily Living)

Geidai’s Global Support Center is your first stop for visa, residence status, and daily-life questions. On campus, you’ll also find the Health Care Service Center and University Library, plus dedicated facilities like the Training Center for Foreign Languages and Diction. The campus map even lists the “Ueno Global Residence” among key buildings near the main gate—handy for short-term housing and incoming students. Facilities & support (official) Access (see Ueno Global Residence)

Language-Exchange & Cultural Integration

While a formal “buddy program” isn’t prominently advertised in English, international students typically plug in through Global Support Center events, clubs, and cross-department projects. The Training Center for Foreign Languages and Diction supports language development for musicians and artists working across Japanese and international repertoires. See: Global Support Center & Training Center

Partner Institutions & Exchange Options

Geidai maintains exchange and cooperation agreements with arts universities and conservatories across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The official list is updated on the university’s global site; examples include film schools, art academies, and music conservatories with semester- or year-length exchange frameworks. If you’re currently enrolled overseas, ask your international office about existing exchange pathways before applying as a degree student. International Partners (official list)

Local Climate & Lifestyle

Weather at a Glance (Tokyo)

Tokyo has hot, humid summers and mild winters. Based on long-term meteorological normals, summers peak in August, and winters are coolest in January. For an intuitive month-by-month feel (in °F/°C), see the profile below, and cross-check official normals from the Japan Meteorological Agency. WeatherSpark: Tokyo averages JMA climate normals

Safety & Liveability

Tokyo consistently ranks among the world’s safest major cities. In the Economist’s Safe Cities Index, Tokyo finished #1 overall in 2015 and 2019, and remained top-tier in 2021—a useful external indicator of personal, health, infrastructure, digital, and environmental security. Safe Cities Index 2019 Safe Cities Index 2021 (PDF)

Cost of Living (Student Estimate)

Japan’s official Study in Japan site (JASSO) estimates monthly living costs with higher rents in Tokyo than the national average (approx. ¥57,000/month for housing in Tokyo vs. ¥41,000 nationwide, with total expenses varying by lifestyle). Plan for transit, meals, mobile/Wi-Fi, and studio materials in addition to tuition. JASSO: Living Costs

International Student Statistics

At a glance (2017): 3,294 total students; 239 international students (~7.3%); student-to-staff ratio ≈ 8.3:1. Female enrollment was approximately 66% overall. Among sending countries, East Asia leads (notably China, South Korea, and Taiwan), followed by Southeast Asia (e.g., Vietnam) and Europe/North America in smaller numbers. Source: TUA’s English statistical PDF. Official statistics (PDF)

Metric	Figure (Year)
Total Students	3,289 (as of May 1, 2024) University Outline 2024 (JP, PDF)
International Students	443 (≈13.5% of total; 2024)* International Students table (EN, PDF)
Students per Staff	≈ 7.9 : 1 (3,289 students / 419 staff; 2024) Number of staff (EN, PDF) ／ Total students (JP, PDF)
Top Sending Regions	East Asia > Southeast Asia > Europe/North America (2024, based on TUA list) International Students table (EN, PDF)
Notes	*TUA’s 2024 table counts degree students (incl. research students); short-term exchange under inter-university agreements is excluded. Figures reflect May 1, 2024 and may vary annually. See also the latest brochure: TUA 2024–2025 Brochure (EN, PDF).

Career & Graduate Prospects

Geidai alumni are highly visible across Japan’s cultural sector—museum and gallery artists, designers and architects, curators and cultural producers, orchestral players and soloists, conductors and composers, animators and filmmakers. Notable recent examples include Academy Award-winning director Ryūsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car), an alumnus of the Graduate School of Film and New Media, and global art star Takashi Murakami, who earned his BA, MFA, and PhD at Geidai. Asahi Shimbun on Hamaguchi (EN) Murakami bio (Gagosian)

Tip: If you’re eyeing degree study, budget for tuition (¥642,960/year) and the admission fee (¥338,400), and review fee waivers/scholarships listed on the official site. Music and fine-arts programs may add insurance, facility, or materials fees; film/media production can also involve out-of-pocket project costs. Tuition & fees (official) Scholarships / Fee Waiver