Taisho University
Taisho University is a private Buddhist-affiliated university in Tokyo, founded in 1926, serving about 5,000 students across 7 faculties. It is launching an Information Science Faculty and Brooklyn satellite campus in 2026 to broaden beyond traditional Buddhist studies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1926
- HeadquartersToshima, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Taisho University does
Taisho University is a private Buddhist-affiliated university located in Toshima-ku, Tokyo, founded in 1926 and approaching its centennial in 2026. It is structurally distinctive within Japanese higher education as the only university jointly sponsored by five Buddhist denominations — Tendai, Shingon Buzan, Shingon Chisan, Jodo, and (since 2018) Jishu — which collectively anchor its student pipeline, faculty composition, and institutional identity. The university operates 7 faculties and 13 departments serving approximately 5,000 students, supported by roughly 192 staff and four research institutes covering Regional Design, Counseling, Information Science (established 2025), and Buddhist Studies.
Its core academic portfolio has historically centered on Buddhist studies, humanities, and social sciences, but the institution is undergoing a deliberate portfolio pivot. In 2026, Taisho is launching a new Faculty of Information Science with two departments — Green Digital Informatics and Digital Cultural Heritage Informatics — and is opening a Brooklyn, New York satellite campus, its first overseas facility. Supporting infrastructure includes a VR Theater and the recently established Information Science Research Institute. International partnerships with KMUTT (Thailand) and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, together with hosting the PAEE/ALE 2026 conference, signal an explicit strategy to reposition the university for international student recruitment and digitally oriented disciplines.
The business model is a tuition-dependent private non-profit: revenue is generated primarily from student tuition and fees across multiple faculties, supplemented by entrance exam fees, continuing education, research grants, auxiliary enterprises, and donor contributions from affiliated Buddhist institutions. The target customer base is individual undergraduate and graduate students, with a deliberate broadening toward international students via the Brooklyn campus and toward STEM/digital-oriented learners via the new Informatics Faculty. Athletic visibility is being built through a track-and-field program aimed at qualifying for the Hakone Ekiden.
Taisho University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Taisho University
- Legal name
- 学校法人大正大学
- Website
- https://tais.ac.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1926
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Taisho University is a private Buddhist-affiliated university in Tokyo, founded in 1926, serving about 5,000 students across 7 faculties. It is launching an Information Science Faculty and Brooklyn satellite campus in 2026 to broaden beyond traditional Buddhist studies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Taisho University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Buddhist Monastic Universities & Dharma Colleges (EDAHAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA), Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)
Keywords
Where Taisho University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toshima
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Taisho University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from student tuition, with undergraduate and graduate programs. Tuition structured per semester with admission fees and examination fees as separate charges.
- Examination and Admission Fees: Revenue from entrance examination fees and admission processing fees
- Publication Sales: University publishing division sells books through T-Map including TU Selection series, Mandara Library series, research bulletins, and academic publications
- Continuing Education Programs: Recurrent education programs for adult learners, lifetime learning courses, and professional development offerings
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard undergraduate tuition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Examination and Admission Fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Taisho University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Taisho University is a private multi-denominational Buddhist university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across 7 faculties and 13 departments, including Buddhist Studies, Literature, Human Studies, Clinical Psychology, Expression, Regional Creation, and Information Science. The university delivers on-campus education at its Tokyo Sugamo campus with supplementary locations in Saitama and Brooklyn, New York, supported by student services such as career counseling, library access, recurrent education programs, and a publishing division.
Product overview
Taisho University operates as a comprehensive Buddhist-affiliated university offering a diverse portfolio of academic programs and student services. The university provides a unified platform of educational offerings through its 7 faculties and 13 departments, supported by core technology systems including the T-Po (Taisho Portal) student information system, DAC learning support organization, and the Career Center for employment services. The university has recently expanded into information science with the Information Science Faculty launching in 2026 and the Information Science Research Institute established in 2025. Additional services include the Library system with institutional repository, Brooklyn Satellite Campus for international programs, SDRTV recurrent education platform, and a publishing division producing academic books and journals. The university also operates community engagement programs through its regional innovation initiatives and various student support services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 鴨台祭 (Ohdai Festival): The university's annual campus festival, one of the largest events in the Sugamo area
- 鴨台盆踊り (Ohdai Bon Odori)
- kokokara (ココカラ)
- T-Po (ティーポ)
- DAC (総合学修支援機構)
- SHODAIリカレントTV
- 大正大学スマートユニバーシティプロジェクト (U-Smart)
- すがも鴨台観音堂 (Sugamo Ohdai Kannon Hall)
- 南三陸復興ダコの会
Products and services
- T-Po (Taisho Portal)
Quantifiable outcome
- Graduate employment rate and career outcomes supported through dedicated career center with company partnerships
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Taisho University
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Taisho University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature2 records
Taisho University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered standard, major and core.
- Stardust Kawaii (スターダスト河内)standardOsaka Hirakata traditional bon odori group collaborating on the 16th Ohdai Bon Odori festival, contributing to cultural programming and dance instruction.
- King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT)standardThai university partnership including vice president delegation participating in PAEE/ALE 2026 conference; discussions on digital cultural heritage and micro-credential international collaboration.
- Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce (ブルックリン商工会議所)majorCollaborative partnership conducting Brooklyn Made popup stores and cultural exchange events between New York and Japan, aligned with the Brooklyn satellite campus operations.
- Jishu Buddhist Sect (時宗)coreJoined as fifth founding denomination in 2018, expanding the multi-denominational Buddhist university structure.
- Peking University (北京大学)majorExchange agreement with China's premier university for academic and cultural exchange programs.
- Shanghai University (上海大学)majorAcademic exchange partnership with major Chinese university for student and faculty exchanges.
- Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (ミュンヘン大学)majorEducational exchange agreement established in 1995 for German-Japanese academic collaboration.
- Henan University (河南大学)standardSister school relationship with Chinese university for international educational exchange.
- University of Hawaii (ハワイ大学)majorSister school relationship established in 1980 for international academic exchange and student mobility programs.
- Dongguk University (東国大学校)majorSister school relationship with South Korea's leading Buddhist university established in 1980 for academic exchange.
- Tendai Buddhist Sect (天台宗)coreOne of five founding Buddhist denominations jointly operating Taisho University since establishment in 1926. Provides religious education, temple networks, and Buddhist scholarship support.
- Shingon Buddhist Sect Buzanha (真言宗豊山派)coreOne of five founding Buddhist denominations. Contributes to Buddhist studies curriculum and temple succession training programs.
- Shingon Buddhist Sect Chisansha (真言宗智山派)coreOne of five founding Buddhist denominations supporting the university's Buddhist educational mission.
- Jodo Buddhist Sect (浄土宗)coreOne of five founding Buddhist denominations contributing to Buddhist scholarship and temple networks.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Taisho University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sophia University: Large Catholic-affiliated private comprehensive university in central Tokyo. Comparable as a faith-affiliated, internationally oriented Tokyo private university with humanities, social sciences, and information programs; broader scale and stronger international brand set the competitive ceiling for Taisho.
- Ritsumeikan University: Major private comprehensive university with strong international programs and a focus on Asia-Pacific exchange. Comparable as a broad private incumbent aggressively pursuing international partnerships and cross-border student flows, useful for benchmarking internationalization scale and tuition economics.
- Doshisha University: Major Christian-affiliated private comprehensive university in Kyoto with graduate programs across humanities, social sciences, law, and policy. Comparable as a faith-rooted private comprehensive university pursuing international partnerships and research diversification, though at significantly larger scale.
- Toyo University: Large secular private comprehensive university headquartered in Tokyo with broad humanities, social sciences, and emerging information programs. Relevant as a broader incumbent competing for the same Kanto applicant pool with greater scale and broader program diversity.
Direct peers
- Rissho University: Private Buddhist university affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu. Similar size and mission profile to Taisho — multi-faculty Buddhist comprehensive university with humanities, psychology, and sociology programs, providing a near-direct benchmark for enrollment, tuition economics, and denominational governance.
- Komazawa University: Private Buddhist university in Tokyo affiliated with the Soto Zen sect. Directly comparable as a Tokyo-based private Buddhist comprehensive university with overlapping humanities, Buddhist studies, and cultural heritage offerings; both compete for similar applicant pools in the Kanto region.
- Musashino University: Private Buddhist-affiliated comprehensive university in Tokyo. Comparable as a fellow Tokyo private university with Buddhist institutional roots, a similar faculty mix (humanities, welfare, psychology), and recent expansion into new disciplines — competing for the same prospective student segment.
- Soka University: Private Buddhist university affiliated with Soka Gakkai (Nichiren). Comparable Buddhist comprehensive university with a strong international exchange focus and graduate programs; serves as a benchmark for internationalization scale and Buddhist-affiliated tuition-driven economics.
- Kokugakuin University: Private Shinto-affiliated comprehensive university in Tokyo. Faith-affiliated peer with overlapping humanities, cultural studies, and Shinto/Buddhist heritage programs; useful benchmark for religious-affiliated branding and recruitment in Japan's private higher education sector.
Regional players
- Temple University Japan: American university's Tokyo campus offering undergraduate and graduate programs in arts, business, and education. Comparable as an English-medium international satellite operation in Tokyo; relevant benchmark for how Taisho's Brooklyn satellite and internationalization strategy could evolve.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Taisho University social profiles
Digital presenceTaisho University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Taisho University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Taisho University subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Taisho University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Taisho University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Taisho University
What does Taisho University do?
Taisho University is a private multi-denominational Buddhist university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across 7 faculties and 13 departments, including Buddhist Studies, Literature, Human Studies, Clinical Psychology, Expression, Regional Creation, and Information Science. The university delivers on-campus education at its Tokyo Sugamo campus with supplementary locations in Saitama and Brooklyn, New York, supported by student services such as career counseling, library access, recurrent education programs, and a publishing division.
Is Taisho University a public or private company?
Taisho University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Taisho University founded?
Taisho University was founded in 1926. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Taisho University based?
Taisho University is headquartered in Toshima, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Taisho University make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are examination and Admission Fees, publication Sales and continuing Education Programs.
Who are Taisho University's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sophia University, Ritsumeikan University, Doshisha University and Toyo University. Direct peers are Rissho University, Komazawa University, Musashino University, Soka University and Kokugakuin University. Temple University Japan is listed as a regional player.
Does Taisho University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Taisho University.
What industry is Taisho University in?
Taisho University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAKAK, Buddhist Monastic Universities & Dharma Colleges, with a secondary code of EDAHABAA, Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary). Its NAICS code is 611310 and its SIC code is 8200.