The story
Founded by Furuichi Kōi and Kanamaru Magane in 1880.1
Hosei University traces its roots to 1880 (Meiji 13), when Tokyo Hogakusha was founded in Surugadai, Tokyo, by Tetsu Kanamaru, Osamu Ito, and Masakuni Sattva. The institution emerged during Japan's liberal civil rights movement and the establishment of a modern legal system, focusing on training legal professionals. Its guiding principle of "liberty and progress" was inspired by the influence of French law, introduced by Gustave Boissonade, a French legal scholar invited to Japan to draft key legal codes and train lawyers.
In 1881 (Meiji 14), after the government banned private law schools, Tokyo Hogakusha briefly closed, but the Koho Bureau split off and renamed itself the Tokyo Law School in 1883 (Meiji 16), with Boissonade serving as vice principal. In 1889 (Meiji 22), the school merged with the Tokyo French School, established in 1886 (Meiji 19) by the French Society, becoming the Franco-Japanese Law School. Its first principal, Rinsho Minosaku, translated the French Civil Code and introduced key legal terms such as "rights," "duties," and "civil rights."
In 1899 (Meiji 32), under principal Ume Kenjirō, the school implemented significant reforms, launching advanced courses for continuing education, language programs in English, German, and French, and systems for independent study, auditing, and preferential enrollment. These reforms laid the foundation for the institution's growth.
In 1903 (Meiji 36), the school was renamed Hosei University under the Senmon Gakko Ordinance, offering preparatory courses for daytime students, university and specialized courses for evening students, and a graduate school of advanced studies. The university expanded further under Ume's leadership, embodying his philosophy of "open education."
In 1920 (Taisho 9), Hosei University gained official status as a private university under the University Ordinance. It initially included the Faculty of Law and Faculty of Economics, along with preparatory and professional studies. The university relocated to its current campus in Fujimi-cho, Tokyo, in 1921 (Taisho 10). By 1922 (Taisho 11), the Faculty of Letters was added, including departments such as Philosophy and Literature, and the university transitioned from night classes to full-time day programs with a dedicated faculty structure.
Today, it is a comprehensive institution with 15 faculties, 13 graduate schools, a School of Correspondence Education, and professional graduate schools.
From Wikipedia’s article on Hosei University, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4