Overview

Shujitsu Gakuen

Shujitsu Gakuen was established as Okayama Women's School of Practice in 1904 and has developed, educated, and graduated students throughout its long history who have excelled as capable members of society. "Kyoka-Shujitsu", the founding principle of the school, embodies high aspirations, and means to develop internal self-worth and intellect and to become an individual who can contribute to society, and not pursue outward appearance and vanity. Based on this founding principle, Shujitsu Gakuen provides an integrated, high quality education to young children as well as to adults in graduate school. What we aim to develop is an autonomous person, who can firmly lead the next generation in rapidly changing times. We develop human assets who have an autonomous strong will, who seek to acquire knowledge and who can empathize with the joy and sorrow of others.

Founding Spirit

"Kyoka-Shujitsu" ｜去華就実｜

"Kyoka-Shujitsu" is a Chinese expression which means "not to pursue external beauty and vanity, but to pursue internal self-worth". It can be traced back to a passage from the Emperor's Rescript of 1908. The school name,"Shujitsu," which has been used since 1911, originates from this expression.

Okayama Prefecture

Okayama Prefecture facing the Seto Inland Sea, which includes about 90 large and small islands, is surrounded by the Chugoku Mountains in the north. Okayama is endowed with rich nature and warm weather, and since it has the greatest number of days with rainfall of less than 1mm in Japan, it is called "Sunny Okayama." Because of its pleasant weather, the prefecture is well known for its fruit such as white peaches, muscat grapes, and atago pears, and is also known as the "Fruit Kingdom."

In the past, Okayama flourished as the center of Kibi culture, and has significantly contributed to advancing industry, culture and education throughout Japan's ancient and recent history. In particular, respect for Ｃonfucianism, initiated by Mitsumasa Ikeda, the former Bizen Domain Lord, became a tradition and Okayama has come to be regarded as a region dedicated to education in modern times. It offers an enhanced educational environment, where the number of universities and junior colleges per population of 100,000 is the 4th largest in Japan (national average: 0.92 schools, Okayama Prefecture: 1.39 schools).

In addition, it is a transportation hub for Chugoku and Shikoku, with a concentrated and integrated network of roads, railroads and air routes, and is also a center of politics, business and culture. Okayama Airport has four regularly scheduled international flights to Seoul (Yincheng Airport: one round trips a day), Shanghai (Pudong Airport: one round trips a day) and Hong Kong (two flights a week), Taipei (Taoyuan Airport: one round trips a day),which are expected to greatly contribute to business, tourism and international exchange.

The History of Shujitsu Gakuen

The history of Shujitsu Gakuen dates back to 1904, the year the Russo-Japanese War started. It was the start of a major war involving the fate of the nation. During that time, Shujitsu Gakuen was founded through the "harmony of 22 educators" from the region, who seriously considered the importance of women's education; thinking about the future of the nation in an atmosphere of heroism of a "do-or-die" nature. Thereafter, it firmly and steadily evolved during the Meiji, Taisho, Showa and Heisei periods into the present day Shujitsu Gakuen, establishing schools from a nursery school to a university and graduate school with over 110 years of tradition.

The History of Shujitsu Gakuen