# Imperial University of Japan

> university in Tokyo until 1897

**Wikidata**: [Q112330406](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112330406)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/imperial-university-of-japan

## Summary
Imperial University of Japan (also "Imperial University", Teikoku Daigaku, 帝國大學/帝國大学, 帝大) was a university-level institution located in Hongō-ku, in the Empire of Japan. It was formally established on 1886-03-02 and was dissolved on 1897-06-22; it was succeeded by Tokyo Imperial University.

## Key Facts
- Imperial University of Japan was founded (inception) on 1886-03-02.  
- The institution was dissolved on 1897-06-22.  
- Located in Hongō-ku (a district of Tokyo).  
- Country: Empire of Japan.  
- Instance of: university (academic institution for further education).  
- Replaced "Tokyo University" with qualifiers: start_time 1877-04-12 and end_time 1886-03-02.  
- Replaced by: Tokyo Imperial University.  
- Aliases: Imperial University; Teikoku Daigaku; 帝國大學; 帝國大学; 帝大.  
- Authority and library identifiers include VIAF ID 159896806, NDL authority ID 00770293, CiNii Research ID 1140563741652325248, NACSIS/CATauthor ID DA03450637, and Library of Congress authority n86126254 (qualified as Teikoku Daigaku (Japan)).  
- Wikidata description: "university in Tokyo until 1897."

## FAQs
### Q: What was the Imperial University of Japan?
A: It was a university-level institution in Tokyo (Hongō-ku) in the Empire of Japan, established on 1886-03-02 and dissolved on 1897-06-22.

### Q: How is Imperial University of Japan related to Tokyo Imperial University?
A: Imperial University of Japan was succeeded by Tokyo Imperial University; the former was replaced by the latter according to the recorded institutional relationship.

### Q: Is "Imperial University of Japan" the same as "Imperial universities of Japan"?
A: No. The entity "Imperial University of Japan" is distinct and is explicitly marked as different from the plural concept "Imperial universities of Japan."

## Why It Matters
Imperial University of Japan represents a distinct, short-lived institutional phase in the development of modern higher education in Tokyo during the late 19th century. Established on 1886-03-02 and dissolved on 1897-06-22, the institution occupies a specific administrative and archival place in the lineage that led to Tokyo Imperial University. Its formal existence, location in Hongō-ku, and the recorded replacement relationships to and from other named institutions make it important for historians tracing university organization, nomenclature, and institutional continuity in Japan. The multiple authority identifiers (VIAF, NDL, CiNii, NACSIS, Library of Congress) show it is a recognized subject in library and archival systems, which aids researchers locating primary records and bibliographic material tied to this precise institutional name and period. Clarifying its aliases and that it is different from the broader category "Imperial universities of Japan" helps avoid common terminological confusion in scholarly work.

## Notable For
- Being formally established on 1886-03-02 and formally dissolved on 1897-06-22, defining a clear institutional timeframe.  
- Serving as an institutional predecessor/successor in the lineage that includes Tokyo University (relation qualifiers 1877-04-12 to 1886-03-02) and Tokyo Imperial University.  
- Location in Hongō-ku, Tokyo, anchoring the institution within a specific urban and academic district.  
- Multiple standard authority identifiers (VIAF, NDL, CiNii, NACSIS, Library of Congress) that confirm its presence in national and international bibliographic records.  
- Known by several aliases and Japanese-language names (Teikoku Daigaku; 帝國大學; 帝國大学; 帝大).

## Body

### Overview
- Officially described as a university in Tokyo until 1897.  
- Instance of: university (an academic institution for further education).  
- Country: Empire of Japan.

### Names and Aliases
- Primary English name: Imperial University of Japan.  
- Other common names/aliases: Imperial University; Teikoku Daigaku.  
- Japanese forms: 帝國大學 (classical orthography), 帝國大学, 帝大.  
- Library-of-Congress qualifier: Teikoku Daigaku (Japan).

### Key Dates and Administrative Changes
- Inception (founding) date: 1886-03-02.  
- Dissolved / abolished date: 1897-06-22.  
- Replaces: Tokyo University, with qualifiers indicating a related period from 1877-04-12 to 1886-03-02.  
- Replaced by: Tokyo Imperial University.

### Location
- Recorded location: Hongō-ku (district in Tokyo).  
- The location entry is part of the institutional record for the date range around its inception.

### Classification and Distinctions
- Classified as a university-level academic institution.  
- Explicitly recorded as different from the plural concept "Imperial universities of Japan," indicating it should not be conflated with that broader grouping.

### Authority and Bibliographic Identifiers
- VIAF ID: 159896806.  
- NDL (National Diet Library) authority ID: 00770293.  
- CiNii Research ID: 1140563741652325248.  
- NACSIS/CATauthor ID: DA03450637.  
- Yale Lux ID: group/088f15fa-dc28-470a-bbe5-c902e56d3f90.  
- Library of Congress authority ID: n86126254 (qualified as Teikoku Daigaku (Japan)).

### Research and Reference Notes
- The entity is documented in bibliographic and archival authority files, enabling precise lookup in library catalogs and authority services.  
- Institutional replacement relationships (both replacing and being replaced) are part of its formal record and are useful for tracing organizational continuity in historical research.

## References

1. 帝国大学ノ位置. Official Gazette. 1886
2. CiNii Research
3. [Source](https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/adm/history/09_01_02_j.html)
4. [Source](https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ja/about/history/b03_01.html)
5. [Source](https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ja/about/history/b03_02.html)