Message from the President

The Society of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic religious order, was established by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat during the turbulent period after the French Revolution. From its beginnings, the Society has been committed to sharing with the world the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which teaches that each individual is irreplaceable. The schools of the Sacred Heart established internationally by the society have nurtured women who have learnt from this tradition, devoted themselves to their chosen area of study, and striven to deepen their connections with society through the fruits of their study, acting intelligently to answer the needs of the contemporary world.

The University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo, began with just 62 students in 1948 as one of the first universities for women in Japan. Ever since, the university has offered a liberal arts education, aiming at fostering in its students both in-depth expertise in their chosen fields and a broad sense of perspective. True to its international roots, the university encourages students to engage with global concerns. To further strengthen their abilities to live in the global present and to engage positively with its unpredictable changes, the university has chosen to add to its curriculum AI Data Science as a compulsory course for all students and established anew the “Sacred Heart Liberal Arts” subjects group consisting of seven areas.

It is because we are a women’s university that we can offer ideal opportunities for women to assume leadership and take the initiative in classes and extracurricular activities. We are proud of our alumnae for contributing to society in their respective areas of expertise and walks of life. They are sustained by the “spirit of the Sacred Heart”, which can be best defined as: the state of being aware of what others need, and using heads, hearts and hands to create a better world.

“Rooted in the past, stepping into the future.” In 2023, the University of the Sacred Heart celebrated its 75th anniversary. With both global and local issues in mind, we are committed to preserving and sustaining our university’s educational and physical environment for future generations. We are looking forward to welcoming you to our verdant campus in Hiroo.