History – Hokkaido University

Hokkaido University was founded in 1876 as Sapporo Agricultural College, one of Japan’s earliest modern educational institutions. Over the years, it evolved into the current Hokkaido University, one of Japan’s leading comprehensive universities.

Explore our rich history through the interactive timeline, which offers detailed insights into our past alongside key historical events that helped shape modern Japan.

Discover Our History

A detailed account of our history is also available from the following tabulated timeline.

1876–1907Sapporo Agricultural College

1876	7	Dr. William S. CLARK, then president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College in the Unites States invited to be vice president of Sapporo Agricultural College. He arrives in Sapporo with two American professors, W. WHEELER and D. PENHALLOW, and eleven American students.
	8.14	Sapporo Agricultural College inaugurated. (Hokkaido University celebrates its anniversary of foundation on August 14.)
	9	Hirotake CHOSHO named president of Sapporo Agricultural College.
	12	Book-Stack Room (later College Library) opens.
1878	10	The martial arts training facility (current Sapporo Clock Tower) constructed.
1881	2	Genzo MORI, then Hokkaido development commissioner, acts also as college president.
1886	7	Botanical Garden constructed.
1886	12	Hideaki SATO named administrative officer of Hokkaido prefectural government and acting college president.
1887	3	Shosuke SATO named acting president.
1888	12	Bunzo HASHIGUCHI named president.
1891	8	Shosuke SATO named assistant president.
1894	4	Shosuke SATO named president.

1907–1918Tohoku Imperial University

1907	9	Sapporo Agricultural College becomes the Agricultural College of Tohoku Imperial University and adds preparatory courses. (It is inaugurated in September 1907.)
		Book-Stack Room renamed College Library.
		Shosuke SATO named dean of the Agricultural College of Tohoku Imperial University.
1909	2	Oshoro-maru built as a new training ship.

1918–1947Hokkaido Imperial University

1918	4	Agricultural College of Tohoku Imperial University transferred to the newly established Hokkaido Imperial University, becoming the Agricultural College of Hokkaido Imperial University.
1918	4	Shosuke SATO named president of Hokkaido Imperial University and dean of its Agricultural College.
1919	2	Agricultural College of Hokkaido Imperial University renamed the School of Agriculture in Hokkaido Imperial University.
	2	The School of Medicine established.
	4	Shosuke SATO named president of Hokkaido Imperial University.
1921	4	The Medical Clinic attached to the School of Medicine established (becomes operational in November 1921).
1922	5	College Library renamed Hokkaido University Library.
1924	9	The School of Engineering established.
1930	4	The School of Science established.
1930	12	Takajiro MINAMI named president.
1933	12	Kumao TAKAOKA named president.
1937	12	Yutaka KON named president.
1941	11	The Institute of Low Temperature Science established.
1943	2	The Institute of Catalysis Research established.
1943	2	The Institute of VHF Research established.
1945	7	The Administrative Office and the Student Affairs Office established.
1945	11	Seiya ITO named president.
1946	3	The Institute of VHF Research renamed the Institute of Applied Electronics Research.
1947	4	The School of Law and Letters established.

1947–2004Hokkaido University

1947	10	Hokkaido Imperial University renamed Hokkaido University.
1949	5	Under the National School Establishment Law, Hokkaido University reorganized into the new Hokkaido University with schools of law and letters, education, science, medicine, engineering, agriculture, and fisheries sciences (Hakodate).
		The Medical Clinic attached to the School of Medicine renamed the Hospital attached to the School of Medicine.
		Seiya ITO named president.
		Hokusei-maru built as a new training ship.
	6	The Department of Liberal Studies established (renamed the School of Liberal Studies in April 1951).
1950	3	Preparatory courses abolished.
	4	The Institute of Tuberculosis Research established.
	4	The School of Law and Letters divided into the School of Letters and the School of Law and Economics.
	10	Yoshichika SHIMA named president.
1952	4	The School of Veterinary Medicine established.
1953	4	New Graduate Schools of Letters, Education, Law, Economics and Business Administration, Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, and Fisheries Sciences established.
1953	8	The School of Law and Economics divided into the School of Law and the School of Economics and Business Administration.
1954	10	Harusada SUGINOME named president.
1955	4	The Graduate School of Medicine established.
1957	7	The School of Liberal Studies renamed the School of Liberal Arts.
1958	4	The Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences established.
1961	5	The Training Center for Engineering Teachers established (abolished in March 1969).
1965	4	The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy established.
1966	10	Jiro FURUICHI named president.
1967	2	Atae ABE named acting president upon the death of Jiro FURUICHI.
	5	Juro HORIUCHI named president.
	6	The School of Dental Medicine established.
	8	The Dental Hospital Attached to the School of Dental Medicine becomes operational.
1969	4	General Education branch established at the Hokkaido University Library.
1970	4	The Computer Center (joint-use facility) established.
1971	3	Ushio-maru built as a new training ship.
1971	5	Kichizo NIWA named president.
1972	5	The Health Management Center established.
1972	5	The Physical Education Center established.
1974	4	The Graduate School of Dental Medicine established.
1974	6	The Institute of Tuberculosis Research reorganized into the Institute of Immunological Research.
1975	5	Shigekazu IMAMURA named president.
1977	4	The Graduate School of Environmental Science (stand-alone graduate school) established.
1978	4	The Slavic Research Center established.
1978	4	The Central Institute of Isotope Science established.
1979	4	The Information Processing Education Center established.
1979	4	The Instrumental Analysis Center established.
1980	10	The College of Medical Technology established.
1981	4	The Institute of Language and Cultural Studies established.
	4	The Center for Experimental Plants and Animals established.
	5	Mikio ARIE named president.
1985	4	The Research Center for Molecular Genetics established.
1987	5	Yoshio BAN named president.
1989	5	The Institute of Catalysis Research evolves into the Catalysis Research Center (joint-use research facility).
1990	6	The Slavic Research Center designated as a joint-use research facility.
1991	4	The International Student Center established.
	4	The Research Center for Quantum Interface Electronics established.
	5	Tsutomu HIROSHIGE named president.
1992	4	The Institute of Applied Electronics Research reorganized into the Research Institute for Electronic Science.
1993	4	The Graduate School of Environmental Science evolves into the Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science (stand-alone graduate school).
1995	4	The School of Liberal Arts abolished.
		The Center for Research and Development in Higher Education established.
		The Institute of Low Temperature Science designated as a joint-use research facility.
		The Graduate School of Science and the Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine each evolves into a Graduate Research School, which places greater emphasis on graduate education and research.
		The Environmental Preservation Center established.
		General Education branch of the Hokkaido University Library renamed, North Branch.
	5	Norihito TANBO named president.
1996	5	The Center for Advanced Science and Technology established.
1996	8	The Venture Business Laboratory established.
1997	4	The Graduate School of Engineering evolves into a Graduate Research School.
1998	4	The Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences evolves into a Graduate Research School.
1999	4	The Graduate School of Agriculture evolves into a Graduate Research School.
		The Information Processing Education Center evolves into the Education and Research Center for Information and Media Studies.
		The Hokkaido University Museum established.
2000	4	Graduate Schools of Letters, Education, Law, Economics and Business Administration, Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Fisheries Sciences each evolves into a Graduate Research School.
		The Graduate School of International Media and Communication Studies (stand-alone graduate school) established.
		The Institute of Immunological Research reorganized into the Institute for Genetic Medicine (the Research Laboratory Attached to the School of Medicine abolished).
		The Center for Northern Eurasian and Northern Pacific Studies established.
2001	4	The Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere assumes the management of the following facilities: the Marine Biological Station and the Institute of Algological Research, formerly attached to the School of Science; botanical gardens, farms, forests, and ranches formerly attached to the School of Agriculture; Lake Toya Inland Water Station, Usujiri Fisheries Station, and Nanae Fresh Water Laboratory, formerly attached to the School of Fisheries Sciences.
		The expanded Center for Advanced Science and Technology assumes the management of the Chromosome Research Unit, which was formerly attached to the School of Science, the Center for Experimental Plants and Animals, and the Research Center for Molecular Genetics.
		The Research Center for Quantum Interface Electronics evolves into the Research Center for Integrated Quantum Electronics.
	5	Mutsuo NAKAMURA named president.
2002	2	The Creative Scientific Research Institution established.
2002	3	The new training ship Ushio-maru becomes operational (the old training ship Hokusei-maru decommissioned).
2003	4	The Computer Center and the Education and Research Center for Computing and Multimedia Studies evolves into the Information Initiative Center.
	9	The Research and Education Center for Brain Science established.
	10	The University Hospital attached to the School of Medicine and the Dental Hospital attached to the School of Dental Medicine integrated into the Hokkaido University Hospital.
	10	The Management Center of Intellectual Property established.

2004 to presentNational University Corporation Hokkaido University

2004	4	Hokkaido University becomes the National University Corporation Hokkaido University.
		The Graduate School of Information Science and Technology (stand-alone graduate school) established.
		The Center for Advanced Research of Energy evolves into the Center for Advanced Research of Energy Conversion Materials.
2005	3	The Center for Northern Eurasian and Northern Pacific Studies abolished.
	4	The Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, the Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, the Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, and the Graduate School of Environmental Science established. (The Department of Fisheries Sciences and the Department of Environmental Earth Science [stand-alone department] abolished in the graduate school.)
		The Graduate School of Public Policy (professional graduate school) and the Faculty of Public Policy established.
		The Center for Advanced Science and Technology and the Creative Scientific Research Institution integrated into the new Creative Scientific Research Institution.
		The Physical Education Center integrated into the Center for Research and Development in Higher Education.
		The Research Center for Zoonosis Control established.
		The Admission Center established.
	5	The Hokkaido University Archives established.
2006	4	The Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Research Faculty of Agriculture, the Faculty of Advanced Life Science, the Graduate School of Science, the Graduate School of Agriculture, and the Graduate School of Life Science established. (The Department of Science, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Department of Agriculture abolished in the graduate school.)
2006	4	The Center for Advanced Tourism Studies established.
2007	3	The Education and Research Support Office established as an administrative unit.
	3	The College of Medical Technology abolished.
	4	The Faculty of Education, the Research Faculty of Media and Communication, the Graduate School of Education, and the Graduate School of International Media, Communication and Tourism Studies established. (The Department of Education, the Department of International Media and Communication, and the Institute of Language and Cultural Studies abolished.)
		The Center for Language Learning established.
		The Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies established.
		The Center for Experimental Research in Social Sciences established.
	5	Hiroshi SAEKI named president.
	8	Sustainability Weeks event is held for the first time.
	10	The Management Center of Intellectual Property evolves into the Management Center for Intellectual Property and Innovation.
2008	4	The Faculty of Health Sciences and the Graduate School of Health Sciences (for master’s courses) established.
		The Research Institute for Information Law and Policy established.
		The Research Center for Environmental Nano and Bio Engineering established.
		The Research Center for Integrative Mathematics established.
		The Center for Sustainability Science established.
		The Admission Center, formerly a University education development center, evolves into an administrative unit.
2009	4	The Management Center for Intellectual Property and Innovation (an administrative unit) reorganized into the Center for Innovation and Business Promotion (an administrative unit).
		The Front Office for Resource Education and Development established as an administrative unit.
		The Center of Education and Research for Topological Science and Technology established.
		The Creative Scientific Research Institution and the Instrumental Analysis Center reorganized into the Creative Research Institution (an administrative unit).
	7	Hokkaido University is a joint host of the G8 University Summit and establishes the “Sapporo Sustainability Declaration.”
	8	The North Branch of the Hokkaido University Library renamed the North Library.
2010	4	The Faculty of Engineering and the Graduate School of Engineering established.
		The Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering established.
		The Graduate School of Health Sciences (for doctoral courses)established.
		The Center for Environmental and Health Sciences established.
		The Health Management Center evolves into the Health Care Center.
		The Center for Advanced Research of Energy Conversion Materials transferred to the Center for Advanced Research of Energy and Materials, attached to the Graduate School of Engineering.
		The Institute of Low Temperature Science, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Catalysis Research Center, Slavic Research Center, Information Initiative Center and Research Center for Zoonosis Control are authorized as Joint Usage Research Centers by MEXT.
	7	The Office of International Affairs established as an administrative unit, into which the International Student Center is transferred.
	10	The Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education established as an administrative unit, into which the Center for Research and Development in Higher Education is transferred.
	10	Professor Emeritus Akira SUZUKI wins the Nobel Prize.
	11	The Office for a Sustainable Campus established as an administrative unit.
2011	3	The Office of Safety and Health established as an administrative unit.
	4	The Center for Translational Research established.
		The Venture Business Laboratory renamed the Meme Media Laboratory.
		The Environmental Preservation Center transferred to the Office for a Sustainable Campus (an administrative unit).
		Oshoro-maru training ship is authorized as a joint usage educational facility by MEXT.
2012	7	Homecoming Day is held for the very first time.
2012	7	The Marine Research Station (Usujiri Fisheries Station, Nanae Fresh-Water Station and Oshoro Marine Station) of the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere and Center for Teaching and Learning, Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education are authorized as a Joint Usage / Research Center by MEXT.
2013	4	Keizo YAMAGUCHI named president.
2014	2	The Office for Enhancing Institutional Capacity established as an administrative unit.
	4	The Center for Food and Medical Innovation established as an administrative unit.
		The Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE) is established.
		The Slavic Research Center is re-named the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center.
		The Research Center for Environmental Nano and Bio Engineering is re-named the Center for Post-modern Socio-metabolic System.
	9	The Center for Translational Research abolished.
2015	3	The Meme Media Laboratory abolished.
		The Research Institute for Information Law and Policy abolished.
		The Center for Post-modern Socio-metabolic Systems abolished.
		The Research Center for Integrative Mathematics abolished.
		The Center of Education and Research for Topological Science and Technology abolished.
	4	The Arctic Research Center established.
		The Archaeological Research Center established.
		The Institute for the Promotion of Business-Regional Collaboration established as an administrative unit, into which the Center for Innovation and Business Promotion and the Center for Food and Medical Innovation are transferred.
	7	Office of Institutional Research (operational organization) established.
	7	The Marine Research Stations (Usujiri Fisheries Station, Nanae Freshwater Station and Oshoro Marine Station) of the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere and the Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education (Higher education training center) authorized as joint usage/education centers.
	10	The Catalysis Research Center is reorganized into the Institute for Catalysis.
2016	3	The Center for Sustainability Science (CENSUS) abolished.
	4	Oshoro-maru (training ship) authorized as a joint usage/education center again.
		The Institute of Low Temperature Science, the Research Institute for Electronic Science, the Institute for Genetic Medicine, the Institute for Catalysis, the Slavic– Eurasian Research Center, the Information Initiative Center, and the Research Center for Zoonosis Control authorized as joint usage/research centers continuously.
		The Arctic Research Center authorized as a joint usage/research center.
	10	The Office of International Affairs reorganized into the Institute for International Collaboration established as an administrative unit.
2017	4	Toyoharu NAWA named president.
		The Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, the Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, and the Graduate School of Global Food Resources established.
		The Faculty of Economics and Business, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Dental Medicine, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, the Graduate School of Economics and Business, the Graduate School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Dental Medicine, and the Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine established. The Department of Economics and Business Administration, the Department of Medicine, the Department of Dental Medicine, and the Department of Veterinary Medicine abolished in the graduate school.
		The Forest Research Station of the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, and the Marine Research Stations (Akkeshi Marine Station and Muroran Marine Station) of the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere authorized as joint usage/education centers again.
	7	The Education and Research Center for Mathematical and Data Science established.
2018	4	The Office for a Sustainable Campus reorganized into the Sustainable Campus Management Office as an administrative unit.
2018	8	The Student Advice and Counseling Center established.
2019	4	The Faculty of Humanities and Human Sciences, the Faculty of Information Science and Technology, the Graduate School of Humanities and Human Sciences, and the Graduate School of Information Science and Technology established. The Department of Letters, and the Department of Information Science and Technology abolished in the graduate school.
		The Center for Natural Hazards Research established.
		The School of Letters renamed the School of Humanities and Human Sciences.
2020	4	The Marine Research Stations (Usujiri Fisheries Station, Nanae Freshwater Station and Oshoro Marine Station) of the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere and the Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education (Higher education training center) authorized as joint usage/education centers again.
	6	Masanori KASAHARA named Interim President upon dismissal of Toyoharu NAWA.
	10	Kiyohiro HOUKIN named president.
2021	4	The Research Center for Zoonosis Control reorganized into the International Institute for Zoonosis Control.
	4	Oshoro-maru (training ship) authorized as a joint usage/education center again
	8	The Sustainable Campus Management Office reorganized into the Institute for the Advancement of Sustainability as an administrative unit.
	10	ICReDD’s Specially Appointed Professor, Benjamin LIST, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
2022	3	The Front Office for Resource Education and Development abolished.
	4	The Office of Ainu Relations and Initiatives established as an administrative unit. The Institute for the Advancement of Graduate Education established as an administrative unit.
		The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion established as an administrative unit. The Front Office for Human Resource Education and Development abolished; its functions transferred to the said office, the Creative Research Institution, and the Institute for the Advancement of Graduate Education.
		The Forest Research Station of the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, and the Marine Research Stations (Akkeshi Marine Station and Muroran Marine Station) of the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere authorized as joint usage/education centers again.
		The Institute of Low Temperature Science, the Research Institute for Electronic Science, the Institute for Genetic Medicine, the Institute for Catalysis, the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, the Information Initiative Center, and the International Institute for Zoonosis Control authorized as joint usage/research centers continuously.