Tōdaiji Gakuen (東大寺学園 ''Tōdaiji Gakuen'') is a private school, combined middle and

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

in the city of

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...

, Japan. It was founded in 1926 as an offshoot of the famous

Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergo ...

temple, and began as an evening middle school (夜間中学) for working students. Daytime education began in 1963, when the current name was adopted, and evening education was dropped in 1977. Today, most of the students go on to the national universities, especially Kyoto University and

University of Tokyo , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project b ...

, or medical courses.

Noted alumni

* Tetsuji Nakamura, member of the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

Kazuyoshi Shirahama is a Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet Diet may refer to: Food * Diet (nutrition), the sum of the food consumed by an organism or group * Dieting, the deliberate selection of food to ...

House of Councillors The is the upper house of the National Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or ...

member *

Shinichi Kitaoka is a Japanese political scientist. He has held many roles such as the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), president of the International University of Japan, professor at Japan's GRIPS-Tokyo School of Security and I ...

, United Nations representative * Yasunami Ryosuke, associate justice of the

Supreme Court of Japan The , located in Hayabusachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, is the highest court in Japan. It has ultimate judicial authority to interpret the Japanese constitution and decide questions of national law. It has the power of judicial review, which allows it t ...

Takahiro Kimura is a Japanese animator, illustrator and character designer. Works *'' City Hunter 3'' ( Key animation) *'' Idol Tenshi Yokoso Yōko'' (Key animation) *'' Dirty Pair Flash'' (Character design, animation director) *''Mobile Fighter G Gundam'' ...

, animator and character designer * Ichirō Sakaki, light novel writer *

Banmei Takahashi (or Tomoaki Takahashi) is a Japanese film director. Takahashi started his career in the pink film industry, making his directorial debut in 1972 with ''Escaped Rapist Criminal''. Due to a disagreement with his producer, Takahashi quit the film ...

, film director *

Atsushi Yamanishi is a Japanese actor represented by Ricomotion. Filmography TV series NHK Nippon TV Tokyo Broadcasting System Fuji Television TV Asahi TV Tokyo Mainichi Broadcasting System Films Internet series Video games References Exter ...

, actor *

, political scientist * Kan Kimura, Professor, Kobe University

External links

Todaiji Gakuen
{{Coord, 34, 42, 48, N, 135, 47, 20.3, E, source:jawiki_region:JP, display=title Buddhist schools in Japan Educational institutions established in 1926 High schools in Nara Prefecture Junior high schools in Japan Private schools in Japan Schools in Nara Prefecture Boys' schools in Japan 1926 establishments in Japan