Welcome to the School of Letters
Dean of the School of Letters
Hirotsugu Yamajo
What is the public role of a Faculty of Letters?
Simply put, it is to help us understand the cultural achievements of humanity—literature, art, philosophy, and historical materials—and to pass them on to future generations. To do this, we carefully study each work, read it accurately, think about its meaning, and explain our ideas clearly. This is the central mission of the humanities.
Why is this kind of study important today?
Because the ideas that seem “common sense” at present are not always right. When society faces difficult problems, there is rarely only one correct answer. We must choose wisely among different possibilities. To do so, we need to learn from the wisdom of the past, reflect on past mistakes, and question today’s assumptions with a critical mind.
Great works of literature and art have another special power. They speak to people across time. They can bring joy and inspiration, but they can also give voice to those who feel sadness, pain, or loneliness, helping to ease their emotional suffering. As these works continue to be read, performed, and appreciated, they are interpreted in new ways, and their meaning keeps growing. This is why the works of Homer, Plato, Murasaki Shikibu, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, and Bach still move us today.
The Faculty of Letters at Osaka University offers twenty specialized programs in philosophy, history, literature, linguistics, and the arts. Students study the intellectual and cultural traditions of many different times and places. Our methods are diverse. In addition to reading original texts in foreign and classical languages, some fields use fieldwork or digital tools such as digital humanities. In recent years, students and researchers have also worked together with society, taking part in projects related to medical care, theatre management, and community development based on archaeological research.
There are countless topics you can choose to study. What you explore is up to you. Focusing deeply on a subject you have chosen for yourself and pursuing it to the very end brings a unique and lasting intellectual joy. Over four years, students receive close guidance from dedicated faculty members, study in a rich and well-structured curriculum, and develop their academic skills step by step. Their learning comes together in the form of a carefully written graduation thesis.
In 2022, Osaka University established the Graduate School of Humanities by merging the former Graduate School of Letters with the Graduate School of Language and Culture. It now includes five programs: Humanities, Language and Culture, Foreign Studies, Japanese Studies, and the Arts. With about 270 full-time faculty members, it is one of the largest humanities research communities in Japan. Students benefit from interdisciplinary programs, study-abroad opportunities, and financial support for academic conferences. We hope that many undergraduate students will also consider continuing their studies at the graduate level.
Kaitokudō, one of the historical origins of the University of Osaka, was founded in the Edo period and produced many outstanding scholars. It was a place where freedom and intellectual independence were deeply valued, and where samurai and commoners studied together without distinction. Our Faculty of Letters carries on the spirit of Kaitokudō today. In an open and lively academic atmosphere, it continues to play a leading role in supporting the humanities in Japan. We sincerely look forward to welcoming you and to having you join us in this shared intellectual journey.
April,2026