With growing international interest in Japanese culture engendered by the rapid globalization since the year 2000, the university has set “Securing of the university as an institute of higher education that produces “Jissen Women” who contribute to the world and local communities” as one of its visions for the future.
In addition to accumulated research on The Tale of Genji, an undertaking that has spanned 120 years since the foundation of the university, The Private University Research Branding Project aims to combine research from a fresh new perspective in other fields to establish the university's position as a center for interdisciplinary international research on The Tale of Genji.
In addition to the promotion of research integrating the arts and sciencess, fiscal 2019 saw the realization of an exhibition and talk on the theme of "The Tale of Genji and Japanese Culture - The World of The Tale of Genji Restored to Modern Times -” at the Japan Cultural Institute in Paris, an event aimed at disseminating to the world the traditions of research on The Tale of Genji conducted by the university. In fiscal 2020, in addition to the further promotion of research integrating the arts and sciencess, research aimed at restoring the court attire of the Heian Period will begin in earnest.
At the present time, the coronavirus pandemic is putting major restrictions on activities and exchanges both within Japan and overseas. Amid a daily-changing social landscape, we have realized that the dissemination of Japanese culture with its roots in The Tale of Genji is another issue to be confronted during the project. Nowadays, when social structures and circumstances are undergoing a paradigm shift, the university will redouble its efforts to promote the project with the aim of realizing its vision of nurturing human resources equipped with a profound grounding in and ability to disseminate Japanese culture.