• Universities

Founded as the Nara Medical School in 1945, the Nara Medical University is considered one of the top medical schools in Japan.On celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2015, the university has committed to building a new campus and renewing existing facilities. Educational and research facilities will be moved to the new campus and clinical and outpatient facilities will be rehoused on the current campus.Located in Kashihara, Nara, there are three faculties at Nara Medical University: the faculty of liberal arts and sciences, the faculty of medicine and the faculty of nursing.The university hospital is classified as a specified-function hospital, with an Advanced Emergency and Critical Care Centre, a Centre of Perinatal Medicine, a Centre for Infectious Disease and a Psychiatric Institute. As well as providing physicians and nurses for clinical training and research, the hospital also treats and helps members of the local communities. It is one of the core hospitals in the Nara prefecture.The Graduate School of Medicine focuses on research in medical theory and medical practice and to deepen the studies of medical science. It also aims to satisfy the needs of social communities in the 21st century.On-campus facilities include a gymnasium, auditorium and guesthouse.Kashihara, in the Nara prefecture, has a population of about 120,000 and is home to the Kashihara Shrine, of mythical emperor Jinmu, the first emperor of Japan. It dates back to 1889 and makes the region a popular destination for those looking to experience an ancient, spiritual atmosphere.