Image of the Owl Center from the front.

As the Japan Campus of Temple University (TUJ) aims to further enhance campus life and student success, it will open its fourth and largest satellite facility near its Tokyo campus in the Sangenjaya district of Setagaya City. This new 630-square-meter (6,781-square-feet), three-story facility will hold a dry science laboratory, 40-student classroom, fitness center, studio classroom, collaboration area, and nearly 20 faculty offices. The facility is expected to open during the fall 2024 semester.

TUJ continues to elevate international education in Japan. Recently, it has achieved remarkable accomplishments, including record enrollment growth, the introduction of new academic programs (e.g., Temple’s world-class Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management degree, an esports certificate, and others), the expansion of the computer science program, unprecedented faculty and administrative staff hiring, collaborative efforts with a series of Japanese prefectural and municipal governments, and the announced opening of a satellite location in Kyoto in January 2025. Since TUJ’s relocation to Setagaya in 2019, the university has been experiencing one of its most dynamic periods of expansion. The university anticipates further growth in the coming years as its recognition continues to increase more widely both in Japan and globally.

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of our newest and largest satellite facility,” said TUJ Dean Matthew Wilson. “This state-of-the-art center, strategically located in the vibrant Sangenjaya district, will provide our students with unparalleled resources and opportunities that will not only support academic excellence but also promote a healthy and collaborative environment. As we continue to expand, this facility represents a significant milestone in our mission to deliver top-tier international education in Japan.”

Another image of the Owl Center from a different angle.

Named after Temple University’s mascot, the “Owl Center” will be a hub for international liberal arts and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. It will also facilitate student well-being activities, including yoga and fitness classes, club activities and everyday workouts for TUJ students. This new facility will be the fourth satellite location in the Sangenjaya Sakae-dori area, following the latest opening of the Sancha Office in May 2024. The Sancha Office houses nearly two dozen faculty offices, staff offices, multiple telecubes and several meeting spaces. The Sancha Office paved the way for TUJ to open more space in its main building for study areas and classrooms.

Over its more than four decades of history, TUJ has excelled in building bridges between cultures and advancing the globalization of higher education. TUJ is the largest and longest-running branch campus of a foreign university in Japan and currently hosts students from 70 different countries. The Japan campus is the flagship Asian operation of Temple University in Pennsylvania, a leading public university with more than 360,000 living alumni worldwide. At TUJ, undergraduate enrollment has reached a record high of over 2,200 students in the spring 2024 semester. In addition to the undergraduate programs, the university has the Graduate College of Education, the Master in Management program and the Law program, as well as non-degree programs such as Continuing Education, Corporate Education and the Academic English Program to serve a wide range of needs of the local community. TUJ was recognized by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and officially designated as a Foreign University Branch in 2005.


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