Shobi University in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, has announced plans to establish a new Faculty of Art and Information, the Department of Art Expression (100 students enrolled), in April 2026, the 4th anniversary of the university's founding. The Department of Art Expression will remove the barriers between the three departments of Music Expression, Music Application, and Stage Expression, allowing students to learn more cross-disciplinaryly and at their own pace.
Shobi University originated as a private school opened in 1926 by musician Nao Akamatsu as the Shobi Music Academy in what is now Hongo, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo. The "Shobi" in the school's name comes from the phrase "to respect (respect) beauty (art)," and the school's educational policy is to "cultivate honest people, well-educated, and talented musicians." In 1981, Shobi Music College was opened, and in 2000 it was reorganized and restructured into Shobi University, and currently has a Faculty of Art and Information Studies, as well as a Faculty of Policy Studies and a Faculty of Sports Management.
The newly proposed Department of Art Expression will have three fields of study: "Performance," "Creation," and "Business," and will feature a "crossover learning" system that allows students to freely combine each field. Many course models are available for students who find it difficult to choose a curriculum, and a system is in place that caters to the wishes and aptitudes of each individual student, rather than simply studying a specific specialized field thoroughly as in the past.
An open campus will be held on Sunday, March 2025, 3. In addition to individual consultations and free talks with current students, four trial courses will be available: "Performance (musical performance)," "Performance (stage performance)," "Creation," and "Business." Advance applications can be made on the website.
Reference: [Shobi University]
Faculty of Arts and Information, Department of Art Expression
Open Campus
