Tokyo Union Theological Seminary

Tokyo Union Theological Seminary (TUTS) has deep roots and a rich tradition. Its story reaches back to the earliest beginnings of the Protestant church movement in Japan. Protestant theological education began in Japan among the earliest converts. In 1872, the first theological class was held in Yokohama by Samuel R. Brown, a missionary of the Reformed Church in America (RCA). The following year, Henry Stout, also of the RCA, opened a theological training center in Nagasaki. Soon afterward, American Presbyterian missionaries Thompson, Carrothers, and Hepburn and missionaries of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland, started their work in similar ways in Yokohama and Tokyo.
TUTS continues to cherish its relationships with the churches of the Reformed and Methodist traditions. At the same time, it continues to be inspired by the spirit and theological convictions of Masahisa Uemura. It is significantly influenced by his emphasis on the formation of healthy, responsible churches.
Academically, TUTS is widely respected as a leading theological institution in Japan. At the same time, it is evangelical and dedicated to preparing men and women for the challenging task of Christian ministry in Japan and around the world.
TUTS is an accredited university and graduate school of theology. A few students enroll directly after graduating from high school and begin a four-year college course leading to a Bachelor of Divinity degree. Most continue for an additional two years to gain the equivalent of a Master of Divinity degree. Most new students, however, have already completed a four-year college degree program. These students study for two years to achieve an undergraduate degree in theology and study for additional two years to obtain the equivalent of a Master of Divinity degree. Also, TUTS offers a program leading to a doctoral degree in Biblical Studies or Systematic Theology.
The seminary campus is located in Mitaka, about 20 kilometers west of downtown Tokyo. The 1.6-hectare campus is adjacent to International Christian University and Japan Lutheran College & Seminary, with which meaningful cooperative relationships are maintained. In the shape of a cross, the main seminary building contains a chapel, classrooms, faculty offices, meeting rooms, and administrative offices. The library building provides additional classrooms, faculty offices, missiological institutes, a pastoral care center, and a large meeting room. The dormitory and faculty housing are on campus. The seminary has one of the largest theological libraries in Asia: approximately 100,000 volumes, mostly Japanese, German, and English.
TUTS stresses both spiritual and intellectual disciplines and emphasizes both academic and practical training. The faculty and students lead the daily chapel services, and nearly all participate in regularly scheduled retreats. They also serve actively in local churches.
The TUTS curriculum develops a foundation for theological study by emphasizing the liberal arts and reading knowledge of English and German. Upon this base is built a framework of biblical studies, including Greek and Hebrew, of church history, systematic theology, and practical theology. At the master's degree level, academic work culminates in writing a thesis in either the biblical field or the systematic field.
Practical training is also emphasized. Theory and practice of pastoral work, preaching, worship, counseling, Christian education, and church administration prepare students for entering the church ministry. A supervised field education program provides direction and oversight for both regular participation and service in local churches throughout the seminary career and summer field education.