OpenFieldTokyo Polytechnic University (Tokyo Kogei), based at its creative campus in Nakano and engineering campus in Atsugi, is Japan's founding institution for photographic arts, manga, animation, game design, and optical imaging engineering.
Founded in 1923 as the Konishi Professional School of Photography (by the founder of Konica), Tokyo Polytechnic University is a pioneering fusion of technological engineering and media arts. Operating the Faculty of Media Arts at its flagship urban campus in Nakano—Tokyo's celebrated pop-culture hub—and the Faculty of Engineering in Atsugi, Tokyo Kogei has educated generations of Japan's top anime directors, manga artists, game designers, and optical engineers.
Admission to the Faculty of Media Arts (Photography, Manga, Animation, Game Design, Interactive Media) requires high school completion, submission of a creative portfolio (drawings, manga chapters, short animations, or digital media), practical drawing assessment, and JLPT N2 Japanese proficiency. Master's degrees require an accredited bachelor's degree, comprehensive thesis or artistic project proposal, and interview.
Four-year flagship photography program tracing back to 1923, covering darkroom silver gelatin printing, commercial studio lighting, large-format cameras, digital image curation, and contemporary fine art photography.
Immersive studio degree located in Nakano, training manga authors in panel composition (nemu), digital inking, narrative character arcs, editor pitch presentations, and commercial serialization.
Four-year curriculum in hand-drawn 2D sakuga animation, 3D CGI modeling, motion capture, storyboarding, character rigging, and sound design for feature films and broadcast anime.
Interdisciplinary game design degree covering game engine programming (Unity/Unreal), level design, game economy design, VR/AR interactive installations, and UI/UX playtesting.
Curriculum at the Atsugi campus examining optical lens design, laser interferometry, CMOS image sensor fabrication, holography, and display nanotechnology.
Two-year research master's degree investigating computer-generated visual effects, immersive virtual reality environments, photographic archiving, and digital media theory.
Institutional merit award honoring founder Rokuemon Sugiura, supporting outstanding international students pursuing degrees in photography, media arts, and optical engineering.
Professor of Photography and Optical Imaging · Department of Photography
Prof. Dr. Kozuki investigates high-fidelity digital color reproduction, spectral colorimetry in museum art documentation, and the material culture of historic photographic processes.
View research profile ↗Professor of Manga and Narrative Sequential Art · Department of Manga
Prof. Izuoka is a veteran manga editor and scholar analyzing panel sequencing rhythm, psychological impact of line weight, and the global evolution of digital scrolling webtoons.
View research profile ↗Visiting Professor of Animation and Film Directing · Department of Animation
Prof. Yamamura is an Academy Award-nominated animation director (Mt. Head / Atama-yama) and recipient of top prizes at Annecy, Ottawa, and Zagreb International Animation Festivals.
View research profile ↗Professor of Optical Engineering and Display Science · Department of Engineering
Prof. Dr. Yamasaki develops compact diffractive waveguides for wearable augmented reality glasses, laser speckle reduction devices, and high-efficiency optical projection systems.
View research profile ↗University profile compiled from official Tokyo Polytechnic University Nakano Campus academic bulletins and institutional directories reviewed on 2026-10-15. OpenField is an independent research guide.