Institute of Sport

Senshu University Institute of Sport approved by the University in 1971 with the Senshu University Health and Sports Sciences Institute, established in 1969, as its forerunner. The institute is composed of studies in the three domains of Health Science, Sports Science, and Sports Culture, making aggressive approaches to physical exercise. Research is mostly aimed towards practical studies, covering the performance of world-class athletes competing at the Olympics and international competitions, not to mention student sports. Furthermore, sociological studies on lifelong sports and recreational sports, as well as exploration of international sports culture are being advanced. The results of the wide variety of practical studies not only provide rich sophisticated knowledge to the University’s students, but are also utilized for the development of physical exercise and sports in Japan and abroad.

In Japan, physical exercise has been considered an educational domain with great emphasis since the beginning of the educational system. These days, physical exercise is not limited to school activities, but its use has been extended to the local community, workplace, and home. The domain has expanded to include the participation of everyone from infants to the elderly. It is needless to say that physical exercise has now become the most significant tool for achieving good health over a lifetime for the mind, body, and society.

Issues such as the significant drop in physical strength of the younger generation, the decline in social ethics and morals as seen in the increase in crime rates, and the rise in the number of suicides and mental illness can be pointed out as social problems in recent years. At the top of the list of remedies for such issues is physical exercise and sports. From this perspective, it may be said that Japan is going back to its origin in terms of education. In fact, the importance of physical exercise in school is being voiced loudly and while more and more universities are reintroducing P.E. classes for ordinary students, martial arts is to become compulsory in junior high schools. And the government has begun considering revising the Sports Promotion Act established in 1961. I sincerely hope that our activities at the Institute can contribute to such movements.