Showa Women’s University as we know it today is a women’s private university. It was opened in 1920 and was named ‘Japan Women’s Institute’. The ‘Institute’ as it was known at that time, was founded by Mr. Hitomi Enkichi, whose educational ideas were influenced by the infamous Lev Tolstoy. The Institute was in the Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo. In 1922, the school changed its name from ‘Japan Women’s Institute’ to ‘Japan Women’s College’. They had moved location from Bunkyo Ward in Tokyo to its present location in Taishido, Setagaya Ward, in Tokyo. In 1949, the College had changed its name one final time from ‘Japan Women’s College’ to ‘Showa Women’s University’ as they are known today. Showa Women’s University has been offering excellent educational opportunities from Kindergarten to Graduate School.