About 3T

Tottori University originates from the Tottori College of Agriculture founded in 1920 and the college is currently Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University. In 1943 the Tottori Normal School was established as a national institution of teacher education by the unification of education schools in Tottori Prefecture. The school of teacher education for vocational schools also became a national institution in 1944. Later the Faculty of Medicine was founded as Yonago Medical College in 1945 and soon became a national university under the former university system of Japan in 1948. After the renovation of the Japanese university system above-mentioned national institutions restarted as Tottori University in 1949. Faculty of Engineering, which is the first engineering institution in the San-in region, was founded in 1965 and the new campus (Koyama campus) was opened at the same time. We should not forget that tremendous efforts have been made for relocation and construction of this beautiful campus on the waterfront of Koyama lake.

In 1975 this laboratory started as a division of Department of Environmental Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Tottori University. Since then the laboratory has focused on development of science and technology of synthetic organic chemistry. This group is also one of the founding members of the Center for Research on Green Sustainable Chemistry (GSC center), Faculty of Engineering, Tottori University established in 2012. Since 2008 the center had been organized by Prof. Miki Niwa as a virtual research laboratory in the division of chemistry. The GSC center has grown as a leading research unit with active scientific members of this campus. Emeritus Professor Toshiyuki Itoh, the former director of the GSC center, significantly contributed to scientific excellence of the center. 

The quiet and historical city faces the Sea of Japan and is famous for the Tottori sand dune. The name of the district "Tottori" can be found in the old Japanese dictionary (Wamyo Ruijusho) published in the 10th century. The city was at the front line of several conflicts during the age of civil wars. The most notorious one is "The Starving of Tottori Castle" commanded by Hideyoshi who was going to be the unifier of Japan in 1581. During the Edo period the city was the capital of the Tottori Domain, which was a great domain at that time, ruled by the Ikeda clan. A certain period of time Tottori was a part of Shimane Prefecture during the Meiji era; however, people of Tottori won independence shortly. The city was again heavily destroyed during and after WWII because of earthquake and great fire in 1943 and 1952, respectively.

Now the city is the capital of Tottori Prefecture with the smallest population (ca 530,500 in December 2025) among 47 Prefectures of Japan. There is a domestic air route only to Tokyo Haneda (HND, five flights per day) and bullet train (Shinkansen) connections to major cities have not been available yet. But toll-free highways, which are unusual in Japan, connect the city and towns of this area. The city hall is brand new. People are kind. Foods are fine. The campus of Tottori University (Koyama campus) is located in the suburbs of Tottori city with beautiful natural surroundings.

A panoramic view of the Sea of Japan from the castle ruins