Humanities & Social Sciences

Kumamoto University's Faculty of Letters was originally part of the former Fifth High School, established in 1887, where Lafcadio Hearn and Natsume Soseki taught.

Established in 1949 as part of the university's Law and Literature Department, the Faculty of Letters became a standalone department in 1979.

In 2026, the Faculty of Letters changed from its traditional four department structure into one Humanities Department with nine courses covering twenty-one diverse fields of study.

The faculty's approximately 50 full-time educators teach classes while conducting academic research in a variety of fields within the humanities and social sciences. The university also has affiliated centers (see below for more information) dedicated to contributing to international research and the local community.

Every year, approximately 160 students are admitted into the Faculty of Letters. This includes many foreign students representing a wide range of countries and regions that either matriculate for the standard four years of study or take part in shorter foreign exchange programs. The faculty also strives to educate Japanese students so they can contribute to international society, and encourages studying abroad at partner universities and other institutions.