Bunka Fukusou Gakuin
Japanese: 文化服装学院
field: apparel
region: Tokyo
url: Bunka Fukusou Gakuin official site
Japan’s most respected fashion design college
Bunka Fukusou Gakuin (Bunka Fashion College) is without doubt the most respected fashion design school in Japan. Name a well-known Japanese designer and the chance is pretty big that this school’s name is on the resume. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, it is known for a strict curriculum and a relentless workload.
The college was founded as Namiki Dressmaking School in 1919 by Isaburo Namiki at a time when western-style clothes for women were ultra modern and expensive. In 1923, it became the first authorized vocational college of fashion. It contributed to popularizing western style garments in Japan through education and publication of books on dressmaking and fashion.
The school’s name was changed to Bunka Fashion College in 1936 when it also started publishing the now prestigious fashion magazine So-en, actually Japan’s first fashion magazine.
After WWII, Bunka shifted from tailoring to educating its students as commercial-oriented fashion professionals. Starting in the 1960s, many Bunka graduates entered the Paris Collections. Among the first to make their mark internationally were Kenzo Takada and Yohji Yamamoto. They paved the way for such promising new talents as Atsuro Tayama and Keita Maruyama.
In 2000,the Bunka Body Structure and Function Lab in collaboration with the Digital Human Body Lab, a national institute of advanced industrial science and technology, created a new female body-form that reflects precisely the body shape and proportions of today’s Japanese women. The body-form was hailed by fashion industries and schools. The Lab is presently developing a new male body-form.
Bunka established Japan’s first graduate school of fashion business and design in 2003.
It has over 70 branches all over Japan and has exchange programs with Central Saint Martins in London and Parsons in New York.
It is now part of Educational Foundation Bunka Gakuen
departments
General Fashion Department
Fashion Technology Department
Fashion Communication & Distribution Department
Fashion Craft Department
selected alumni
Cabaret Aki
Tamae Hirokawa
Toshikazu Iwaya
Chie Koike
Hiroko Koshino
Tokio Kumagai
Kenzo Kuroda
Keita Maruyama
Tetsuya Miwa (from the band Spitz)
Yuko Murata
Nigo
Naomi Nishida (actress)
Hiroaki Ohya
Yusuke Takeyama
Limi Yamamoto
Yohji Yamamoto
address:
3-22-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 151-8522
phone: (81) 03-3299-2057
Taiwan office
address:
Full Building 4 floor
No.57, Sec.1, Chongcing S. Rd.
Taipei City 100, TAIWAN (R.O.C)
phone: (88) 06-2-2375-1951
Korea office
address:
Rm1715, Champselysees Center Bldg
Adong 889-5, Daechi Dong Kangnam-ku
Seoul, KOREA
phone: (82) 02-561-6708
related links:
Review in Japanese at Open-Clothes
want to know what language teaching in the class?
viyada givanon - Sunday Aug 26, 2007 at 05:51 AM (JST)
Contact the school directly for questions about their program or scholarships!
Kjeld Duits - Sunday Jul 20, 2008 at 10:23 PM (JST)
i want to ask about shool for fashion designer
laila binas - Wednesday Aug 20, 2008 at 03:21 PM (JST)
hie..i want to know, so if we need to know japnese language to apply for the course??
zoul - Friday Aug 22, 2008 at 01:26 AM (JST)
Just like you need English to study at schools and universities in the US, UK, Australia, etc., you need Japanese to study at schools in Japan. Japanese schools teach using the Japanese language.
Kjeld Duits - Friday Aug 22, 2008 at 09:56 AM (JST)
Would we have to pass in any professional test before we can become a fashion or jewelry designer in Japan? I may need more detailed informations about the courses of fashion and jewelry design in Japan, like qualifications and method of application, fee of the courses, the time of beginning and time needed to complete the courses. Would all the courses be full time only? Could you please post the response on this web page? Thank you.
nana - Wednesday Sep 10, 2008 at 01:41 AM (JST)
mmm in several international schools across Europe they teach in English as because are international and have many students from all over the world…
Giul - Saturday Sep 13, 2008 at 09:35 PM (JST)
Nana: For more detailed information, please contact the school directly.
Giul: Japan is a country with 127 million inhabitants, which means that schools can find more than enough students in Japan to survive. As birthrates are falling, this may change and some schools may have to resort to teaching in other languages like some schools in Europe were forced to do in other to be able to compete.
Kjeld Duits - Sunday Sep 14, 2008 at 12:00 AM (JST)
Hi!
I want to ask how if I totally dont know Japanese and plan to take Japanese language course if it is needed while at the same time I also want to take fashion courses directly. Will I be accepted at Bunka?
Thanks
Irene - Thursday Oct 30, 2008 at 01:27 AM (JST)
I believe that Bunka has their own Japanese language school. Contact the school directly for information.
Kjeld Duits - Thursday Oct 30, 2008 at 08:18 AM (JST)
O que preciso para obter uma bolsa de estudo?
Shirley Mochizuki - Saturday Nov 22, 2008 at 10:04 AM (JST)
HI.
I’m a nikkei jin and right now I’m processing my japanese citizenship but I was born and raised in Philippines. we only have 10years of education then we proceed to college. In short I graduated Highschool in the philippines, I have my diploma with me, a proof that I can go to college/university already.
will this school accept me with my case?
I love arts and fashion also I’m progressing my japanese, attending free cramschools here in japan. but I only want to know if this school will accept me despite of my 10years of education.
thanks!xoxo.
YUKI - Monday Jan 5, 2009 at 08:41 PM (JST)
Dear Yuki,
I advice you to contact the school directly as only they can make this decision.
I wish you much success!
Kjeld Duits - Wednesday Jan 14, 2009 at 05:07 PM (JST)
Shirley,
to get a scholarship, please contact the school directly at:
3-22-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 151-8522 JAPAN
Much success!
Kjeld Duits - Wednesday Jan 14, 2009 at 05:11 PM (JST)
hii,
How are you and your family,my message is to ask if I can be admit in your school to study fashion.
Thank you and hoping to hear from you soon
akyaw kwabena owusu - Wednesday Feb 11, 2009 at 06:08 PM (JST)
Akyaw,
We are not affiliated with Bunka Fukusou Gakuin, so please contact the school directly at:
3-22-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 151-8522 JAPAN
Kjeld Duits - Wednesday Feb 11, 2009 at 09:37 PM (JST)
Hi,
I would like to know if it possible to purchase the Bunka female body-forms?
Amy - Tuesday Mar 17, 2009 at 11:18 PM (JST)
Hi I’m from Canada and i was surfing the Bunka’s web but I didn’t find an
E-mail or fax to contact with them for more information only the telephone
But it’s difficult for me to call because I don’t know Japanese
Do you know an e-mail o a fax to contact with them?
And a question Bunka is a university or an institute or a vocational school?
Could you explain me that please?
I will very grateful for your answer
shimk - Wednesday Mar 25, 2009 at 02:27 AM (JST)
@Shimk:
From the Bunka site:
In 1976, Bunka Fashion College was classified as a post-secondary polytechnic college, or Senmon-Gakkou,in accordance with Japan’s new educational law.
In 2003, Bunka’s longstanding plans to establish Japan’s first graduate school of fashion business and design was finalized.
Phone:
The above mentioned phone number (+81332992057) is the phone number of the international section, so English should be OK. However, you must have a command of Japanese to be accepted at the school.
Kjeld - Wednesday Mar 25, 2009 at 08:02 AM (JST)
@Amy: Contact Bunka directly through the above phone numbers.
Kjeld - Wednesday Mar 25, 2009 at 08:03 AM (JST)
what about mext scholarship for fashion department?
why is it they are not giving e-mail address, but phone number? it would be more easier to communicate by mail, for some basic information.
d - Wednesday May 27, 2009 at 08:13 AM (JST)
This College leads students from Scholarship Mombukagakushou EXchange Training?
Sophía Polanco - Friday Jun 26, 2009 at 12:14 PM (JST)
Well if they dont give the e-mail you can send a letter like what I did . And I have some question Do you know how much time will take a Bac in Art Appliqué. And it is necessary to do it? Thank you for helpin
Sakuno - Tuesday Jun 30, 2009 at 02:24 AM (JST)
If there are any Bunka students who have unique garments I am interested in doing a photo shoot for my fashion book. Please contact me. Thanks
Alicia Fox - Wednesday Jul 8, 2009 at 07:07 PM (JST)
Hey reading from some of your replys. Do you mean that you have to be part japanese to attend the school? or you must have to know some japanese to attend the school? Please let me know.
Nee Nee - Wednesday Sep 2, 2009 at 02:38 AM (JST)
@Nee Nee: Bunka has students from all over the world, so you don’t need to be Japanese. But you must be able to read, write, speak and understand Japanese.
Kjeld Duits - Wednesday Sep 2, 2009 at 08:40 AM (JST)
when is the school/course start?
and how can we get information about the housing for international students?
thank you
Glinka Siregar - Friday Sep 4, 2009 at 08:48 PM (JST)
HHmm…Hi!! i just have this confusion about the Bunka fashion College…is it the same as Bunka Yoshi day…..i am just having a hard time reading the kanjis and this home page in english isnt really helping at all….soo i will apreciate if you could explain it to me please^^
Thank in advance
Danny - Monday Sep 14, 2009 at 02:51 PM (JST)
@Glinka: There is some info about housing on their site (in English). Look for Dormitory.
@Danny: I don’t know Bunka Yoshi. I think it is best if you direct your questions directly to the International Admissions Office of Bunka at +81-3-3299-2057.
Wish you much success!
Kjeld Duits - Tuesday Sep 15, 2009 at 12:38 PM (JST)
Thanks for information
Do you email address but Bunka FASHION COLLEGE
or where to contact instructors
do through
melis arslan - Monday Nov 2, 2009 at 09:22 PM (JST)
I visited this school during their open house when I was in Tokyo this summer. VERY impressed. Their sophomore student work was better than what I see in stores. _
kagitsune - Tuesday Nov 17, 2009 at 12:41 AM (JST)
• Anime Collectibles
• English Manga Books
• Japanese Women's Fashion
• Japanese Men's Fashion
• Visual Kei Type Fashion
• Kera Magazine
• Japanese Fashion Magazines
• Books on Japan
Visit our eBay store!