Ritsumeikan was founded by Prince Kimmochi Saionji in 1869, and was upgraded to full university status in 1922. Historically, the school was seen as a liberal alternative to the state-run Kyoto University. Today, Ritsumeikan is one of Japan's most internationalized mainstream universities: it has exchange programs with hundreds of schools worldwide, and dual degree programs with the University of British Columbia and American University.
Its name literally means "place to establish one's destiny," and was adapted from a Mencius quotation.