All the same, students appreciate Kyodai's insistence on a broader curriculum in early years.

CNN: ASIANOW | The Asiaweek Best Universities 1999 | The Rankings | #2 Kyoto University

But he is a prime example of what attracts students to Kyodai - its combination of intellectual heft and liberal tradition.

CNN: ASIANOW | The Asiaweek Best Universities 1999 | The Rankings | #2 Kyoto University

Not bad for a 23-year-old with a heavy course load (Kyodai's law faculty is one of the most rigorous in Japan).

CNN: ASIANOW | The Asiaweek Best Universities 1999 | The Rankings | #2 Kyoto University

There's no complacency - even if Kyodai boasts four Nobel laureates.

CNN: ASIANOW | The Asiaweek Best Universities 1999 | The Rankings | #2 Kyoto University