Location
NAIST is located in Ikoma City, in Japan's historic Nara Prefecture. Home of the first official capital of Japan, Nara Prefecture has an incredibly rich history as a center for international trade and relations. In addition to its prolific ancient heritage, Nara Prefecture is also conveniently located in close proximity to Kyoto and Osaka, and just 90 minutes from Kansai International Airport.
Kansai Science City
NAIST is located in the area called "Kansai Science City" (also known as "Keihanna") a national science project constructed in the Kansai Hills area, extending into three prefectures: Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara. The aim of Kansai Science City is to establish a new base for creative, international, interdisciplinary and inter-industrial academic research through the close cooperation of industrial, governmental, and academic organizations. More than 110 prestigious companies and institutions, including Kyocera, Panasonic, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), and the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for Earth (RITE) now operate in Kansai Science City and have made great contributions to science and technology.
