Official web site of Takeuchi Lab, Univ. Tokyo

We welcome students and postdocs!

In Takeuchi Lab, we aim to explore statistical physics of out-of-equilibrium phenomena experimentally. Using soft and living matter, such as liquid crystal, colloids, and granular materials, as well as bacteria, we carry out experiments that we design to capture underlying physical principles, in addition to the understanding of specific phenomena we observe. By studing diverse subjects that often enjoy interesting connections in between, we aim to establish an experimental branch of statistical physics.

We welcome students and postdocs who wish to join us in this journey! If you are interested, contact Takeuchi (email) for an opportunity of a lab visit and/or online introduction to the lab.

Below you find some information on the admission, scholarships and fellowships, housing and life in Japan, and some general policies of the lab. Note that all information on scholarships, fellowships, admissions, etc., is unofficial, and can be out of date. If you consider any of them, don't forget to refer to the official website and/or documents and make a plan according to the official sources.

Currently, we are seeking a postdoctoral project researcher, who is highly motivated to carry out projects on active matter phases of dense bacterial populations. See here for more details on the project and application.

To join as a student

Admission to the graduate school

  • To join Takeuchi Lab as a student, you need admission to either the master or doctoral course at Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo. Takeuchi Lab is in "A6 subcourse (experimental general physics)". To enter the doctoral course, you need to have a master degree or an equivalent (see the official documents for the precise requirements). There are several calls for applications for the admission (see the official information: very useful list & general information).
  • In all cases, you are strongly advised to contact Takeuchi well beforehand so that Takeuchi can understand your interests and that we can discuss possible projects. Emails without sufficient descriptions of your interests will not be considered. If possible, lab visit is also strongly recommended.
  • For the master course, you may consider
  • For the doctoral course, first of all Takeuchi strongly recommends all candidate doctoral students to apply for DC1 fellowship from JSPS (see below for details). If successful, this will give you stipends (monthly 200,000 JPY) and also a research grant of typically 500,000 to 1,000,000 JPY each year. The deadline is usually set to be early May.
      Independently of the application for DC1, you need to apply for admission to the doctoral course of our Department. For that, you may consider:
  • For most applications for admission for international students, applicants are required to submit a GRE score and a TOEFL score. Be careful that only the scores of the tests taken within two years from the application date are considered. Check the official documents to make sure.
  • In Japan, by convention, graduate students need to pay tuition fees, in addition to an admission fee. The admission fee is about 300,000 JPY (including the examination fee) and the annual tuition fee is about 500,000 JPY; however you may apply for exemptions if eligibility conditions are met (see here for the precise fees and the requirements for the exemption applications). This means that you need to think about financial resources (scholarship, fellowship, etc.) to afford the tuition fees, in addition to living expenses (see below for typical living expenses, housing costs, etc.). See below for a list of major scholarships and fellowships.

General policies

  • Enjoy research!
  • In Takeuchi Lab, each student, whether master or doctoral, carries out his/her own project. You can shape it with your ideas, do trials and errors to take steps toward hitherto unexplored truths. That's research!
  • Of course, it doesn't mean that you work alone. Takeuchi works together and supports your research, as a mentor & collaborator. Takeuchi spares time to discuss with each member every week, to share the newest research progress and discuss how to proceed. We also expect members to interact with each other and collaborate, and fully use the lab infrastructure and opportunities.
  • The doctoral course is a step toward being an autonomous researcher. We expect doctoral students to develop the ability to shape your research plan, propose a new project, and carry it out. Of course, you can fully use the infrastructure of the lab, as well as enjoy discussions and collaborations with Takeuchi and other members.
  • Takeuchi Lab is an experimental group, so practically all members carry out experimental or experiment-related projects. This does not prevent, though, students from doing theoretical work, if there is a good motivation to do so in our Lab. In experimental studies too, we often try to obtain theoretical insights as well, sometimes combining numerical simulations and/or theoretical considerations.

Scholarships/fellowships for students

To join as a postdoc

General policies

  • Enjoy research!
  • You are strongly advised to contact Takeuchi well beforehand so that Takeuchi can understand your interests and that we can discuss possible projects. Emails without sufficient descriptions of your interests will not be considered. If possible, lab visit is also strongly recommended.
  • As autonomous researchers, postdocs are expected to join the lab with a clear motivation, and be able to propose a project and carry it out. Of course, you can fully use the infrastructure of the lab, as well as enjoy discussions and collaborations, and Takeuchi wishes this happens.
  • Besides those who have worked in closely related areas, we also welcome postdocs with background and expertise different from ours. Theoretical proposals are also welcomed. We appreciate synergetic effects brought by such interactions. Since Takeuchi Lab is an experimental group, theoretical proposals are expected to have a good motivation to carry out in Takeuchi Lab.

Calls for postdocs

  • JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship (standard): up to 2 years. Monthly stipend 362,000 JPY. Fellows will also have a research grant of up to 1,200,000 JPY (experiment) or 800,000 JPY (theory) annually. The deadline is usually late July (for starting from April to September) and late March (for starting from September to November), but don't forget to ask Takeuchi the exact date. Note that the deadline on the JSPS website is that for the university to submit to JSPS, so it is NOT the deadline for you. There are also calls for other programs, such as short-term program up to 1 year.

Life in Japan

Information given below is unofficial, and can be out of date. If you consider any of them, it is your responsibility to refer to the official website and/or documents and make a plan according to the official sources.

Housing

  • We are located at Hongo Campus in Bunkyo City, Tokyo. Closest stations are Hongo-sanchome (Marunouchi line, Oedo line), Nezu (Chiyoda line), and Todaimae (Namboku line).
  • University dormitories. The closest are Oiwake International Lodge (for researchers, monthly rent 82,200 JPY including energy costs and internet) and Oiwake International Hall of Residence (for students, monthly rent 36,300 JPY without energy costs and internet), which are within a walking distance to Hongo campus. Note that calls for applications for Oiwake International Hall of Residence will be suspended in the autumn 2021. Mejirodai International Village is the second closest (20 min by subway), but relatively expensive (monthly rent from about 80,000 to 150,000 JPY including energy costs and internet). Komaba lodge is not close but reasonable (monthly rent 42,200 JPY (lodge B,C,D) including energy costs and internet). The rents cited above are as of April 2020.
  • Tokyo International Exchange Center. The monthly rent is from 35,000 to 52,000 JPY for students and from 62,000 to 78,000 JPY for researchers. There are also rooms for couples and families. The rents cited above are as of February 2020. Applications should be made through the university (ask Takeuchi for details).
  • Private apartments. The rent near Hongo campus is relatively high. Komagome is two-station away from the campus and the rent is reasonable there (Kita City side and Toshima City side). Note that most apartments in Japan are unfurnished.

Living expenses

  • According to a survey conducted by the University of Tokyo in 2017, the average monthly living cost is 123,900 JPY for master-course students and 160,000 JPY for doctoral-course students (the latter seems to be about 104,000 JPY if students in the medical and pharmaceutical schools are excluded). This includes the rent (on average 53,200 JPY for a single person and 103,800 JPY for family), but does not include the tuition fees.
  • JASSO conducts surveys of international students. Results can be found here.

Miscellaneous

  • JSPS provides a very detailed guidebook on life in Japan for non-Japanese researchers (here). JASSO also makes such a guidebook (here), available in many languages, though it is simplified in some languages.
  • There are several useful websites on life in Japan, intended for non-Japanese students and researchers: by the University of Tokyo, by JASSO.

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