The Imperial Universities were the top nine comprehensive national universities located in central cities within Japan and its colonies, symbolizing the nation's highest honor and characterized by strong imperialist and militarist tendencies, implementing higher education and engaging in scientific research.
At that time, students of the Imperial Universities were respectfully called Imperial University students, and the Japanese Government also had special regulations on many aspects such as their daily attire, imbuing the name with a strong sense of national pride influenced by militarism.
Until the Taisho era, the Emperor of Japan would attend the annual graduation ceremonies of the Imperial Universities, personally awarding outstanding graduates with silver watches.