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Hub Overview
Osaka anchors the Kansai region's nanotechnology, led by Osaka University and its Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, known as SANKEN. SANKEN opened Japan's first university nanoscience and nanotechnology center in 2002 and built dedicated nanofabrication and beam science facilities around it, spanning materials, quantum, and bionanoscience. The university also brings major strength in laser and photonics research. Together with the region's deep base in electronics, chemicals, and precision instruments, this makes Osaka one of Japan's leading materials and nanotechnology centers outside Tokyo.
The hub extends across Osaka University's campuses and the surrounding industrial research districts, with links to the wider Kansai corridor through Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara. SANKEN's shared facilities support work from thin-film synthesis and microfabrication through to advanced microscopy, beam science, and device evaluation, and increasingly open their doors to companies for joint development. Osaka's strengths run through materials, nanodevices, energy materials, biointerfaces, and the photonics tradition the region is known for. Japanese institutions often list research groups as individual faculty profiles rather than standalone group pages, with much detail on Japanese-language pages, so the labs listed here understate the region's true research volume.
Research Map
Locations of nanotechnology research labs and companies across the Osaka area. Click any marker for the institution’s profile and to find hotels nearby.
Research lab
Company
Key Institutions
Osaka University
6 nano groups
Osaka Institute of Technology
2 nano groups
Osaka Metropolitan University
2 nano groups
Kansai University
1 nano group
Research Labs & Groups
The following nanotechnology research groups and labs are based in the Osaka area.
University
Osaka
The Intelligent Molecules Laboratory of Akinori Kuzuya develops DNA nanotechnology, DNA origami, and molecular robotics to build functional molecular nanostructures and devices.
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University
Osaka
The Advanced Particulate Materials Laboratory of Syuji Fujii designs polymer-based particles and particle-stabilized dispersions, including organic nanoparticles, Pickering emulsions, liquid marbles, and conductive polymer particles.
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University
Osaka
Research center developing nanocarbon materials, nanoparticles, nanoscale thin films, and microdevices for industrial application.
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University
Osaka
Research in Prof. Xu's group is directed toward the integration of 'Nano', 'Bio', and 'Chem' at femtoliter, attoliter, and single molecule scales through nanofluidics. They continue to involve the study and development of novel nanofluidic methods and devices for single cell omics, single molecule chemistry, biomaterials, nanomedicine, energy, and process engineering.
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University
Osaka
The laboratory of Masahide Takahashi develops nanostructured inorganic materials through sol-gel and nano-patterning techniques, including silica nanostructures and metal-organic framework hybrids.
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University
Osaka
Ultra high spatial-resolution and sensitivity for sensing biomolecules and DNA can be achieved by the use of nanotechnology such as scanning probe techniques and non-linear photonics using ultra short pulsed lasers. The Group is evolving these techniques to create new biological applications, particularly, real-time measurement of the chemical reactions occurring in living cells and tissue.
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University
Osaka
The Institute for NanoScience Design prepares various kinds of education and training programs such as trans-disciplinary graduate-school minor program, evening course refresher program, short-term international research training program, etc. It offers a series of lectures, some of them in the form of distance education broadcasted live to satellite classrooms located many places in Japan, and tentatively even overseas in English.
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University
Osaka
LaSIE is doing some of the world's frontier research in photonics, nanotechnology (nanophotonics, nanofabrication), and bio-related areas.
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University
Osaka
The Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Center proactively promotes industrial applications of nanotechnology while carrying out bottom-up and top-down technologies.
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University
Osaka
The research group of Prof. Hirahara at the Center for Atomic and Molecular Technologies.
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University
Osaka
The Protonic NanoMachine Group aims at the ultimate understanding of the mechanisms of self-assembly and its regulation, conformational switching, force generation, and energy transduction by biological macromolecular complexes.
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Nanotech Companies
Commercial nanotechnology companies based in the Osaka area.
Products
Minoh
Develops research instruments with nanotechnology and photonics such as a laser-scanning Raman microscope.
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Materials
Osaka
Produces detonation-synthesized nanodiamonds under the DINNOVARE brand, including single-digit-nanometer fluorescent nanodiamonds used in lubricants, thermal stabilizers, and biosensing.
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Products
Osaka
Hosokawa provides process solutions for powder and particle processing including the application, development and commercialization of ultra fine composite particles for nanotechnology.
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Materials
Osaka
Produces titanium dioxide under the TIPAQUE brand, including ultrafine nano titanium dioxide, ultrafine zinc oxide, and electro-conductive nanomaterials.
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Materials
Osaka
In 2017 the company announced a successful mass production test of Graphene Oxide based materials. It subsequently has provided graphene oxide based materials as samples for application development.
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Materials
Osaka
Manufactures ultrafine inorganic nanoparticles, including FINEX-series nano zinc oxide around 20 nm, ultrafine titanium dioxide, and barium titanate for cosmetics, electronics, and ceramics.
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Materials
Osaka
Manufactures MT-series micro titanium dioxide with particle sizes of 10 to 50 nm for ultraviolet shielding, along with conductive polymers and piezoelectric materials.
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Products
Osaka
Unisoku creates optical instruments and surface analysis systems such as scanning probe microscope systems.
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Hotels & Accommodation in Osaka
Planning a lab visit, conference, or interview? Find hotels, apartments, and hostels near the area’s research institutions and nanotech companies.
Related Events
Check the Nanowerk event calendar for upcoming nanotechnology conferences and workshops in this area.