Hakuoh University was founded by life-long educator Dr. Kazuyoshi Kamioka in 1986 and currently has about 5,000 Japanese and foreign students studying in its various divisions. The name Hakuoh, meaning "white seagull, and the motto plus ultra, or more beyond, is intended to inspire students to soar to their fullest potential. From its inception, Hakuoh has attempted to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical education by focusing on the acquisition of knowledge and skills that are most applicable to today's rapidly evolving society. Students are trained to think creatively, globally, and to make the widest possible use of evolving technologies.

The roots of the Hakuoh University Educational Foundation go back to the establishment of the Ashikaga Textile Women's School in 1915, its incorporation as a high school in 1927, and then its registration as a foundation in 1951. In 1961 the junior high school was added and in 1974 the women's junior college opened. Subsequent to the university's founding and the establishment of the Faculty of Business Management in 1986, the Faculty of Law was added in 1991, and the graduate school was then added in 1999 for advanced studies in both the Faculty of Business Management and the Faculty of Law. Furthermore, in 2004, Hakuoh University added the graduate Law School and the undergraduate Faculty of Education.

Hakuoh has two campuses: the Main Campus and the Daigyoji Campus. The Main campus, which opened in 2005, is located to the east of Oyama station, and consists of an eleven story building. Included within is the department of Business Administration, as well as the Faculty of Law. Other facilities include two libraries, a mock courtroom, two indoor sports arenas, and a concert hall.

Hakouh University’s “Daiyoji Campus” (named after the neighborhood it is located in) is a sprawling outdoor campus located next to Tochigi Prefecture’s “Omoigawa River”. Hakuoh University’s Education Department, as well a three-tiered library with over 130,000 Japanese and 45,000 western language volumes, 350 modern hi-tech classrooms in three five-story buildings, the state-of-the-art Memorial Hall gymnasium, a sports field, tennis courts, cafeterias, and dormitories on beautifully landscaped grounds are located at the Daijyoji Campus.