Yukari Kono, Graduate School of the University of Geneva

A former University of Tokyo student shares his "systematization" of learning that doesn't rely on motivation.

Yukari Kono, Graduate School of the University of Geneva

■ Profile
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 2000. Graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo in 2025. Passed the National Medical Practitioners Examination.
He is currently enrolled in graduate school at the University of Geneva. He appeared on the TBS program "Todai-Oh" from 2021 to 2024. While appearing on "Todai-Oh" and studying for the national medical licensing exam, he also obtained the JSA Wine Expert certification. He is currently studying Global Health and Data Science in Switzerland while also being involved in international projects. His thorough self-management skills have become a topic of discussion.

Yukari Kono, who was active on the TV show "Todai-Oh," details the systematized methods and mindset she developed to pass the Todai (University of Tokyo) entrance exam in her book "Yukari Kono's 'Systematized' Study Method: A Self-Driven Learning Method That Doesn't Rely on Willpower," released on April 15th. We interviewed her about the background of the book's publication, her life after entering graduate school at the University of Geneva, and her message to university students.

■Please tell us why you aimed for the University of Tokyo Faculty of Medicine and what you focused on during your time at the University of Tokyo.

Before even choosing a university, I decided to pursue a career in medicine. The catalyst was a documentary film called "Memories of Tomorrow" that I saw in my third year of junior high school. This film sparked my interest in research on intractable diseases and medicine, and considering my grades at the time and the relatively generous research funding, I began to consider applying to the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Medicine. One of the things I focused on during my student days was the existence of the TV show "Todai-Oh" (University of Tokyo Quiz King). Originally, a friend of mine was on the show, and I admired the breadth and depth of knowledge of the cast members, which led me to apply to become a member. Throughout my university life, I felt the narrowness of my perspective and lack of general knowledge, so it was a great opportunity to learn about a wide range of genres. Initially, I was a quiz beginner, and I also had to balance it with my medical school studies, so I made study plans and executed tasks daily, just like I did during my entrance exam period. In addition, I was simultaneously working on obtaining a wine expert qualification, which was my hobby, while appearing on Todai-Oh.

■What were your reasons for choosing to pursue graduate studies at the University of Geneva?

Last fall, when I was planning to work as a resident physician in Japan immediately after graduation, my then-husband, whom I was considering marrying, told me that he had to move to Switzerland next year for work. I was quite conflicted, but I decided to move to Switzerland, thinking it would be a good opportunity to see a world I didn't know. I had the opportunity to talk with an experienced senior physician, and after consulting with him, I decided to study something I was interested in at graduate school. Initially, I chose the University of Geneva because I started my graduate school application process too late, and applications to other universities had already closed. Looking back now, I think it was the best choice. At university-related academic conferences, I frequently have the opportunity to talk with government officials, international organizations, and research institutions from all over the world, and I learn every day that there are many different ways to contribute to public health. I can now think about my future career from a much broader perspective than before. I am also attracted to Geneva because it is home to the WHO headquarters, allowing me to see the position of Japanese medicine in the world from a macro perspective. Currently, in addition to my graduate studies and research, I am taking online courses on AI and other technologies such as AI and data science, and I would like to utilize these in my public health research.

■Please tell us about the book you have recently published.

Since my time on the TV show "Todai-Oh," I've often received messages from viewers via social media expressing their concerns about study motivation and planning. Many people seemed to blame themselves for their inability to study or their lack of motivation, but the cause wasn't themselves, but rather the wrong systems and mindsets they had been using. Because I myself once struggled with similar problems, I decided to write a book to share the "systematization" approach that I've cultivated over the past 10 years. Looking back to my elementary school days when I started attending cram school, my moods fluctuated greatly, and my studying was heavily influenced by my motivation at the time. With such inconsistent performance, it's impossible to get closer to achieving your goals. However, since it's difficult to control one's own feelings, I realized I needed to create a "daily system" that would allow me to start studying with the same ease as brushing my teeth every day. This system involved creating multi-stage plans—long-term, medium-term, and short-term—and then breaking them down into daily tasks. I would then calmly complete the tasks in front of me and use the data from my daily performance to improve in the future. With this approach, even on days when I didn't feel motivated, I was able to continue studying with the conviction that my current efforts were aligned with my long-term goal of getting into the University of Tokyo.

To create such a system, it's important to have two perspectives within yourself: "the part of you that completes the task at hand" and "the managerial part of you that supports it." Through trial and error, you'll find a style and system that suits you, and these errors are not negative. Rather, they are opportunities to utilize errors, as they provide valuable data that will lead to a system that is better suited to you. This book also covers such methodologies in detail. It touches on how I, as a graduate student, currently plan and how I utilize technologies such as AI. I would like to recommend this book not only to students and exam takers, but also to working professionals aiming to obtain qualifications, who have goals they want to achieve but are not succeeding, or who are struggling to create a plan.

■Please tell us about your future prospects.

My desire to help people from a health perspective has remained consistent since my middle school days, but as my future options expanded dramatically in university and graduate school, I'm thinking about the best way for me to contribute to healthcare. I also have an internship at an international organization next year, and I plan to make more concrete decisions from now on.

■Please give us a message for students

In life, unexpected opportunities can suddenly come your way. In my case, moving to Switzerland and pursuing graduate studies were quite unexpected. If your mind is completely preoccupied with the tasks at hand to achieve your goals, it will be difficult to seize such opportunities. Try to create a "system" that allows you to live each day systematically, leaving room for reflection rather than being solely focused on the immediate task at hand, thus creating the flexibility to seize opportunities.

Student Newspaper Online, February 7, 2026 Interview with Yurie Watanabe, 2nd year student at Josai International University / Ayuri Nakatsu, 2st year student at Dokkyo University

Yukari Kono, a graduate of the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Medicine, presents her "systematized" study method: a self-directed learning method that doesn't rely on willpower.