The Narrow but Well-Set Campus
Full of Academic Pursuits
Waseda University is one of Japan's top private, coeducational institutions of higher learning, along with Keio University. Chonnam National University also has an academic exchange agreement with Waseda. As a result, Chonnam’s College of Law and Waseda are undertaking substantial academic exchanges every two years.
There are over 30,000 students at Waseda and its main campus is located at Shinjuku, in the center of Tokyo. But the campus is not just one place. The main campus includes the College of Politics and Economics, the College of Law, the College of Social Sciences, the College of Commerce and the Graduate School. Five minutes walking distance away is the College of Literature and another 10 minutes brings one to the College of Natural Sciences and the College of Engineering. If you visit Waseda without this information, you will be disappointed by the narrow campus with many buildings. As a matter of fact, the narrow campuses are so crowded that in the new semester one is easily bumped into. This is very common at universities in Tokyo where real estate is very expensive. However, the College of Human Sciences, which is one hour away by subway, has a very large campus with a football ground.
Waseda, a university without a College of Fine Arts or Medical School, established a College of Human Sciences, including a Human Information Science Department, Health and Welfare Science Department, and Human Environmental Science Department, in 2003 to educate and raise human resources with knowledge of science. Also, Waseda established the College of International Studies and the Asia-Pacific Research Department on the main campus to raise 21st Century leaders.
Waseda University aims to uphold the independence of learning, to promote the practical utilization of knowledge, and to create good citizenship. This was announced in 1913 on the 30th anniversary of Waseda. ‘The independence of learning’ is related to the spirit in opposition, or the spirit of contrary people. That means Waseda made it the ideal to raise modern citizenship with independent spirit and to improve scientific education and research to the exclusion of political powers and trends. To promote the practical utilization of knowledge, Waseda endeavors to foster ways and means of utilizing knowledge side by side with the carrying on of academic research and learning, thereby contributing to the progress of civilization. To create good citizenship, the University shall stress the building of character which enables one to respect individuality, to enlighten oneself and one’s family, to promote the welfare of state and society, and to extend one’s influence and activity to the world at large. Waseda, the cradle of brains of various fields such as literature, politics and the legal profession, will have its 125th anniversary in 2007. Waseda made "Realization of a Global University" the project for the 125th anniversary.
In spite of the recent new style buildings, we cannot deny that the most central building is the Okuma Auditorium. The statute of Shigenobu Okuma is standing in the center of the main campus. The building in front of the statute is the Okuma Auditorium. Okuma Auditorium has a 125-foot-high clock tower, dedicated to the memory of the university's founder, Shigenobu Okuma, and was completed in 1927. The height of the tower was selected because the founder boasted that he would live to the age 125. Located across the street from the Main Gate of the Nishi-Waseda campus, this historic building includes main and secondary auditoriums with a total seating capacity of 1,400. The auditorium is frequently used for special lectures, ceremonies, concerts, and conferences.
Another famous place is the Theatre Museum. The Theatre Museum is devoted entirely to the study of the history of drama, and offers excellent facilities for fostering the theatrical cultures of the world. Professor Shoyo Tsubuchi who was associated with Waseda University for more than forty years, had long cherished the hope of building on its campus a museum dedicated to the theatre arts. This dream became reality when his friends and admirers planned the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum in recognition of his many achievements. The institution was formally opened in 1928, the year he completed a translation of the complete works of Shakespeare. The museum was modeled after the Forhne Theatre of Elizabethan England, and approximates the original in both exterior design and interior construction. A large collection of literature, prints, and other objects related to drama and theatre arts were gathered from all parts of the world for the purpose of the comparative study of the theatres of the world. These materials are made accessible to the public through various exhibitions held from time to time.
The Central Library is one of the most extensive libraries in Japan. It has a large collection of high quality research materials, modern information equipment, specialized staff, and more than 1 million users per year. It is also playing a pivotal role in the University Library network in terms of the centralization of catalog data, resource sharing, and the common use of university collections. The Central Library houses 1.8 million books, 13,000 academic journals and 2 national treasures. 187 important cultural properties and other valuable materials including rare books are stored, and it also holds audio-visual materials, such as LPs, CDs, LDs, and microforms.
There are four campus libraries, and each school also has its own departmental library and reading room for its students and faculty members. Yet, the Libraries do not stay open late. The Campus closes its doors at 10 p.m. The Central Library opens from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and 9 to 5 on Sunday. Also, there are many cases of the libraries closing during vacations or holidays. So, many students from abroad complain for the reason that other places are very inconvenient to study in because of the expensive, but poor, housing circumstances near the university.
These days, however, we can find some changes, such as a 24-hour computer room and a 24-hour library for the Law School students. This is related not only to the "Realization of a Global University,” but also to the fact that even the historical academia could not survive global competition when they do not reply to the consumers, the students. So Waseda is reordering the facilities, constructing new colleges, such as International Studies, without compromising its peaceful historical name.
The New Year semester begins in April in Japan. During the week of matriculation, the campus is so crowded with freshmen and other students. Various students' clubs are recruiting new members on the campus by setting-up tables and chairs. The Cheerleaders' performance is one of the biggest spectacles during that time. The rugby team of Waseda is very famous for winning the Championships of university matches many times. Also, the Cheerleaders are famous and popular.
