Waseda University

History

Waseda was founded as Tōkyō Professional School (東京專門學校, Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō) on 21 October 1882 by samurai scholar and Meiji-era politician and former prime minister Ōkuma Shigenobu. Before the name 'Waseda' was selected, it was known variously as Waseda Gakkō (早稲田学校) or Totsuka Gakkō (戸塚学校) after the location of the founder's villa in Waseda village and the school's location in Totsuka village, respectively. It was renamed Waseda University (早稲田大学, Waseda-daigaku) on 2 September 1902, upon acquiring university status. It started as a college with three departments under the old Japanese system of higher education.

In 1882, the university had the department of political science and economics, law, and physical science. Along with these departments, an English language course was established, where the students of all the departments could learn English. Three years later, the department of physical science was closed because it had too few applicants. The department of literature was established in 1890, the department of education in 1903, the department of commerce in 1904, and the department of science and engineering in 1908.

Although Waseda formally adopted the term university in its title in 1902 it was not until 1920 that, along with other private schools and colleges, it received formal government recognition as a university under the terms of the University Establishment Ordinance. Thus Waseda became, with Keio University, the first private university in Japan.

Much of the campus was destroyed in the fire bombings of Tokyo during World War II, but the university was rebuilt and reopened by 1949. It has grown to become a comprehensive university with two senior high schools and school of art and architecture.

On 12 June 1950, sixty police raided Waseda University and seized copies of a Communist-inspired open letter to General MacArthur. The open letter to MacArthur was once read at a Communist-sponsored rally a week earlier. The letter demanded a peace treaty for Japan that would include Russia and Communist China, withdrawal of occupation forces, and the release of eight Japanese sent to prison for assaulting five U.S. soldiers at a Communist rally. A police official said most Waseda meetings would be banned in the future because "political elements" might try to utilize them. Yuichi Eshima, Vice-chairman of the Students Autonomy Society, said the police action "stupefied" students and professors, and that "This is worse than the prewar peace preservation measures."

In 1993, President of the United States Bill Clinton visited Waseda University and mentioned that the university is a center of academic excellence and a training ground for Japan's distinguished leaders.

Academic cap

Ōkuma had long desired to create an academic cap so distinctive that someone wearing the cap would immediately be identified as a Waseda student. The chief tailor of Takashimaya, Yashichiro, was called upon to design a cap in three days.

Each square cap was stamped on the inside with the student's name, his department, the school seal and the legend, "This certifies that the owner is a student of Waseda". Thus, the cap served as a form of identification, and effectively a status symbol. The cap, with its gold-braided badge, is registered as a trademark.

Facilities

Ōkuma Auditorium

The Ōkuma Auditorium is three-story main auditorium that seats 1,435, while the secondary auditorium, located underground, can accommodate 382 people. A seven-story high clock tower stands to the left of the auditorium. Important events and lectures hosted by Waseda University are often held in the Ōkuma Auditorium. Club-sponsored plays, lectures and events are held in the auditorium on days when it is not in use by the university. Many of Waseda University's undergraduate and graduate schools hold their entrance and graduation ceremonies at the Okuma Auditorium.

The auditorium opened on 20 October 1927, about five years behind schedule, after the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. A Memorial Hall, constructed in 1957, was used as the fencing venue for the 1964 Summer Olympics.

In April 1999, the auditorium along with the old library building were officially designated the first and second historical buildings under the newly passed Tokyo Metropolitan Landscape Regulations, which aim to preserve buildings representative of Tokyo's history and culture. The auditorium was designated as one of the Important Cultural Properties of Japan by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2007.

Ōkuma Garden

Ōkuma Garden is located near Ōkuma Auditorium. It is a half-Japanese, half-Western garden of Edo period feudal lord Matsudaira Sanuki's former mansion, redesigned by Shigenobu Ōkuma. After his death, the garden was donated to Waseda University. Now it is a recreation place for students. A Korean temple bell stands in Ōkuma Garden, near the entrance and slightly to the right of the main path, where it is housed in a traditional belfry. The bell is a replica of the Bell of King Seongdeok, associated with the 36th ruler of Silla, a kingdom that existed on the Korean Peninsula from 57 BCE to 935 CE, and one of the best-known surviving bells from the Silla period. The original bell has been described as a cultural treasure of Korea. The replica was produced and donated by members of Waseda University’s Korean alumni community in 1982 to commemorate the university’s centenary, and Waseda University received the bell in 1983 as a gift from its Korean Alumni Association. The donors included Chairman Cho, Lee Kun-hee, the second chairman of Samsung Group, and Shin Kyuk-ho, founder and chairman of Lotte Group. Following its donation, the bell was displayed inside the Ōkuma Auditorium for many years. In 2004, the Korean Alumni Association donated a belfry for the bell, after which the university relocated the bell to Ōkuma Garden. The bell and belfry subsequently became part of the garden’s collection of monuments reflecting Waseda University’s historical ties with Korea. Several Korean stone statues, including dojiseki and dol hareubang, are located near the entrance of the Ōkuma Garden House. Dol hareubang are traditional stone statues originating from Jeju Island, Korea. The statues developed as a distinctive element of Jeju culture and have historically served protective and symbolic functions. Dojiseki are another form of Korean stone figure, originating in the early 19th century and similarly associated with protective functions. In 2007, as part of events commemorating the 125th anniversary of Waseda University, Chun Shin-il, then president of the university’s Korean Alumni Association, donated four pairs of Korean stone statues to Waseda, including examples of dojiseki and dol hareubang. The statues were subsequently installed in Ōkuma Garden as symbols of the longstanding relationship between Waseda University and its Korean alumni community.