Seiki Sogeikai

2017/12/12

The Seiki Sogeikai is known as a gathering where people affiliated with Keio University come together on Mita Hilltop Square on the last day of a century to celebrate the arrival of the new century.

The first event was held from 8:00 p.m. on December 31, 1900, with about 500 students, faculty, and staff gathering for performances that reflected on 19th-century civilization and expressed determination for the new century. It is famous that Yukichi Fukuzawa wrote the calligraphy for "Dokuritsu Jison Gei Shinseiki" (Welcoming the New Century with independence and self-respect).

The second event, 100 years later, began at 3:00 p.m. on December 31, 2000. Under the theme "Guidance for the 21st Century," it started with the creation of "Keio Time," where all clocks on Mita Hilltop Square were set six hours ahead of the actual time to welcome the new century ahead of the rest of the world. President Yasuhiko Torii described it as "a place for the Keio Gijuku Shachu to gather, reflect on the 20th century we have walked through, and discuss our hopes for the new century."

Entering the year 2000, the Seiki Sogeikai became a topic of conversation. Following the wishes of President Torii, Vice-President Takeshi Yukawa, a group led by Megumi Amano (a third-year student in the Faculty of Policy Management) who would become the student head of the executive committee, and two staff members met in July of that year. Amano, who had won the President's Award the previous year for planning and managing an art exhibition at the SFC Autumn Festival, became the core of the creative and planning efforts. They were joined by Ryuichi Suzuki (a fourth-year student in the Faculty of Law), the chairman of the Mita Festival Executive Committee, and others, which dramatically enhanced the executive ability for planning and management. Six young staff members from related departments also joined to provide support.

On New Year's Eve, the executive committee had anticipated about 3,000 people, but this was far surpassed as about 10,000 people flooded Mita Hilltop Square. The prepared pamphlets and commemorative wristwatches, set six hours ahead, were gone in an instant.

On the courtyard stage, Keio students made a "Declaration for the 21st Century," while in the East Building's G-SEC Lab, an interactive event called "Time Browser—Jikan—" was held, making full use of the latest equipment. In the "Famous Lectures of the 20th Century" series, a Professor Emeritus took to the lectern once again, and current faculty members delivered messages for the new century. Students from the Yochisha Elementary School to the high schools also participated with various exhibits conveying their messages for the 21st century. At midnight Keio Time, a "count-up" was held to symbolize proactively crossing into the new century, welcoming it earlier than anywhere else in the world.

Amano stated, "When I was a child, the 21st century was a symbol of a future filled with dreams and hope. As the 21st century actually approached, people stopped talking about their dreams. However, the new century is something that we who are here will create. When we look back on the 21st century, I hope that many history-making individuals will have emerged from the participants of this event, and I pray for the further development of the Juku."

It will be some time before the people who will organize the third Seiki Sogeikai are born. How will we appear in their eyes?

(Tomohiro Ozaki, Manager, Office of Facilities and Property Management)