When the Distant Mountains Were Visible from the Hiyoshi Ginkgo Avenue

2019/01/29

Image: Looking at the Ginkgo Avenue from the Commemorative Hall Square, mountains could be seen beyond the town of Hiyoshi. Photographed in March 1964 (Showa 39).

The sky is blue upon the hill, the birds sing and sing in the ginkgo trees

Ah, in our beautiful garden, let us pluck the flowers of knowledge

"Oka no Ue" is the first verse of the victory song for the Keio-Waseda games. Since it was composed in 1928 (Showa 3) before the establishment of Hiyoshi, it does not specifically celebrate Hiyoshi. However, Keio University has many ginkgo trees standing tall on hills, such as the Mita mountain and Hiyoshi-dai, and for Keio students and Keio University alumni, they remain symbol trees today along with unforgettable memories.

The "mountains seen from the Hiyoshi Ginkgo Avenue" at the graduation ceremony in March 1964 shown in the photo appear to be looking toward Hiyoshi Station on the Toyoko Line. While I have many memories of the Ginkgo Avenue, unfortunately, I have no memory of seeing the mountains. Checking a map, they seem to be the mountains in the Okutama area. Now, only the station building is visible, and the Ginkgo Avenue stands out, presenting a wonderful landscape.

Tracing the history of the "Hiyoshi Ginkgo Avenue," ginkgo trees about 3.6 meters tall were planted along the slope in 1935 (Showa 10). By the time the requisition by the US military was lifted in 1949 (Showa 24), they had grown remarkably beside the Quonset hut classrooms, showing a magnificent appearance as a ginkgo avenue. The Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall, built in 1958 (Showa 33) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the university's founding, continued to be used as a venue for many events and as a practice facility for the Athletic Association. Along with climbing the Mamushidani stairs, the training on the sloped Ginkgo Avenue leading to the Commemorative Hall evokes special emotions for Athletic Association members on campus as a place of painful but good memories, where they grew up under the 365-day watch of the ginkgo trees.

On the opposite side of the campus across the station, there are practice grounds and dormitories for various Athletic Association clubs, including the baseball field, soccer field, tennis courts, rugby field, and field hockey ground. When heading to classes or exams, crossing the road from the station and entering the "Ginkgo Avenue" brought a sense of relief mixed with tension. Even now, when I occasionally visit Hiyoshi, I am captivated by "something" that the "Ginkgo Avenue" exudes as a "good memory of student days."

"Physical education is a part of education." The reconstruction of the Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall, the Mamushidani Gymnasium, the track and field stadium, and the upgraded practice facilities will provide facilities for the British TEAM for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The wide-ranging collaboration with various clubs that has already begun will build a new page in the history of the "Hiyoshi Ginkgo Avenue." The divine "Ginkgo Avenue" will surely continue to watch over the further development of the Hiyoshi Campus.