The Return of the Weathervane to the Library's Octagonal Tower

2021/11/26

The roof of the archives, which collapsed during the air raids, was restored shortly after the war, but the complete restoration was not finished until May 1949. The weathervane on the octagonal tower had become a mere lightning rod, and its reproduction was strongly desired. In 1982, after the opening of the New Library, major renovations were carried out on the Old University Library. The roof of the octagonal tower was changed from galvanized iron back to the original slate roofing, and a weathervane was created based on old photographs, with installation work taking place on October 20.

The octagonal tower and lightning rod in the 1960s

The Old University Library in 2019, after completing major renovations including seismic retrofitting

Heading to the city center for the first time in a while after the state of emergency was lifted. My destination was the Keio History Museum. I had created the illustrations for the exhibition pamphlet based on archival materials, but I had not yet seen it in its officially opened state. The museum, which opened inside the Old University Library, fits the building perfectly, and I was moved by the difference in impact between the materials I had seen and the real thing.

The exterior of the Old University Library was also beautifully finished. The panels that had covered it for a long time for seismic isolation work and repairs had all been removed. However, I had the impression that there was something more to it. When I walked to the front of the Jukukan-kyoku (Keio Corporate Administration) and looked back, I understood why. Everything from the octagonal tower, the symbol of the Old University Library, to the wing with the clock was visible in a single view. The giant Himalayan cedar that used to stand between the octagonal tower and the entrance stairs was gone.

I have lost count of how many times I have drawn this octagonal tower. It is a symbol of Mita. Since I often drew pictures related to the Juku, I clearly remembered that a Himalayan cedar always towered in front of the octagonal tower. Now that it is gone, the full scale of the library has revealed itself.

When I asked those involved, I was told it was cut down in 2016 for the renovation work. Apparently, it wasn't there when the library was first built, but was planted around the time of the reconstruction after the Great Kanto Earthquake. In the 1945 air raids, the roof and other parts burned down; while it was restored immediately after the war, it was incomplete until 1982, when it was repaired to its pre-war appearance. I was told that it was at that time that the weathervane, which had been on the octagonal tower before burning down in the war, was restored.

This means that when I was a student (Class of 1966), there was no weathervane yet, only a plain lightning rod. I never looked closely at the top of the octagonal tower and hadn't noticed until now. Now that the Himalayan cedar is gone and the whole structure can be seen right to the top, the weathervane restored in 1982 is clearly visible. Although it was restored based on pre-war photographs, it is said to be about 4 meters in total length. It survived the Great East Japan Earthquake and felt like a symbol of the rebirth of the newly renovated library. As an aside, the first floor of this octagonal tower, which is an Important Cultural Property, is now a cafe (named "Hakkakuto") that anyone can use.

(Manga Artist: Kunihiko Hisa)

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.