Keio University
日本語
日本語

The Changing School Buildings During the Founding Period of the Academy

1997/09/01

Published in "Juku" No. 207, 1997

Keio University established its campus in Mita in 1871 (Meiji 4).
However, the school had already relocated several times before moving to Mita. This period, divided into four phases—"Early Teppozu," "Early Shinzenza," "Late Teppozu," and "Late Shinzenza"—was truly the founding era of the academy. With each relocation, it grew and developed as a pioneer of modern private schools.
Here, we will explore the history of the academy's origins as seen through the transitions of its school buildings.

Early Teppozu (1858–)

The birthplace of the academy was the Nakatsu Domain's Okudaira clan residence in Teppozu, Tsukiji, Edo (around present-day Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, near St. Luke's International Hospital), where it began as a school for Dutch studies (Rangaku). Coincidentally, 87 years before the school's opening, the founders of Dutch studies in Japan, Sugita Genpaku and Maeno Ryotaku, had deciphered "Kaitai Shinsho (Tafel Anatomia)" in this same location.

Early Shinzenza (1861–)

The school relocated to Shiba Shinzenza. It is said that through the assistance of Kimura Settsu-no-kami, with whom Fukuzawa had been on friendly terms since his first trip to the United States, he was able to rent a small house in Shiba Shinzenza (present-day Hamamatsu-cho, Minato-ku, Tokyo). Theories about the reason for the move include that living in a tenement house was inconvenient for serving the shogunate, and that he needed to appear independent from his domain as a shogunate retainer in order to marry the daughter of a high-ranking samurai. There are no records indicating the exact location.

Tsukiji Teppozu

Late Teppozu (1863–)

The school returned to the Okudaira clan residence. Taking advantage of the decrease in domain samurai stationed in Edo due to the relaxation of the *sankin-kotai* (alternate attendance) system, a larger space than before was secured with the intention of expanding the academy.

Late Shinzenza (1868–)

The school moved to Shinzenza again. Due to a shogunate policy designating the coastal area of Teppozu as a foreign settlement, they had to vacate the Okudaira clan residence and decided to purchase a part of the Arima clan residence in Shiba Shinzenza (around present-day 1-chome, Hamamatsu-cho, Minato-ku, Tokyo, near Shinmei Elementary School). In the turbulent times of the late Edo period, there was "not a single house under construction in all of Edo," and the new school building was constructed at a lower cost than in peacetime. However, it is also a fact that Fukuzawa invested his personal fortune and went to great lengths to raise a considerable amount of money. This allowed the school to shed its character as a private academy of the Nakatsu Domain, both financially and in spirit, and the academy was officially reborn as a modern private school—an association of like-minded individuals.

<1> An illustrated map of the Tsukiji Teppozu area at the time. The Okudaira clan residence (bottom center) covered an area of approximately 4,063 *tsubo*. / The even larger site shown to its upper left is Nishi Hongwanji Temple (the present-day Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple, see <3>).
<2> The "Monument to the Birthplace of Keio University," / erected to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its founding.
<3> The present-day Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple
<4> The Okudaira clan residence. / The school building (center) consisted of one tenement house labeled "Sensei-ke" (Teacher's House) and "Honjuku" (Main School), in addition to / a separate building called "Kishu-juku" (Late Teppozu).

Shiba Shinzenza

<1> "Site of Shinzenza (Monument)." / The setting for the lectures on Wayland's economics book.
<2> Floor plan of the Shinzenza school building (1869)
<3>
<4> An illustrated map of the Shiba Shinzenza area at the time. As Fukuzawa reminisced in his autobiography, *Fukuō Jiden*, that it was "like hitting the jackpot in a speculative venture," this move was a bold, life-altering decision for the 35-year-old Fukuzawa. Additionally, the "Hama Goten" visible in the upper right of the map is the present-day Hama Rikyu Gardens.

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