Stained Glass

1998/05/01

From "Juku," 1998, No. 212

Of Keio University's five campuses, Hiyoshi Campus is brimming with youthful passion and energy.
This article introduces the history of Hiyoshi Campus, which has played a crucial role in the development of Keio University, including its post-war reconstruction.

In 1918, under the University Ordinance, Keio University's college became a comprehensive university with four faculties: Letters, Economics, Law, and Medical Sciences. Since its relocation in 1871, Mita Campus had expanded its grounds and buildings, with the land area increasing by nearly 70% and building space by more than 12 times. However, the student population had also surged from 300 at the time of the move to over 10,700, making the campus quite cramped.

In response to this situation, a special committee was formed by the University Council in 1927 to address the issue of site expansion and facility improvement, and they began to seriously tackle the relocation problem. Subsequently, Tokyo Yokohama Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (now Tokyu Corporation) submitted an offer to Keio to provide over 72,000 tsubo of land in "Hiyoshidai" along its railway line free of charge, and Hiyoshi was chosen as the new location.

Keio University lost 60% of its facilities to damage during World War II, but fortunately, over 82,773 tsubo of total floor space at Hiyoshi Campus survived the disaster. This accounted for 50% of the university's total remaining facility area. Hiyoshi Campus was expected to play a crucial role as a foothold for the university's complete post-war reconstruction, but in September 1945, shortly after the end of the war, half of its facilities were requisitioned by the U.S. military.

Subsequently, the entire Keio Gijuku Shachu came together to campaign for its return. Four years later, on July 5, 1949, an official written notice of return was sent from the General Headquarters to the President, and the long-cherished wish of the entire Keio Gijuku Shachu for the return of Hiyoshi was finally realized.

The return ceremony was held on October 1 of the same year. In the presence of President Ushioda and other university officials, a large, gold-colored wooden "key," symbolizing the return, was handed to President Ushioda.

Today, Hiyoshi Campus has developed into a campus where first- and second-year students from all faculties—with the exception of the Faculty of Policy Management and the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies—study (first-year students for the Faculty of Letters, and until the spring semester of the second year for the School of Medicine). Last September, the "Hiyoshi Campus Research Environment Basic Plan Committee" was established, and a new campus concept for the 21st century is now under consideration.