Symbols of Keio University

September 1, 1998 / Published in "Juku" No. 214 (1998)

Most schools, not just universities, have symbols that represent their school culture and traditions. These are not only cherished by students, alumni, and faculty, but some are also highly recognized by society, becoming a source of identity and pride for their alma mater.
Here, we will introduce the representative symbols of Keio University—the Pen Badge, the Sanshokuki, and the Unicorn—along with their respective origins.

The Pen Badge is known as the school emblem of Keio University. Its establishment came about when a group of volunteer Keio students began using it on their own, and it was eventually officially recognized by the university authorities. In 1900 (Meiji 33), a notice was issued requiring Keio students, particularly those in the college, to wear "hats with the emblem," and it has been used to this day. This process reflects a generosity that is very characteristic of Keio.

According to historical records, "reminiscences of those who claimed to be the creators of this Pen Badge state that around 1885 (Meiji 18), a few volunteer Keio students had matching Western-style clothes made and proudly strode about wearing hats. However, such attire was still very rare at the time, leading to comical situations where they were mistaken for international students or the like. They felt an urgent need for a hat emblem. It was around that time that they found the phrase 'The pen is mightier than the sword' in one of their textbooks (details unknown). Believing this to be the most fitting emblem for students, they promptly decided to attach a pen to their hats."

Furthermore, the phrase "The pen is mightier than the sword" has been adopted as Keio's motto, and the large stained-glass window in the Mita library that depicts it has become one of the symbols of the university.

The school flag of Keio University (commonly known as the Keio School Flag) is called the "Sanshokuki" (three-colored flag). However, it is actually composed of two colors, blue and red, arranged in three horizontal stripes, unlike the French flag which consists of three colors. The specific meaning of the colors is unknown.

While the exact date of its establishment is somewhat unclear, an article in the "Jiji Shimpo" newspaper on November 28, 1894 (Meiji 27), reports that Keio students held their first Kandelaar March on November 26 to celebrate the fall of Port Arthur, and it is noted that the Keio School Flag was flown during the procession. Furthermore, the December issue of "Fuzoku Gaho" No. 82, published in the same year, reported on the event with an illustration of a flag divided into three stripes, featuring the Pen Badge. The colors, however, were not specified.

Thus, the Sanshokuki seems to have emerged at some point as a combination of light blue and crimson and came into use around 1897 (Meiji 30). However, because the colors, shape, and standards varied, the dimensions and colors of the Keio School Flag, the style of the pen, and the proportions and position of the pen on the Sanshokuki were clearly defined in a document titled "Standards for the Keio School Flag" dated February 14, 1964 (Showa 39), and these standards remain in place today.

The word "unicorn" means "one horn" and refers to the mythical creature from Greek mythology. For some reason, when the Great Hall, which once stood on Mita Hilltop Square, was being repaired after damage from the Great Kanto Earthquake, a pair of these statues was installed on its third-floor balcony. The reason for their installation is not clear, but despite their somewhat grotesque appearance, they had a surprising charm and seem to have become beloved by both faculty and Keio students over time.

This Great Hall was damaged during the Pacific War, and its remains were demolished, so neither the hall nor the unicorns exist today. However, in November 1962 (Showa 37), a new decoration modeled after the unicorn gargoyle appeared at the Waseda-Keio baseball rivalry, replacing the Mickey Mouse figure that had been used until then, and added spirit to the cheering. Moreover, Keio won that rivalry game and clinched the championship, and since then, the Unicorn has become a mascot for Keio students. Of the pair of statues, one was restored in 1975 (Showa 50) by graduates of the Chutobu Junior High School, and the other was restored in 1978 (Showa 53) by the Keio Shoko Alumni Association. They now stand on either side of the entrance to the Mita Chutobu Junior High School, watching over the Chutobu Junior High School students as they come and go each day.

This is the upper left canine tooth of a narwhal, a type of whale that lives only in the Arctic Ocean, which protrudes as a single long horn. In medieval Europe, it was prized as the horn of a "unicorn." (Gifted by Mr. Jiro Hagiwara in 1991)