My Favorite Places at SFC | Keiichi Yoshino (Dean, Graduate School of Health Management)
2005.09.12
1. The view of the Tanzawa Mountains from the west window of the Dean's Office at the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care
The photo of the Tanzawa Mountains was taken at the end of August this year, under fine weather after a typhoon had passed. Two large peaks are visible, as if aligned with the shallow U-shaped satoyama forest in the center. What are the names of these peaks? After a detailed search with Mr. Jun Watanabe, the manager of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care and Graduate School of Health Management Office, who, like me, loves to investigate such things, we agreed that they are Mt. Bukka (745m) and Mt. Takatori (701m) in the Tanzawa mountain range. I'm not sure if this is true, but if so, these peaks are located about 20 km northwest of SFC, are famous as a hiking course, and have Lake Miyagase nearby. It seems that Lake Sagami is located about 10 km directly behind them. As autumn deepens, the air becomes clearer and the sky higher, and these peaks appear much closer. Then, the ridgeline of the satoyama forest mentioned at the beginning, which is in the middle ground of this photo, becomes surprisingly low as the many deciduous trees there shed their leaves. This increases the impressiveness of these peaks, and at the same time, Mitsu-toge Pass peeks out above the sparse forest on the left ridgeline where the leaves have fallen. The tiled roof at the bottom edge of the photo is the connecting corridor on the second floor of the west side of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care Building, which connects the north and south. Beyond it, the flat land, reminiscent of a slightly short middle hole on a golf course, is said to have been cultivated by junior and senior high school students during the founding period of SFC. This area is probably the center of what Fujisawa City calls the "Forest of Health." Unfortunately, Mt. Fuji is not visible from the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care. Looking at it this way, it means that the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care Building faces almost southeast.
This Dean's Office is the newest and largest of its kind within Keio, and any outsider who enters is immediately amazed by how spacious and gorgeous it is. The interior is also wood-toned, creating a soft and calming atmosphere characteristic of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care Building. Gazing at the aforementioned peaks from within, I feel a supreme sense of relief, and at the same time, I realize just how far out in the countryside I've come.
2. The Seminar Guesthouse and the artificial hill in its courtyard
In the forest of SFC, nestled in a grove reminiscent of Karuizawa, sits the Seminar Guesthouse (hereafter, "Sege House"). There is a sign indicating that this building was made possible by the generosity of The Johnan Shinkin Bank. It is a two-story, U-shaped building, and true to SFC's original architectural style, it has an exposed reinforced concrete finish. In its courtyard, there is an unremarkable grass-covered artificial hill, about 20 meters in diameter and several meters high. Perhaps because I often stay at the Sege House when I'm so overwhelmed with daily university duties that the thought of returning to Tokyo (home) is daunting, looking at this artificial hill also brings a sense of peace. Although there are many weeds among the grass on its surface, the hill's perfectly simple, clear, and geometric shape mysteriously makes such things seem insignificant. It also matches well with the tennis courts in the background.
A considerable amount of know-how is required for a comfortable stay at this Sege House:
(1) Reservations are made at the SFC General Affairs and Property Management Section. Bookings can be made from the 1st of the month preceding the desired date of stay. It gets crowded during events such as entrance examinations.
(2) There are various room types. The six single rooms are the best in terms of price and convenience. Next are the two twin rooms. Last are the two Japanese-style rooms, but even these are highly recommended for their convenience, far surpassing nearby hotels.
(3) Soap (including conditioning shampoo), a towel, a toothbrush set, a yukata, a flashlight, an alarm clock, and a refrigerator (sometimes it's switched off; you have to turn it on yourself) are provided.
(4) The two Japanese-style rooms, located only on the second floor, have the following characteristics: the toilet, bath, refrigerator, and TV are shared. You have to lay out the futon yourself.
(5) Breakfast is from 8:00 a.m. A total of two pieces of bread, one croissant and one roll, are served with hotel butter and strawberry jam, which you toast in the provided toaster oven. The toaster dial is set near the minimum, but toasting it as is works perfectly. It's a struggle if you can't operate the self-service capsule-drip coffee machine (water is tap water). Those who can't use this machine should bring their own coffee. However, there are also tea bags in the refrigerator. As the provided breakfast is extremely light, those who desire a heavier meal need to bring their own.
(6) To get hot water in each Western-style room, you must turn on the corresponding switch at the entrance. It is nearly impossible to adjust the water to a suitable temperature using the faucet, so you must use the temperature control on this switch panel. However, it is a hassle to perform this operation while soaking in the bathtub, as you have to get out first. Therefore, for washing your hair under ideal conditions, I recommend the communal bath. There's a hairdryer there, too.
(7) The bed width is narrow, about 3/4 of the standard size. This makes the comforter likely to fall off. Therefore, adjust the room temperature precisely before sleeping. The temperature can be easily adjusted by removing the air conditioner's cover.
(8) Cooking is possible in the communal kitchen and the twin rooms. However, there are no kitchen knives.
3. The thickets of kudzu (kuzu) around the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, especially near the parking lot
Kudzu flower. Kudzu, it goes without saying, is the kuzu of kuzukiri noodles and the kuzu of kuzuyu (kudzu arrowroot tea), which has long been valued as food for the sick; it is made from the root. From late summer to autumn, during the season when so-called summer weeds grow thick, kudzu shows a truly tremendous reproductive power, seeming to cover every inch of the ground. The roots must surely be large as well (though unfortunately, I no longer have the energy to dig them up). It's no wonder, as locals used to call this area "Kuzuppara" (Kudzu Field). In fact, the name of a nearby intersection is "Kuzuhara." This phenomenon can be seen along my commute as far as Totsuka. The kudzu flower is one of the seven flowers of autumn. It has a long, conical shape and is quite charming, but it is hidden by the large leaves that creep along the ground, so you won't see it unless you make an effort to look. This year, I saw it for the first time at the end of August and once again felt the arrival of autumn and a pleasant sense of wonder. (End)
*All images were taken by Dean Yoshino of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care.
(Date Published: 2005/09/12)