H Village | Fumitoshi Kato, Dean of the Graduate School of Media and Governance
2023.03.14
Once it was decided that I would be studying abroad, I started looking into various places to live. But this was over 30 years ago. I couldn't just search the web; my only clues were the documents that arrived with my acceptance letter. The package that was mailed to me also included a guide to the campus area and information on student dormitories.
In the end, I decided to rent a room a few minutes' walk from campus. It wasn't a university-exclusive dormitory, but a facility like an "international student house" where students from several nearby universities and short-term researchers could stay. Being overseas, I couldn't view the room in advance. Nowadays, you can consider properties with videos and reviews, but I proceeded with the lease agreement based only on a simple brochure, a floor plan, and a price list.
Until my luggage, sent by sea mail, arrived, all I had was a single suitcase. The check-in process was surprisingly simple; I remember arriving, giving my name at the front desk, and being handed a key right away.
When I opened the door, the hallway was dimly lit. It was a so-called unit-style layout, with ten private rooms arranged around a shared washroom, bath, and shower. At the back, there was a shared kitchen and dining space. I opened another door. The private room was small. A single bed and a built-in desk took up most of the floor space. It was a north-facing room, and with no tall buildings outside the large window, I could see far into the distance. Even though it was small, this was my "home." I sat down on the bed in my tiny room. While I felt the excitement of my life in America beginning, I also felt a sense of loneliness. I had come a very long way.
During my first semester, I was constantly unsure of what to do. I made most of my decisions based on the "recommendations" in the documents sent from the university. For dinner, I signed up for a "meal plan" for the time being. This was a system where you paid a flat fee in advance to eat at several cafeterias on campus. In other words, it was "all-you-can-eat," but after using it for a while, I noticed the menu repeated in a simple rotation. Naturally, I couldn't expect the umami of dashi, and most dishes seemed to be ketchup-flavored.
Above all, I felt somewhat out of place eating among the burly, athletic-looking students. The "all-you-can-eat" part was fine, but naturally, the amount we ate was different. I felt like I was subsidizing the students who went back and forth between the buffet and their tables multiple times, devouring enormous volumes of food.
Once the semester began, my days became routine. I had to read a lot of textbooks and papers, and I often found myself at my desk not only on weekdays but also on weekends. My "home" was small and a bit cramped, so I spent my time in the library. Living a few minutes from campus was perfect for studying. Or rather, there was nothing to do but study. The library was open late, so I would sometimes go back after dinner. Whenever I went, my international student classmates were usually there studying.
My body still remembers the experiences from my time studying abroad. Even after several decades, they serve as a gentle guide for my own thinking about universities and campuses. While Japan was booming during the bubble economy (around the time SFC was established), I was far away from that excitement, thinking about many things. Looking back, it may have been a bit cramped and monotonous, but I was fortunate to be able to spend my days "living while learning, and learning while living" near the campus. I learned many things and met many people. Long-lasting relationships were also formed.
Around the spring of 2019, I became involved in the "West Block Student Dormitory Project (tentative name)." Although I say "involved," it was a university-led project whose direction had already been set. The design, construction, and even management were handled by different departments and organizations with their respective expertise and skills. I myself, as a faculty member at Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC), accompanied the process as the series of plans took concrete shape. All the while, I was thinking about student life on our campus, constantly recalling my daily life when I was studying abroad. Since then, my position and age have changed considerably, but I was reminded once again that I love the place that is a campus. Eventually, the "tentative name" was dropped, and it became "Η Village" (Eta Village).
On February 27, 2023, the completion ceremony for Η Village was held. It was a clear day that felt like spring. I was fortunate enough to attend the completion of Η Village as one of the "Okashira" (Deans), but looking back, it was a long time ago that a section on the north side of the campus was prepared. The plans changed due to various circumstances, and on top of that, the last few years have been dominated by COVID-19. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who worked so hard to make this day possible. The feelings of many people for the campus have come to fruition. We are planning to set up a tour and a reporting session once things have settled down a bit.
Until the very end, I watched from nearby as the site bustled with activity for the finishing touches. It may sound presumptuous, but I even started to worry if it would be finished in time. Finally, it was completed. The crosswalk that crosses the peripheral road toward the H Village common building is decorated with the letters "H VILL." After the Shinto ritual, we toured the brand-new dormitory. Furniture has been placed in the private rooms and common spaces, waiting for the students to arrive. It is empty now, but it should be bustling with life in a few weeks.
To start, a single suitcase will probably be enough. The hopes and anxieties of each and every student will, together with this "Village," create the history of the campus. At last, the "new normal" begins.