Waseda University


Waseda University, abbreviated as Waseda or Sōdai, is a private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the eighth and eleventh prime minister of Japan, the school was formally renamed Waseda University in 1902.
Waseda is organized into 36 departments: 13 undergraduate schools and 23 graduate schools. As of 2023, there are 38,776 undergraduate students and 8,490 graduate students. In addition to a central campus in Shinjuku, the university operates campuses in Chūō, Nishitōkyō, Tokorozawa, Honjō, and Kitakyūshū. Waseda also operates 21 research institutes at its main Shinjuku campus.
The university's faculty and alumni include eight prime ministers of Japan; three prime ministers of Korea; founders of leading Japanese and Korean companies such as Sony, Uniqlo, Samsung, CJ, Lotte, and POSCO; a number of important figures of Japanese literature, including Haruki Murakami, Yoko Ogawa, and Yoko Tawada.

History

Waseda was founded as Tōkyō Professional School on 21 October 1882 by samurai scholar and Meiji-era politician and former prime minister Ōkuma Shigenobu. Before the name 'Waseda' was selected, it was known variously as ' or ' after the location of the founder's villa in Waseda Village and the school's location in Totsuka Village, respectively. It was renamed Waseda University on 2 September 1902, upon acquiring university status. It started as a college with three departments under the old Japanese system of higher education.
In 1882, the university had the department of political science and economics, law, and physical science. Along with these departments, an English language course was established, where the students of all the departments could learn English. Three years later, the department of physical science was closed because it had too few applicants.
The department of literature was established in 1890, the department of education in 1903, the department of commerce in 1904, and the department of science and engineering in 1908.
Although Waseda formally adopted the term university in its title in 1902 it was not until 1920 that, along with other private schools and colleges, it received formal government recognition as a university under the terms of the. Thus Waseda became, with Keio University, the first private university in Japan.
Much of the campus was destroyed in the fire bombings of Tokyo during World War II, but the university was rebuilt and reopened by 1949. It has grown to become a comprehensive university with two senior high schools and school of art and architecture.
On 12 June 1950, sixty police raided Waseda University and seized copies of a Communist-inspired open letter to General MacArthur. The open letter to MacArthur was once read at a Communist-sponsored rally a week earlier. The letter demanded a peace treaty for Japan that would include Russia and Communist China, withdrawal of occupation forces, and the release of eight Japanese sent to prison for assaulting five U.S. soldiers at a Communist rally. A police official said most Waseda meetings would be banned in the future because "political elements" might try to utilize them. Yuichi Eshima, Vice-chairman of the Students Autonomy Society, said the police action "stupefied" students and professors, and that "This is worse than the prewar peace preservation measures."
In 1993, President of the United States Bill Clinton visited Waseda University and mentioned that the university is a center of academic excellence and a training ground for Japan's distinguished leaders.

Academic cap

Ōkuma had long desired to create an academic cap so distinctive that someone wearing the cap would immediately be identified as a Waseda student. The chief tailor of Takashimaya, Yashichiro, was called upon to design a cap in three days.
Each square cap was stamped on the inside with the student's name, his department, the school seal and the legend, "This certifies that the owner is a student of Waseda". Thus, the cap served as a form of identification, and effectively a status symbol. The cap, with its gold-braided badge, is registered as a trademark.

Anniversary

On 21 October 2007, Waseda University celebrated its 125th anniversary. Ōkuma often talked about the "125 years of life" theory: "The lifespan of a human being can be as long as 125 years. He will be able to live out his natural lifespan as long as he takes proper care of his health", because "physiologists say that every animal has the ability to live five times as long as its growth period. Since a man is said to require about 25 years to become fully mature, it follows that he can live up to 125 years of age." This theory propounded by Ōkuma was very popular and often referred to in the media of the time.
In commemorative events relating to Waseda University and Ōkuma, the number 125 is accorded special significance, as it marks an important epoch. The tower of Ōkuma Auditorium, completed on the university's 45th anniversary, is 125 shaku, or about 38 m high. In 1963, there were also events to mark the 125th anniversary of Ōkuma Shigenobu's birth.
Ōkuma, who twice served as prime minister of Japan, organized his second cabinet when he was 77 and died when he was 83. He said, "I wish I had understood this '125 years of life' theory 30 years earlier". He did, however, lead a regular life, and lived fairly long compared to other Japanese at the time.

Campus

Waseda University's main campus is located in the Nishi-Waseda district of Shinjuku. The nearest station is, although Waseda is generally associated with on the Yamanote Line.
Apart from the main campus in Shinjuku, there are other campuses around the country:
  • Waseda Campus: Shinjuku, Tokyo
  • Toyama Campus: Shinjuku, Tokyo
  • Nishi-Waseda Campus: Shinjuku, Tokyo
  • Nihonbashi Campus: Chūō-ku, Tokyo
  • Higashifushimi Campus: Nishitōkyō, Tokyo
  • Tokorozawa Campus: Tokorozawa, Saitama
  • Honjō Campus: Honjō, Saitama
  • Kitakyūshū Campus: Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka

    Organization

Undergraduate programs

  • School of Political Science and Economics
  • School of Law
  • School of Culture, Media and Society
  • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • School of Education
  • School of Commerce
  • School of Creative Science and Engineering
  • School of Fundamental Science and Engineering
  • School of Advanced Science and Engineering
  • School of Social Sciences
  • School of Human Sciences
  • * e-School, School of Human Sciences
  • School of Sports Sciences
  • School of International Liberal Studies

    Graduate programs

  • Graduate School of Political Science
  • Graduate School of Economics
  • Graduate School of Law
  • Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences
  • Graduate School of Commerce
  • Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering
  • Graduate School of Fundamental Science and Engineering
  • Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering
  • Graduate School of Education
  • Graduate School of Human Sciences
  • Graduate School of Social Sciences
  • Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies
  • Graduate School of International Culture and Communication
  • Graduate School of Global Information and Telecommunication Studies
  • Graduate School of Japanese Applied Linguistics
  • Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems
  • Graduate School of Sports Sciences
  • Business School
  • The Okuma School of Public Management
  • Law School
  • Graduate School of Finance, Accounting and Law
  • Graduate School of Accountancy
  • Graduate School of Environment and Energy Engineering
  • Graduate School of Journalism

    Research institutes

  • Kagami Memorial Laboratory for Materials Science and Technology
  • Institute for Comparative Law
  • The Institute for Research in Business Administration
  • Institute for Research in Contemporary Political and Economic Affairs
  • Advanced Research Center for Human Sciences
  • Advanced Research Institute for Science and Engineering
  • Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies
  • Global Information and Telecommunication Institute
  • Institute for Advanced Studies in Education
  • Center for Japanese Language
  • Media Network Center
  • Environmental Research Institute
  • Environmental Safety Center
  • Center for Finance Research
  • Human Service Center
  • Comprehensive Research Organization
  • Institute for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
  • Consolidated Research Institute for Advanced Science and Medical Care
  • Information Technology Research Organization
  • Organization for Asian Studies
  • Waseda Institute for Advanced Study

    Facilities

Ōkuma Auditorium

The Ōkuma Auditorium is three-story main auditorium that seats 1,435, while the secondary auditorium, located underground, can accommodate 382 people. A seven-story high clock tower stands to the left of the auditorium. Important events and lectures hosted by Waseda University are often held in the Ōkuma Auditorium. Club-sponsored plays, lectures and events are held in the auditorium on days when it is not in use by the university. Many of Waseda University's undergraduate and graduate schools hold their entrance and graduation ceremonies at the Okuma Auditorium.
The auditorium opened on 20 October 1927, about five years behind schedule, after the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. A Memorial Hall, constructed in 1957, was used as the fencing venue for the 1964 Summer Olympics.
In April 1999, the auditorium along with the old library building were officially designated the first and second historical buildings under the newly passed Tokyo Metropolitan Landscape Regulations, which aim to preserve buildings representative of Tokyo's history and culture. The auditorium was designated as one of the Important Cultural Properties of Japan by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2007.