Yoshida dormitory of Kyoto University (京都大学吉田寮)
Yoshida dormitory of Kyoto University is one of Kyoto University's dormitories. There are three two-storied wooden buildings (construction) (three buildings). It is one of the four major autonomous student dormitories in Japan.
Facilities
Yoshida dormitory is adjacent to Yoshida-minami campus of Kyoto University Yoshida campus.
The dormitory consists of three buildings, the north building, the center building and the south building, and they are placed in an E-shape. Each one is a two-storied building with about forty rooms (26 Japanese-style rooms of 8 - 10 mats [about 14 -18 square meters]) and 95 Japanese-style rooms of 6 - 7.5 mats [about 11 - 13 square meters]). There are other facilities such as an administration building, a pre-fabricated building which is being used for living space, laundry, a shower room and a former dining room etc.
Monthly boarding fee is 400 yen based on 'Regulation on the payments of the students of Kyoto University (Instruction No. 63 issued in 2006).'
In addition to a boarding fee, students pay utility expenses and a membership fee for dormitory council.
History
The dormitory was constructed in 1913.
It was constructed using scrap wood of the dormitory of the former Third High School. It consists of three two-storied wooden buildings, which are called the north building, the center building and the south building respectively, and other related facilities. At present, it is the oldest existing university dormitory since Komaba dormitory of Tokyo University was already abolished.
There was a student dormitory at the time when Kyoto University was established in 1897.
Kyoto University took over in 1898 the dormitory of the former Third High School, which was constructed in 1889, and newly constructed the existing Yoshida dormitory in 1913 using its scrap wood.
Although the center building was burned down in 1941, it was reconstructed soon after.
In 1959 and 1960, a dormitory for private workers was converted to a dormitory of Kyoto University, and the then- existing building and newly converted building were called Yoshida East dormitory and Yoshida West dormitory respectively.
Yoshida West dormitory, which was located inside the pharmaceutical department's campus, was abolished in keeping with the national tendency to abolish national universities' dormitories. On the other hand, Yoshida East dormitory has continued to exist until the present thanks to the opposition movement conducted by the students of the time (to be mentioned later), and about 180 persons, including the students of Kyoto University as well as their families, are living in the dormitory (the predetermined number of personnel determined by Kyoto University is 147). Yoshida East dormitory was renamed 'Yoshida dormitory' and has continued to exist up to the present.
On October 31, 1996, the west side of the former dining room was burnt down due to an accidental fire occurring in the building situated on the opposite of the student meeting place (building for club activities). The former dining room was once closed because it became too old, but currently it is now used as a place for various events of the Yoshida dormitory as well as concerts or theatrical performances.
A small fire started at dawn on January 16, 2007 on the first floor of the adjacent student meeting building and two square meters of shed situated under the staircase burned due to this fire. People of club activities as well as the students of Yoshida dormitory engaged in the initial firefighting activities and the fire was put out within 20 minutes after the arrival of fire engines. There were no causalities.
On April 25, 2009, the president of Kyoto University Hiroshi MATSUMOTO announced in the Sankei Shimbun saying 'the university started a consultation with the dormitory council concerning the reconstruction of Yoshida dormitory.'
The opposition movement against the closure of dormitory
In the 1970's when student movements declined around the nation, student movements at Kyoto University were still active using dormitories (autonomous dormitories), some college councils and the west auditorium of Kyoto University as the base of their activity, and such situations were dubbed 'Japanese Galapagos.'
In the late 70's, the authority of Kyoto University stated to destroy such bases of movements. After forcing through 'Takemoto shobun' (dismissal of associate professor Takemoto) in 1977, the president Toshio SAWADA implemented the policy of 'normalization of student dormitories' with the aim of abolishing student dormitories including Yoshida dormitory.
In December 1982, the university council decided, without consultation with the members of the dormitory or hearing their opinions, that 'the time limit for staying at Yoshida dormitory is March 31, 1986' (so in original). With the rise in the opposition movement against the above decision conducted by the council of Yoshida dormitory and the graduates, however, the number of dormitory residents increased, instead of decreased, thanks to the success of autonomous selection of residents.
As a result, many students still lived in the dormitory at the time of the above 'time limit.'
In the meantime, some councils, such as the council of the department of liberal arts, conceded the decision of the university, and confrontation among councils arising from differences in philosophy or policy for movements also became apparent.
In 1989 when Yasunori NISHIJIMA was the president, the authority of Kyoto University (dean of students Hayao KAWAI) and the council of Yoshida dormitory agreed to demolish the west building in exchange for the abolition of the 'time limit.'
As a result, Yoshida dormitory has since continued to exist as the student dormitory of Kyoto University.
Construction of a new dormitory
After the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake occurred in 1995, questions have been raised from the people both inside and outside of the university about the durability and quake resistance of the dormitory. A budget for seismic-resistance evaluation was approved in 2005 and the evaluations were conducted by outside experts intermittently.
An important movement concerning the continued existence of the dormitory occurred in 2006.
Based on the results of seismic-resistance evaluation conducted in the previous year, executives of Yoshida dormitory requested in February to include the renovation cost of dormitory's dining room in the presidential discretionary budget of the academic year 2006. In June, however, it was revealed that this request was turned down and executives pursued other ways to secure a budget.
In August, the student center of Kyoto University made a proposal to the executives of Yoshida dormitory saying 'as we will be able to secure the budget for the improvement of students' facilities, why don't you request the budget for reconstructing Yoshida dormitory?'
Although the above proposal was once declined by Yoshida dormitory, the student center pressed forward with this case behind closed doors.
From the end of September to early October, officers of the student center visited Yoshida dormitory twice. In these meeting, they informed that the student center was prepared to submit the budget for reconstruction, and requested Yoshida dormitory to reply by October 23 whether or not it would accept the reconstruction. Yoshida dormitory's residents discussed day and night about the pros and cons of the proposal as well as the conditions of the negotiation.
A mass bargaining session on the problem of reconstruction was held on October 23. University vice-president Hirohisa HIGASHIYAMA, a responsible person, and several other officers attended as representatives of the university and 80 persons, including the residents of the dormitory, students, and other users, attended as people of the Yoshida dormitory side. In spite of two and a half hours of negotiation, no agreements were reached and the submission of the budget for reconstruction of Yoshida dormitory in the academic year 2006 was not reached.
In the wake of the inauguration of Hiroshi MATSUMOTO as the president of Kyoto University, Shuzo NISHIMURA was appointed on October 1, 2008 to the vice-president in charge of education, student affairs and international affairs (education). In a meeting in which the council of the dormitory and the university authority participated, Nishimura proposed to reconstruct Yoshida dormitory as soon as possible while the council of the dormitory requested him to keep previous promises.
On April 20, 2009, the authority of Kyoto University submitted to the council of the dormitory 'the basic policy for the redevelopment of the southernmost area in Yoshida (draft).'
The authority of Kyoto University convened on April 24 a meeting to explain the basic policy for reconstruction and about 60 persons of the Yoshida dormitory side participated in this meeting.
Selection for entering the dormitory and easing of the requirements for entering
Selection for entering the dormitory is conducted by the council of Yoshida dormitory. The period of selection is set twice a year in spring and in autumn and a 'dormitory-entering selection committee,' an organization of the council of the dormitory, is in charge of selection.
Yoshida dormitory has eased the requirements for entering as a part of the above-mentioned opposition movement against the closure of dormitory.
Although it used to permit only male undergraduates to enter the dormitory, it started to accept female students from 1985.
It started to accept foreign students from the academic year 1990, and from the academic year 1991, it started to allow all students of Kyoto University, including graduate students, postgraduates, auditing students, junior college students of medical technology (health sciences course in the Medical department), to apply for entering the dormitory.
Further, 'persons who keenly need to live with the students of Kyoto University' (the handicapped and their support persons, parent and children, a couple etc.) were allowed to apply for entering the dormitory in the academic year 1994.
As the number of applicants increased after the requirements for entering were eased, the current number of residents far exceeds 147, the quota decided by Kyoto University. As a result, rooms originally used as individual rooms are being shared by two persons now.
Incidentally, a description stating 'only undergraduates are allowed to enter the dormitory' is seen in the regulation for the student dormitory of Kyoto University (article 3 of the regulation for the student dormitory). According to the guidelines for the students taking an entrance exam and official web-site of Kyoto University, however, 'students of the university' are qualified to enter dormitories. The above means that the authority of the university officially confirmed the easing of the requirements for entering the dormitory. As a matter of fact, if Yoshida dormitory and Kumano dormitory hadn't eased the requirements on an autonomous basis, there might have been no facilities to accept female students (dormitory for females) and graduate students (Muromachi dormitory). Also, foreign students who were in distress might have faced difficulty in finding affordable lodging.
Famous persons who once lived in the dormitory
Tetsuzo TANIGAWA (class of 1922, philosophy) : He entered the university adoring Ikutaro NISHIDA and later became a philosopher. He advocated the world confederation of various ethnic groups based on the religious view of the universe. He was engaged in wide-ranging activities, such as those of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and peace movement, and also served as the president of Hosei University. Shuntaro TANIGAWA, a poet, is his son. He initially lived in the lodging of Kiyoshi MIKI, who was one year ahead of Tanigawa at the former First School, as a free-loading lodger, but later entered the dormitory. While he lived in the dormitory, he often discussed with his friends.
Tsugio AJISAKA (class of 1932, philosophy): He was a scholar of pedagogy who served as the chairman of The Japan Society for the Study of Education.
Junichi UENO (class of 1934, economics): He succeeded in 1970 the president of the Asahi Shimbun Company from his father Seiichi UENO. He resigned from the position of director of the Asahi Shimbun Company in 1945 due to responsibility for the war, and returned to the Asahi Shimbun Company seven years later after working as an elementary school teacher, a clerk for the university and a secretary of a supreme court judge. He later told about his life in the dormitory as follows. It was very good. My seniors were good persons, and all of us were good friends as the graduates of the high schools under the old system of education around the nation. Saburo MATSUKATA of Kyodo News Service was my friend. Many friends used to gather in my room.
Ryozo TOEI (class of 1943, chemical engineering) : Being an authority on chemical processing, he was a member of the Science Council of Japan and awarded "Kunnito Kyokujitsu Jukosho" (Second Class, the gold and silver star of order of the rising sun) in 1996.
Michio NAGAI (class of 1944, philosophy): He was a educational sociologist. He resigned from his post, a professor of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, advocating the need for university reform based on people and became an editorial writer for Asahi Shimbun Company. In 1974, he was appointed to the Minister for Education of the Miki cabinet as a symbol of the policy of appointing civilians to ministerial posts. He strived to introduce the preliminary standard university entrance examination along with Michio OKAMOTO, the president of Kyoto University as well as the president of the Japan Association of National Universities.
Manabi HINOKI (class of 1945, medicine): He was a professor at the Shimane University Faculty of Medicine and later served as the president of the university. He was the leading person of the study of the vestibular nerve and he clarified the linkage between psychosomatic illness and dizziness. The time when he lived in the dormitory was in the middle of the war, and he recalled as follows. I didn't know when I was to be called up for military service. Being called up inevitably led to my death. I concentrated on my study in such a tense atmosphere. So did all of my colleagues in the dormitory. For that reason alone, we had a strong sense of solidarity.
Rei MATSUURA (class of 1953, expelled from the university, department of literature, national literature)
Naoki KOMURO (class of 1955, science department, mathematics course): After graduation, he studied at Tokyo University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University. He concentrated on his study while earning one million yen a year, but fell ill in 1980 due to malnutrition. Being exhorted by friends, he wrote a bestseller 'The Soviet Empire Strikes Back' in order to earn a living. He further became famous by praising Kakuei TANAKA.
He was a well-known student in the university and was dubbed 'Komuro shogun.'
He was dismissed from the debating club of Kyoto University in 1952 because of his remarks saying 'Kill Stalin, Agree Rearmament.'
Thereafter, he put up a sign saying "Military affairs study group" on the door of his room in the dormitory.
Takao IWAMI (class of 1958, law): He was a political reporter for Mainichi Newspaper Co., Ltd., and took an active part in the report on the Lockheed scandal and a collusive relationship between Japan and Korea. He served as the chief editor of Mainichi Weekly News as well as the executive advisor of the editorial office.
Takeshi MUROTA (class of 1967, science): After graduation, he studied economics, served as a professor at Hitotsubashi University and Doshisha University, and advocated 'economics of ecology.'
Masanobu WAKASA (class of 1972, linguistics): He started to write novels for dojinshi (publications aimed at a particular hobby group) when he was a student, and his novel 'Kayanokimatsuri,' which was written under his pen name Shuzo TAKI, won the Akutagawa Award in 1977. He was the chairman of the dormitory council in the latter half of 1968 and spearheaded a blockade of the office of the student affairs department as well as negotiations with the president of the university.
Motoaki SHINOHARA (class of 1975, aesthetics)
Yoshihiko ICHIDA (class of 1980, economics): He is a scholar of social thought. After serving as a professor for Osaka Women's University, he is now a professor at Kobe University. When he was a student, he spearheaded the student movement at Kyoto University after "Takemoto shobun" struggle as the chairman of the national student association. He pressed emeritus professor Masaaki UEDA into serving as the president of Osaka Women's University because he had a connection with Ueda since the time when he, as the then chairman, teased Ueda with sharp questions.
Shinichi TOKUNAGA (class of 1985, law): He supported Osaka HIV-tainted blood litigation as a member of the defense lawyers.
Tetsuro IROHIRA (class of 1989, medicine): He entered the world of community medicine after graduation. He often provides opinions to mass media from the standpoint of a NGO for community medicine.
Address
69, Yoshida Konoe-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
* Since the academic year 2004, when Kyoto University was reorganized into a national university corporation, the address was changed from Yoshida Konoe-cho kaneichi (national kind) to the one above (lot number was added).