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Waseda University

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Waseda University is a major private research university located in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Waseda University
Waseda University

It serves as a massive center for higher learning and academic discovery. The university is organized into 36 different departments. These include 13 undergraduate schools and 23 graduate schools. As of 2023, the student body was quite large. There were 38,776 undergraduate students and 8,490 graduate students. This high number of students shows how important the school is to education in Japan.

The university operates across many different locations. Its central campus is in Shinjuku, which includes the Waseda Campus and the Nishiwaseda Campus. However, Waseda also manages several other campuses. These are located in Chūō, Nishitōkyō, Tokorozawa, Honjō, and Kitakyūshū. Within the main Shinjuku campus, the university also runs 21 different research institutes. These institutes allow students and professors to study very specific scientific and social topics.

Waseda has a long history that began in the late 19th century. It was founded on October 21, 1882, by Ōkuma Shigenobu.

Shigenobu Okuma 5
Shigenobu Okuma 5

Ōkuma was a samurai scholar and a very important politician. He served as the fifth and eleventh prime minister of Japan. Before it was called Waseda University, the school had different names. It was known as the Tokyo School of Political Economy or the Totsuka School. The name "Waseda" came from the location of the founder's villa in Waseda Village. The school officially gained university status and its current name on September 2, 1902.

In its early years, the school focused on a few specific subjects. It started with departments for political science and economics, law, and physical science. Students could also take an English language course regardless of their main subject. The school grew by adding more specialized departments over time. It added literature in 1890 and education in 1903. Later, it added commerce in 1904 and science and engineering in 1908. In 1920, Waseda received formal government recognition as a university. This made it, along with Keio University, one of the first private universities in Japan.

The university has produced many influential leaders and thinkers. Its faculty and alumni include eight prime ministers from Japan. It also includes three prime ministers from Korea. Many founders of famous global companies studied here. These include leaders from Sony, Uniqlo, Samsung, CJ, Lotte, and POSCO. The university is also known for its connection to literature. Famous writers like Haruki Murakami, Yoko Ogawa, and Yoko Tawada are part of its history.

Waseda University students in 1916 (cropped)
Waseda University students in 1916 (cropped)

This shows how the school impacts business, politics, and the arts.

Some of the university's buildings are very famous and historic. The Ōkuma Auditorium is a major landmark on campus.

WASEDA-DAIGAKU
WASEDA-DAIGAKU

It is a three-story building that can seat 1,435 people. It also features a seven-story clock tower that is about 38 meters high. The auditorium opened in 1927 after the Great Kantō earthquake delayed its construction. Another special place is the Ōkuma Garden.

Okuma1
Okuma1

This garden was once the mansion of a feudal lord. It was redesigned by Ōkuma himself and is now a place for students to relax.

Waseda also manages a massive collection of knowledge through its libraries. The Waseda University Library is one of the largest in Japan. It holds approximately 4.5 million volumes and 46,000 serials. The main library building was completed in 1925. The university also uses the Old Library building to house research libraries and archives. These archives protect historical materials, including items related to Ōkuma Shigenobu. This deep collection of books and records supports the university's role as a leading research institution.

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🖼️ Images & Media (6)
File:Shigenobu Okuma 5.jpg
Shigenobu Okuma 5.jpg
File:Waseda University students in 1916 (cropped).jpg
Waseda University students in 1916 (cropped).jpg
File:Waseda University.jpg
Waseda University.jpg
File:WASEDA-DAIGAKU.jpg
WASEDA-DAIGAKU.jpg
File:Okuma1.jpg
Okuma1.jpg
File:Waseda University baseball players.jpg
Waseda University baseball players.jpg
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