The current measures in place to combat the ageing of Yoshida Dormitory are based on agreements made with Vice President Akamatsu Sugino. The following section will explain the key deal made between Vice President Sugino and the Yoshida Dormitory Committee in 2012 to address the ageing of the dormitory.

  

(excerpt from the 18 September 2012 agreement)

​

Item 2: It is acknowledged that it is possible and necessary to repair Yoshida Dormitory so that it becomes  resistant to earthquakes and the lives and property of its residents are protected.

​

Item 3:  The university authorities acknowledge the architectural significance of the old section of the dormitory (reception and residential areas). When discussing the repair process to the dorm, we will bear in mind the goal to protect the building’s original architectural features as much as possible. 

​

 

The architectural value of the old section of Yoshida Dormitory (reception and residential area)

  

 Yoshida Dormitory’s old building and the area surrounding it has huge architectural significance. The building is made with high quality timber and all the rooms have been built facing southwards. There is also a large garden with plants and trees growing in the space between each of the three residential buildings. Thanks to this design, all of the students enjoy good ventilation and sunlight in their rooms. Furthermore, the dorm’s gardens are home to a wide range of plants and animals. The garden is used not only by residents, but is also a great place for visitors to the dormitory to relax.

​

 Yoshida Dormitory was constructed in the Meiji-Taisho period. The building uses a mix of Japanese and Western architectural techniques and was built during an era when Western-style buildings were spreading around Japan. A large number of dormitories and boarding houses were constructed at this time according to Western designs and techniques, but most have now been pulled down. Therefore, Yoshida Dormitory acts as a rare window through which we can still view Meiji and Taisho architectural styles. Historical buildings such as this help us to learn more about the past and inspire us to look to the future from a new angle. Moreover, it must be noted that the old section of Yoshida Dormitory is not a single building, but was in fact constructed as a group of buildings which included the dining hall section.

 

 Yoshida Dormitory has been consistently running for over a century and this achievement in itself demonstrates the value of the dorm. The lifestyle of the current students at Yoshida Dormitory has been built upon a long history of students working together to create a self-governing community and space for themselves to live. As long as Yoshida Dormitory remains open, this ongoing process of trial and error and gradual progress will continue. Yoshida Dormitory’s old building and its other adjacent buildings such as the dining hall are by no means simply monuments to the past. They are spaces inherited by new generations of students who each transform the way they are used.

 

 

 

 

　In summary, Yoshida Dormitory has huge architectural and historical significance. In the past, the university authorities recognised this fact and made a commitment to address the dorm’s issues with ageing. This commitment made by Vice President Akamatsu in 2012 was reaffirmed by the following Vice President Sugiman.

 

　Despite this fact, the current Vice President Kawazoe is trampling on the past efforts made by Yoshida Dormitory and the university authorities and has stated that he has no plans to order repairs to the dorm.