The Doshisha (学校法人同志社)
The Doshisha is an educational institution, which includes Doshisha University and Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts.
Founded by Joseph Hardy Neesima (Jo NIIJIMA) in 1875, the Doshisha had nine educational institutions as of April 2005, ranging from kindergarten to university, all of which use the name "Doshisha." These are Christian institutions that are run based on the principles of Protestantism (Congregationalism). Approximately 36,000 students were studying at the Doshisha as of April 2004.
At present, Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I) rates the Doshisha at
The founding spirit
The Doshisha was founded on the sprit of "conscience," based on the spirit of Christianity. Joseph Hardy Neesima defined a goal of nurturing "those who use their abilities as conscience dictates." He wanted to send "graduates filled with conscience" into the world by providing an education based on Christian values and thereby fostering well-balanced individuals. Some memorial monuments on which his ideal of education has been inscribed in his own handwriting are housed at several educational institutions, such as Doshisha University. On these monuments one can see the following words: "I earnestly desire that many young people filled with conscience will be raised and sent out by our school."
Additionally, the Doshisha established the fundamental educational ideals of "Christian principles," "liberalism" and "internationalism" in order to achieve the education of "conscience"; through these ideals the Doshisha seeks to send forth those who are "the nation's conscience."
Academic tradition and university feature
The Doshisha is an educational institution based on Protestantism, and it has a lineage of the Congregational church. However, it is different from other Christian universities in that it doesn't seek to preach Christianity as a main goal of education.
Brief history
In 1875, Joseph Hardy Neesima, one of the six great educators of the Meiji era, established the Doshisha English School, which ultimately became the present Doshisha.
Chronology
1875: Joseph Hardy Neesima established Doshisha English School at Marutamachi, Teramachi-dori Street, Kyoto Prefecture. There were two teachers and eight students.
1876: The campus was relocated from Teramachi to Imadegawa.
1877: In April, Doshisha Bunko Nyokoba was established and in September it was renamed as the Doshisha Girls' School.
1883: The Rules of the School were established. 1887: The Doshisha Hospital and Kyoto Training School for Nurses were established.
1888: "The Goal in Establishing Doshisha University" was published in major newspapers and magazines.
1890: The Doshisha Harris Science School was established.
1891: The Doshisha School of Political Science and Law was established.
1896: The General School was renamed as the Doshisha Higher General School. The Doshisha Junior High School (Doshisha Jinjo Chugakko) was established.
1897: M. F. Denton established Demachi Kindergarten. 1900: Demachi Kindergarten was renamed as Imadegawa Kindergarten. 1904: Doshisha Divinity School and Doshisha College were established in accordance with the Acts of Colleges. The Doshisha School of Political Science and Law was abolished.
1906: Doshisha Hospital and the Kyoto Training School for Nurses were abolished. The Doshisha Harris Science School was abolished.
1912: Doshisha University (Preparatory School, School of Theology, Faculty of Political Science and Economics, and Department of English) and the Advanced Course of Doshisha Girls' School (the departments of English and Home Economics) were approved under the Acts of Colleges. 1920: Doshisha University was approved under the University Ordinance.
1922: Doshisha University was reorganized as a professional school under the Acts of Colleges. 1943: Doshisha Junior High School was approved under the Junior High School Ordinance.
1944: The Doshisha Engineering College was established.
1947: Imadegawa Kindergarten was renamed as Doshisha Kindergarten.
1948: The University, High School, Commercial Evening High School and Girls' High School were approved under the New School System Ordinance. 1951: Doshisha incorporated Kori School and therewith opened the Doshisha Kori Junior and Senior High schools.
1976: The Doshisha Commercial Senior High School was abolished.
1980: The Doshisha International Junior and Senior High Schools were established.
1986: The Tanabe Campus (the present-day Kyotanabe Campus) was opened. 1988: The Doshisha International Junior and Senior High Schools were established.
2006: Doshisha Elementary School was established.
Educational institutions included in the Doshisha and other related schools
University
Doshisha University (Imadegawa Campus, Muromachi Campus, Shinmachi Campus, Kyotanabe Campus and Gakken Toshi Campus)
Doshisha Women's University (Imadegawa Campus and Kyotanabe Campus)
High School
Doshisha High School
Junior and Senior High School
Doshisha Girls' Junior and Senior High School
Doshisha Kori Junior and Senior High School
Doshisha International Junior and Senior High School
Junior High School
Doshisha Junior High School
Elementary School
Doshisha Elementary School (affiliated with Doshisha University)
Kindergarten
Doshisha Kindergarten
Others (not included in the Doshisha but related educational institutions)
Niijima Gakuen Junior and Senior High School
Niijima Gakuen Junior College
Closed educational institutions
Doshisha English School
Doshisha Harris Science School
Doshisha School of Political Science and Law
Doshisha Junior High School (Doshisha Jinjo Chugakko)
Doshisha Junior College
Doshisha Women's Junior College
Doshisha Commercial High School
A school to be established
Doshisha International Elementary School
Facilities
Doshisha Biwako Retreat Center
It is a venue for "Christian education and international exchange," having been constructed as a project to commemorate the Doshisha's 125th anniversary. It houses accommodations and athletic facilities that students and others related to the Doshisha can use for seminars and club activities.
Neesima Hall
This hall is located in the courtyard at the residence of Doshisha founder Joseph Hardy Neesima. It consists of a main building and its annex, being used by alumni.
Social connection
Cultural properties
The Doshisha has the following cultural properties:
Important Cultural Properties
The Doshisha has the following important cultural properties, as designated by the national government:
Architecture
Doshisha Chapel (Doshisha University, Imadegawa Campus)
No. 1575
Classification 1, School Architecture
Designated date: July 1, 1963
Completed in 1886
Structure style: A one-story brick building with a mezzanine floor, basement, iron-sheet thatched roof and building area of 316.0 sq.m. It was designed by D. C. Greene and completed in 1886. This is an American-Gothic brick building, with its iron-sheet thatched roof. It was built with a donation from the American Board. This is the oldest brick Protestant chapel still existing in Japan. The builder was Kichibei MIKAMI, who was also in charge of building Yushukan. It is famous for the beauty of its stained glass, which was described as the fallen "rays of five colored lights" in Roka TOKUTOMI's novel, "Black Eyes and Brown Eyes." The chapel was designated as a national important cultural property in 1963, and was partly dismantled and repaired during the period from 1987 to 1990. It is still used today, and services are held every week. Moreover, it is permissible for those who are related to the Doshisha to have wedding ceremonies there on weekends. It is the second chapel for the Doshisha (the first was made from wood).
Shoeikan (Doshisha Junior High School)
Designed by D. C. Greene, it was completed in 1884. It is an American-Gothic brick building with a tiled roof. It was built with a donation from the American Board. This is the oldest brick building still existing in Japan.
Yushukan (Doshisha University, Imadegawa Campus)
No. 1575
Classification 1, School Architecture
Designated date: May 21, 1979
Completed in 1887
Type of structure: a two-story brick building with a basement floor and pantiled roof (excluding the interior), with a building area of 352.3 sq.m. It was constructed as a library (Shosekikan) in 1887. At the time of its construction, this building was the largest school library in Japan. It was designed by D. C. Greene. Kichibei MIKAMI was a builder. It was the first Doshisha University library. In 1928, when Emperor Showa was in Kyoto for the enthronement ceremony, a fire broke out in Yushukan. The Kyoto Palace, where the ceremony was held, was beside the Imadegawa Campus of Doshisha University, so the university authorities placed the guards in charge of protecting the campus. However, a large wooden brazier set in the office of the campus heated up, and a fire broke out. Because of this, University President Danjo EBINA, a manager and a supervisor took responsibility and resigned. Doshisha was cursed, as if it were a traitor to Japan. The surviving framework of Yushukan was to be removed, but Goichi TAKEDA, a builder of the Doshisha Girls' School, recommended repairing and preserving the building. Yushukan was finally preserved by making reinforced concrete walls (wall thickness: 15 cm) at inner surface of the outside walls.
Harris Science Hall (Doshisha University, Imadegawa Campus)
No. 1575
Classification 1, School Architecture
Designated date: May 21, 1979
Completed in 1890
Structure style: The building has a brick exterior and a pantiled roof. A laboratory is located in the northeast section of the building. Building area: 587.0 sq.m. It was built with a donation from Jonathan N. Harris, of New London, Connecticut, U.S.A. Alex N. Hansell, an English architect of the Royal Institute of British Architects, designed it. This British-style brick building was completed in 1890. It was designated as a national important cultural property on May 21, 1979.
Clarke Memorial Hall (Doshisha University, Imadegawa Campus)
No. 1575
Classification 1, School Architecture
Designated date: May 21, 1979
Completed in 1894
Structure Style: The building has a brick exterior and a pantiled roof. A penthouse with a copper roof is located in the southeast section of the building. Building area: 389.4 sq.m
It has a specification of designated architecture, as well as an architect's blueprint. It was built with a donation from Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Clarke in memory of their son, who died young. This building is based on the German neo-Gothic style, and its unique steeple is considered a symbol of Doshisha University. It was called the Clarke Seminary when first established in 1894, and it served as a center for theological education and research. It was designated as a national important cultural property along with a "blueprint" and a "specification of a newly constructed building" in May of 1979. The building was under repair for preservation purposes from January 2003 to December 2007. At the Doshisha Eve held in 2006, people inscribed words on the beam that was to be used for the repair work; the beam was said to be durable for at least 100 years.
National tangible cultural property
Architecture
Amherst House (Doshisha University Imadegawa Campus)
Registered No. 26-0200
Type of structure: a reinforced concrete building of three stories having a basement floor and a slate roof, with a building area of 343 sq.m.
Completed in 1874
Location: 632 Imadegawa-dori Street karasuma Higashi iru Sokokuji Monzenmachi, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Registered date: November 10, 2005
Date gazetted: December 5, 2005
Construction started on November 29, 1931.
Completed on March 20, 1932
It is of New England Georgian-style architecture and has a distinctively symmetrical outline. It was designated a registered tangible cultural property (architecture) on June 27, 2005. It has been used as a dormitory (Amherst dormitory) but is now undergoing repair.
Doshisha Keimeikan West Wing (Doshisha University, Imadegawa Campus)
Registered No. 26-0257
Type of structure: a four-story brick and reinforced concrete structure having a slate roof and a breezeway, with a building area of 153 sq.m.
Completed in 1915
Location: 602-1 Genbu-cho, Karasuma Higashi-iru, Imadegawa-dori Street, Kamigyo-ku Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Registered date: July 31, 2007
Date gazetted: August 13, 2007
It was constructed as the second Doshisha University library in 1915. The designer was William Merrell Vories. When the present Doshisha University Imadegawa Library (the University's third library) was completed in December 1973, this old library was renamed "Keimeikan." It was registered on July 31, 2007.
Doshisha Keimeikan Main building (Doshisha University, Imadegawa Campus)
Registered No. 26-0256
Type of structure: a five-story brick and reinforced concrete building with a slate roof and a building area of 406 sq.m.
Completed in 1920
Location: 602-1 Imadegawa-dori Street Karasuma Higashi iru Genbucho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Registered date: July 31, 2007
Date gazetted: August 13, 2007
It was constructed as the second Doshisha University Library in 1920. It was designed by William Merrell Vories. When the present Doshisha University Imadegawa Library (the University's third library) was completed in December 1973, this old library was renamed "Keimeikan." It was registered on July 31, 2007.
Doshisha Friend Peace House (formerly the Doshisha Hawaii Dormitory)
Doshisha Women's University, James Hall (Doshisha Women's University, Imadegawa Campus)
Doshisha Women's University, Eiko-kan (Doshisha Women's University, Imadegawa Campus)
Others
Former estate of the lord of the Satsuma domain (Doshisha University, Imadegawa Campus)
In the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate there was a residence of the lord of the Satsuma domain on the present Imadegawa Campus of Doshisha University. The residence was relocated from Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City in 1862, and was used as a meeting place for those who were attempting to overthrow the shogunate.
The former Konoe estate (Doshisha University, Shinmachi campus)
There was a residence of the Konoe family, a court noble (Kuge) and one of the regent families (Sekke) in the vicinity of Rinkokan, on the Shinmachi campus of Doshisha University. The part of the residence is now conserved in the basement of Rinkokan.
Stone-paved historical site (Doshisha University, Muromachi Campus)
It was found during the excavations that were performed prior to the construction of Kambaikan, on the Muromachi Campus, in 2002. Some earthenware dating from about the sixteenth century was found within the stone-paved site. According to "Views in and Around Kyoto (Rakuchu rakugai zu)", the area around Kambaikan was considered to have been the site of the Muromachi estate (Muromachi dono), which the twelfth shogun Yoshiharu ASHIKAGA had reconstructed. Identified as being the site that was portrayed in "Views in and Around Kyoto," the stone-paved site seems to be a part of a shrine located in the northeast section of the Muromachi estate and a foundation of the reclaimed land in the southern section of the shrine. Today one can see a part of the stone-paved site in its original condition at Kambaikan.
Dinosaur track fossil (Doshisha University, Imadegawa Campus)
There is a fossilized dinosaur footprint located in a breezeway between Amherst House and a guest house. This footprint came from the Connecticut Valley in the U.S., and the fossil carries the following inscription: "footprints left in the sands of time." It was sent from "the New World" to "the Old World" to commemorate the long-standing bond between the Doshisha and Amherst, and between Japan and the U.S.