The Waseda University Clocktower
Writing this blog, I feel a particular sense of contradiction for which I am sure there isa Japanese word that I have yet to learn. I simultaneously canʼt believe that myself andthe rest of DS18 have been at Waseda so long already, yet I also feel so at home that it
feels like weʼve all been here for much longer.

Okuma Shigenobu. Prime Minister and University founder.

Given that we are the first set of Daiwa Scholars to study at Waseda, I donʼt think anyof us quite knew exactly what to expect when we began at the University, including theDaiwa staff in London and Tokyo. Following some flat hunting facilitated by the helpful
agents at the Waseda Student Housing Centre (featured in Aileenʼs last blog), we all
met with our supervisors (Kim-sensei and Mohri-sensei) for a short written Japaneseexam followed by a brief conversation in Japanese. Based on our performances, Kimsensei and Mohri-sensei assigned us core classes and gave us a shiny, lavender-coloured
Argos book of optional classes to choose from. Highlights of the week for yours truly
include courses on short stories, newspapers, drama, and history ‒ all taught inJapanese of course.

The Waseda Student Housing Centre.
A disclaimer for future scholars: all scholars take some optional courses, but myself,
Graham, and Aileen take more than average because we already had some exposure toJapanese before beginning the scholarship. Most future scholars will probably have themajority of their time taken up by the Intensive Japanese core course, in the firstsemester at least. Added on to these classes are weekly meetings with a supervisor(Mohri-sensei in my case), which I have found to be a really useful opportunity topractice spoken Japanese and to ask questions about tough grammar points (of which
there are many). As Daiwa scholars we also get some extra lectures on various subjects
surrounding Japanese culture, one of which included a tour of the wonderfully
Shakespearean Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre in the middle of campus.

Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre

Professor Tsubouchi completed the first ever Japanese translation of all of Shakespeare’s plays, aswell as being a playwright in his own right. Japanese students of English at Waseda rub his hand forgood luck before exams.
Alongside imitations of Tudor architecture, Waseda also has lots of good study spaces.
The Universityʼs main library is medium-sized by UK standards, and there is a separate,
smaller library in building 22 for students of Japanese. However, as a cliched millennial
who works best with the susurration of others around him, I prefer to work in building22ʼs student common room, the Howard Hagiya International Student Lounge inbuilding 3, or the University café.

Waseda University Library

Building 22

Building 22 student common room

Howard Hagiya International Student Lounge

Waseda Café, where a very Murakami-esque jazz playlist is always playing.

The Waseda Cafeteria.

No Smoking!
Outside of study, the University also has a long list of clubs (called ʻcirclesʼ here), andthe Intercultural Communication Centre (or ICC), which hosts a lot of “edutainment”
events ‒ the Japanese conversation club is a great opportunity for practice! Wasedaʼsgym is also five minutes away from the main area at the neighbouring Toyama campus.
As gymʼs go itʼs fairly standard, but the people are very nice, and itʼs staggeringly cheapat around 3000 yen (£20 approx.) for a year. Another quick disclaimer to futurescholars: follow signs for the gym and youʼll get lost like I did! Instead follow signs for
the Training Centre. Itʼs in the basement of the Student Union building where, as Alba
eloquently put it, you can hear the sound of Japanese students ʻplaying all instruments
at all levels of ability all at the same timeʼ.

The ICC. Distinguishable by its many flags!

The entrance to the “Training Centre”

However, Iʼm sure that, just like many of those musicians, Iʼve still got a long way to go.
Thereʼs still a lot more that Iʼm looking forward to at Waseda, and Iʼm sure that whatIʼve detailed here is just a small fraction of whatʼs on offer. So, to the future Daiwa
scholars reading this, I hope that it helps you find what Iʼve found and even more, andI look forward to visiting you guys on campus this time next year!
-Enzo