Skip main navigation

New lower prices! Get up to 50% off 1000s of courses. 

Explore courses

Noguchi Room as a space for communication

Noguchi Room as a space for communication
As we saw in Week 1, Taniguchi and Noguchi inherited the spirit of Yukichi Fukuzawa. They conceived of a space to serve as a new “Banraisha,” where students, faculty, and others could gather for dialogue on the post-war campus.

In 1964, the Keio University International Center was placed in the Second Faculty Building, and the Noguchi Room became a place for activities by exchange students from outside Japan.

Hong Kong Exchange seminar with the Chinese University of Hong Kong (students visiting Keio), May 22 to June 3, 1980 (Photo: Toji Kuroda)

Isamu Noguchi visiting Keio Isamu Noguchi visiting Keio, June 27, 1967 (Photo: Toji Kuroda)

The room was also used for events such as tea ceremony and kimono dressing workshops for exchange students. In 1967, Noguchi visited Keio again, and a photo still exists of him relaxing and chatting with Keio University President Kunio Nagasawa and others.

Chirac Ceremony presenting French President Jacques Chirac with an honorary doctorate, November 18, 1996 (Photo: Toji Kuroda)

The Noguchi Room was also used for a wide range of cultural exchange events, including international discussions on education, and hospitality for VIPs from other countries visiting Japan.

U.S.-Japan discussions U.S.-Japan discussions on higher education, July 6, 1989 (Photo: Toji Kuroda)

References

  • Makiko Sugiyama (editor), Banraisha: A Concerto of Yoshiro Taniguchi and Isamu Noguchi (in Japanese), Kajima Institute Publishing, 2006.

© Keio University
This article is from the free online

Invitation to Ex-Noguchi Room: Preservation and Utilization of Cultural Properties in Universities

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now