University Seminar House

Overview

The University Seminar House, opened in 1965, is a facility used for seminars and other events by numerous universities, corporations, and research groups in the Kanto region. It's also known as a unique architectural work designed by Takamasa Yoshizuka, and selected as one of Japan's Top 20 Modern Architectural Works. During the turbulent 1960s, marked by student activism, Souichiro Iida, a staff member of International Christian University, persuaded the presidents of major Tokyo universities—including the University of Tokyo, Waseda University, Keio University, Chuo University, Hitotsubashi University, and Tsuda College—to establish a jointly run organization. The University Seminar House opened in Shimoyuzu, Hachioji in 1965. While the initially central role of the university joint seminar diminished with decreasing student participation (ending in 2003), various seminars hosted by the University Seminar House for students, university staff, and professionals have taken its place. The official name is currently the University Seminar House, a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation. The names of the university presidents and heads at the time of its founding are preserved in the names of facilities and places within the Seminar House. Incidentally, the term "Seminar House" is a coinage by Iida. The design of the Seminar House facilities was undertaken by Takamasa Yoshizuka + U Research Laboratory (Yoshizuka was then a professor at Waseda University), with construction by Shimizu Corporation. The design was carried out in phases to accommodate facility expansion. The design for the 20th-anniversary commemorative building was done solely by the U Research Laboratory, as Yoshizuka had passed away. More recent buildings, such as the International Student House and Sakura Hall, were designed by other architects. The main building, designed like a triangular wedge driven into the ground, served as the model for the Science Patrol base in the tokusatsu TV program "Ultraman." It has also been frequently used as a filming location for other television programs. The University Seminar House is a place of learning and exchange where unique architecture and lush natural surroundings blend harmoniously. We encourage you to visit.