Ichigaya

 

Ichigaya Station is located in Chiyoda Ward of Tokyo. It is served by the JR Chuo-Sobu Line, the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line, the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line, and the Toei Shinjuku Line. The Chuo Line rapid service just passes through the station. The JR East station is located above ground, and the subway line stations are located underground.

 

 

Ichigaya is a district in the eastern part of Shinjuku Ward bordering Chiyoda Ward. The area is known for the several universities located here, as well as the Ministry of Defense Headquarters, which is situated near Ichigaya Station.

 

 

Ministry of Defense

 

The Ministry of Defense of Japan is headquartered in Ichigaya, on the site which was previously the Ichigaya Military Academy built in 1874. It became a cabinet level ministry on January 9, 2007, before which it was the Japan Defense Agency. The Ministry is headed by the Minister of State for Defense, who is assisted by a vice minister, an administrative vice minister, two parliamentary secretaries, and ten directors-general. But according to the Japanese constitution, the Prime Minister of Japan is the highest figure in the command structure. It is the Prime Minister who is authorized to order the Forces into action after taking Diet's consent. In case of emergency, the Prime Minister may order action without permission from Diet.

 

Hosei University (Ichigaya Campus)

 

Hosei University is a private university and one of ‘Tokyo Six Universities', the six most prestigious institutions in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area . It was established in 1880 as a school of law and later merged with School of French Studies in 1889. In 1903, it adopted the name Hosei University and was recognized as a full private university in 1920. Today, Hosei University has three campuses – at Ichigaya, Koganei, and Tama.

 

The Ichigaya Campus is located a few minutes' walk from Ichigaya Station. Its 26-story Boissonade Tower, completed in 2000, can be seen from the station. Despite being located in the center of the city, the Campus holds a unique calm fresh green atmosphere. It is surrounded by the Outer Moat and the thickly wooded Yasukuni Shrine. The Faculty of Engineering, Art, and Technology (Graduate Courses), the Law School, Innovation Management Accounting School, and the Faculty of Social Policy and Administration are on the Ichigaya Campus of Hosei University.

 

Boissonade Tower is the symbol of the Campus. This imposing 26-story structure, named after Dr. Gustave Emile Boissonade, known as the founder of Japanese Contemporary Law and major contributor to the founding of Hosei University, was built to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Hosei's founding. The building houses classrooms and student gathering areas, all equipped with multimedia technology capability and energy saving-ecological equipment.

 

Sophia University (Ichigaya Campus)

 

Sophia University was established in 1913 after Pope Pius X authorized the Society of Jesus to establish the first Catholic university in Japan. At the time it included the Departments of Philosophy, German Literature, and Commerce. In 1928, the university was re-organized according to Japanese law – with Faculties, and various Departments under each Faculty. Today, Sophia is a large and prestigious university with several Faculties and Departments offering both undergraduate and graduate courses.

The Ichigaya Campus of Sophia University houses the Office of the Faculty of Comparative Culture, Office of the Department of Comparative Culture, Office of the Department of Japanese Language and Studies. Graduate Program of Comparative Culture, and the Institute of Comparative Culture. The Campus is only a 5 minute walk from Ichigaya Station.