Waseda

Waseda Station lies on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line in the Waseda district of Shinjuku Ward of Tokyo.

Waseda is a quiet and peaceful district located in the north-eastern part of Shinjuku. Despite the fact that there are no major attractions and few foreign visitors or tourists in the area, a few hotels are situated in Waseda. As the area lies between Shinjuku and Nihombashi, it makes Waseda an ideal place for a hotel to serve both the busy areas.

Waseda is also the place where Waseda University is situated.

Waseda University

Waseda University is one of Japan's top and most well-known private, coeducational institutions of higher learning. Often referred to as Sodai , the university is located a five minute walk from Waseda Station. Waseda has a reputation of being highly selective and admissions are only by entrance examinations.

Waseda University was founded in 1882 by the Meiji era politician, former prime minister, and samurai scholar Okuma Shigenobu, as a college with three departments. It was designated a full-fledged university in 1902. During the World War II bombings, Waseda University was almost completely destroyed, but was rebuilt and reopened in 1949. Today Waseda University is a comprehensive university with two high schools and academic programs in law, economics, the sciences, arts and architecture.

Besides this main Waseda campus, the University also has campuses in Chuo-ku and Nishitoukyou-shi of Tokyo, Tokorozawa-shi and Honjo-shi of Saitama, and Kitakyushu-shi of Fukuoka Prefecture.

Kansen-en Park

 

Kansen-en Park is located 5 minutes from Waseda Station. This small (1.4 ha) park was previously the residence of the Shimizu family, one of the most prominent families of the Edo era. After the Meiji Restoration in 1867, it was transferred to Marquis Souma, who handed it over to Shinjuku Ward in 1912.

 

Since Kansen-en Park was built during the Edo period, its style is also typically Edo. It is densely wooded and very quiet. Narrow stone paths meander through the trees and shrubs of many different varieties. There is a beautiful gourd-shaped pond, called Yamabuki-no-ido (meaning ‘well of the Japanese roses), in the middle of the park, which is surrounded by flowering shrubs. At the south end of the park is Mishima-Yama mountain. A Mizu-Inari Shrine is also located on the site.