Sophia University Ichigaya Campus

Gazing upon Sophia University’s Ichigaya Campus, one might sense the echoes of vibrant international exchange. Sophia University Ichigaya Campus, once a hub of global learning, opened in September 1974. The campus inherited the space from the Tokyo Seminary Philosophy Department, which relocated to Seki-machi, Nerima-ku. The International Division also moved to the Ichigaya Campus from Yotsuya. This division transitioned into the Faculty of Foreign Studies, Department of Japanese Language and Culture in 1975. It was renamed the Department of Comparative Cultures in 1977. Until 2006, Sophia University Ichigaya Campus served as the home for the Faculty of Comparative Culture. This faculty eventually became the Faculty of Liberal Arts and moved to the Yotsuya Campus. Throughout its time, the Ichigaya Campus fostered a rich environment of intercultural exchange, making it a significant location in Sophia University’s history. Even the statue of Saint Francisco Xavier, a relic from the Tokyo Catholic Seminary’s time on the site, was carefully moved to the Yotsuya Campus. This ensured the continued presence of this historical figure in the university community. The Sophia University Ichigaya Campus also hosted the Asian Studies Conference Japan (ASCJ) for its first nine years, from 1997 to 2005. This conference aimed to promote interdisciplinary Asian studies scholarship in English, connecting researchers based in Japan. The Ichigaya Campus also briefly housed the Sophia University Socio-Economic Institute (SUSEI), established in 1963. SUSEI, with its International Management Development Seminars (IMDS), hosted numerous symposiums and seminars on international business and economics throughout the 1960s and 70s. SUSEI moved to the Ichigaya Campus in 1974 before eventually being incorporated into the Institute of Comparative Culture (ICC) in 1981. The ICC itself was founded at Ichigaya Campus in 1981, aiming to enhance international programs and curriculum development. The ICC remained at Ichigaya until 2006 when it also relocated to the Yotsuya Campus. Although the Ichigaya Campus closed in 2019, its legacy of international education and cultural exchange remains a vital part of Sophia University’s story.