Social Media Campaign “Tsukuba Nostalgia” Archives
The Bureau of Public Relations held a social networking project called “Tsukuba Nostalgia” on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn for the 50th anniversary of the university.
The campaign consisted of a “Photo Section” comparing photos of the University of Tsukuba in the past and present, and “Cafeteria Stories” introducing nostalgic cafeteria menus, which received many comments and likes from alumni and others.
In the end, 16 posts were made for the “Photo Section” (including related articles) and 3 posts for “Cafeteria Stories” in total. We hope that those who attended the 50th anniversary celebration and events, as well as those who did not, were able to enjoy remembering the places of Tsukuba.
In this article, we introduce the posts as archives.
CONTENTS
- PHOTO SECTION
- Where is this place? #01 “Loop Road (Yurinoki-dori Ave.)”
- Where is this place? #02 “Art and Physical Education Building (5C Building)”」
- Where is this place? #03 “Administration Center (Honbu-to).”
- Where is this place? #04 “Hirasuna Student Residence Hall”
- Where is this place? #05 “Chuo-Hiroba (Central Plaza)”
- Where is this place? #06 “Central Library”
- Where is this place? #07 “Oikoshi Student Residence Hall”
- Where is this place? #08 “Ichinoya Student Residence Hall”
- Where is this place? #09 “Tsukuba Training Lodge (Gasshukujo)”
- Where is this place? #10 “Practical Training Room (for Information Processing)”
- Where is this place? #11 “1E Building (Area 1)”
- Where is this place? #12 “University Hall”
- Where is this place? #13 “Athletic Field”
- Where is this place? #14 “A photo taken from Hirasuna 1, looking north”
- Where is this place? (Acknowledgment)
- CAFETERIA STORIES
PHOTO SECTION
【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #01 “Loop Road (Yurinoki-dori Ave.)”
■ Question
Next year, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s, shortly after the opening of the university. Anyone who has visited our campus has probably seen this spot before. Where exactly is this place?
Clue: It is called “***p” on campus. It is characterized by a roadway in the middle and sidewalks on both sides that are well separated.
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is “Loop Road (Yurinoki-dori Ave.)” Some people could pinpoint the photo’s location, like “Isn’t this the one taken from the west side of Hirasuna Student Residence Hall, heading north?” What a surprise, we received comments from a member of the inaugural class who took the original photo at that time. The tulip trees, which were once spindly, have now grown magnificently.
The University of Tsukuba Loop Bus runs on an internal circular road, commonly known as the “Loop Road,” that connects the campus, which stretches five kilometers from north to south and one kilometer from east to west. It is also used for local social and sports events, such as courses of Tsukuba Marathon.
We will continue the “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section from now on. So, stay tuned!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #02 “Art and Physical Education Building (5C Building)”
■ Question
Next year, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s, shortly after the opening of the university. It is said that classes were held in this building regardless of the schools/colleges, as the campus was still under construction. What is the name of this building?
Clue: Some students called it “Nandaimon (Great South Gate).”
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is “Art and Physical Education Building.” It is now called the “5C Building.” The photo was taken from the east (around Sport and Physical Education Center) looking west.
There were many correct answers this time. The difference in how you call the building showed when you were a member of our university!
After the Pedestrian Deck opened, those who lived in the Oikoshi and Hirasuna Student Residence Hall probably passed through it on their way to classes, and those who lived in the Ichinoya Student Residence Hall probably passed through it when they went shopping. Glass blocks used to be embedded on the facades were innovative, but were replaced with plane glass windows when the building was renovated.
The glass-walled student lounges were commonly called “goldfish bowls” by students. One of them, the so-called “Geibachi,” is now officially labeled “GEIBACHI.” Also, the UT Taiiku Gallery has been reopened in 5C Building. Feel free to drop by when you visit our campus! (Weekdays only. Free of charge)
Stay tuned on “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #03 “Administration Center (Honbu-to).”
■ Question
Next year, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s, shortly after the opening of the university.
Some students may never have a chance to enter this building, which is located on a bus route, during their time at university. But it plays a very important role.
Clue: The weeping cherry tree planted on the three-way street in front of the building symbolized spring.
The answer will be given in the new year!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is “Administration Center (Honbu-to).” The photo was taken from the “Daigaku Koen” bus stop, looking north on the loop road. ?
Nowadays, the “Tsukuba Daigaku Chuo” bus stop is right next to the Administration Center building. However, it is surprising to know that the current “Daigaku Koen” bus stop was “Tsukuba Daigaku Chuo” back in 1978. ?
The weeping cherry tree was transplanted from the Tokyo University of Literature and Science in 1975. Although it was a popular photo spot in spring every year, it weakened and regretfully disappeared in August 2020. See a photo of the tree when it was alive.?
And from 2021 onward, the bus stop bench renewal project is ongoing with support from a number of businesses.?
https://futureshipseat.sec.tsukuba.ac.jp/
Stay tuned on “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!?
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #04 “Hirasuna Student Residence Hall”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s, shortly after its opening.
This group of buildings welcomes students making their Tsukuba debut every year and gives them many memories.
Clue: The sense of “Home is where you can make it.” has never changed.
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is “Hirasuna Student Residence Hall.” The photo was taken from the Hirasuna Community Center, facing south. The dusty ground has been planted with trees and grass to create a peaceful, relaxing place.
The somber cream-colored buildings have been colorfully repainted when renovated. Shower rooms have been installed in each building, and the large public baths at Oikoshi and Ichinoya are no longer in use. Students walking out to the community center with a change of clothes in hand and wearing sandals are now seen only in Hirasuna.
The “Yadokari-sai Festival” held every May was born from the frontier spirit of students in the earliest era, who created their own fun out of scratch. Handmade mikoshi (portable shrines) and yukata (casual kimono) contests are exciting.
In the days when there were no mobile phones or the internet, a unique community existed: “almost everything in life was completed within a radius of 100m,” with a cafeteria, a small store, and a large public bath. Many of our alumni must have lifelong memories of nights spent talking and hanging out in their friends’ rooms.
Stay tuned on “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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Celebrating the 151st+50th Anniversary of the University of Tsukuba, we are chronicling the campus transition with nostalgic photos in “Tsukuba Nostalgia.”
This time, we focus on the Hirasuna Student Residence Hall, where many new students spent their youth, from its construction in the 1970s to the latest international exchange-type share house (Global Village).
We have compiled a one-minute video showing the place where the 20th and 21st centuries coexist.
About “Student Residence Hall”
/en/campuslife/support-healthlife/accommodation/
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #05 “Chuo-Hiroba (Central Plaza)”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s, shortly after its opening.
Many people must be familiar with the scenery here. But there is something strange. Something is missing.
Clue: Here may be the area with the most food options on campus.
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is the “Chuo-Hiroba (Central Plaza).” It is the place with the pond and fountain between Area 2 and Area 3. The photo was taken from the Ishi-no-Hiroba Plaza, facing north. The pond and fountain were planned from the beginning to prevent algae growth but were not completed until 1979. The photo was taken just before the completion and is valuable today.
Referring to the Department of Facilities’ documentation, The combination of the Ishi-no-Hiroba Plaza, the lawn slope, and the Stream Plaza together seems to be called the “Chuo-Hiroba (Central Plaza) ” and was designed to be the university’s largest symbolic space. There was even a plan for the grass slope to becoming a waterfall. But thank goodness they kept the lawn where people can have lunch with friends!
The Area 2 Cafeteria, the various food vendors called the “Sangaku-Meitengai Arcade,” and the bakery. Even the Halal food cafeterias opened about ten years ago. There is no need to worry about lunch choices. The Sohosai Festival’s stage is now set up in the Ishi-no-Hiroba Plaza, but there was a time when an “on-the-water stage” was temporarily built over the pond.
Stay tuned on “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #06 “Central Library”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1980s.
It is a bright, glass-walled space with a magnificent column. What are the people doing?
Clue: This is a place that every single student use for homework or writing papers.
The answer will be given in the new semester!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is the “Central Library.” This was a shot of the newspaper corner in Entrance Hall 2F, taken from the entrance gate. In 2008, a big coffee chain store opened here. It has now become a popular relaxing space for students.
The Central Library opened in October 1979, following the Art and Physical Education Library and the Medical Library. In addition to the Central Library, the University of Tsukuba Library consists of four specialized libraries, including the Library on Library and Information Science and the Otsuka Library. With a collection of approx. 2.7 million volumes, it is one of the largest libraries in Japan, and its open stack system is a key feature of the university’s libraries.
Stay tuned on “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #07 “Oikoshi Student Residence Hall”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s.
An area with sawtooth-shaped buildings. Where is this area, and where was it taken from?
Clue: Far from the classrooms, but close to the city center.
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is the “Oikoshi Student Residence Hall.” This photo was taken from the “Matsumi Park Observation Tower (a.k.a. “Bottle Opener Tower”). The cherry tree-lined street on the east side of the residence halls, a popular cherry blossom viewing spot for welcoming new students, and the Medical Center in the foreground are not yet there. The red pine forest that originally existed is remarkable.
Note that the pond with the “Bottle Opener Tower” is “Matsumi Pond(松見池),” and the one facing Area 1 is “Matsumi Pond(松美池)”, The kanji spellings are different. Make sure not to make a mistake!
Stay tuned on “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #08 “Ichinoya Student Residence Hall”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1980s.
This area is still brand new in the 80s. Where is the place in this picture?
Clue: By the pond.
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is the “Ichinoya Student Residence Hall.” This building is Ichinoya 34, facing Hyotaro-ike Pond. The name “Ichinoya” comes from “Ichinoya Yasaka Shrine” nearby, founded more than 1,000 years ago. To exterminate crows that were destroying crops, bow masters were gathered, and the place where the first arrow fell was named “Ichinoya (the first arrow).” For more details about the legend, please visit the shrine and read the monument.
Stay tuned on “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #09 “Tsukuba Training Lodge (Gasshukujo)”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s, shortly after its opening. Where is this building in the picture?
Clue: This roof looks familiar or not…
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is the “Tsukuba Training Lodge (Gasshukujo).” Located between the 1st Soccer Ground and the Handball Field, the photo was taken facing north from above the pedestrian deck that runs east-west through the Athletic Fields Area. Today, this building is unremarkable, but it played a crucial role around the years of the university’s opening.
Stay tuned on the “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #10 “Practical Training Room (for Information Processing)”
■ Question
【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #10
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s, shortly after the opening of the university.
Retrofuturistic machines line this room. Where is the place?
Clue: FORTRAN
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is the “Practical Training Room (for Information Processing).” It was extremely tough to pinpoint the location of this room. As a result of a massive search involving information system staff and professors who were university students, the location was identified as Meeting Room 5C108 (formerly 54-A01) on 1F, Art and Physical Education Building. Since its establishment, the University of Tsukuba has adopted the advanced curriculum in which the General Foundation Subject “Information Processing” is required for all students regardless of their major in sciences or humanities.
Stay tuned on the “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #11 “1E Building (Area 1)”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s, shortly after the opening of the university.
What is the name of this building or the name of the area where this building is located?
Clue: TAIKI “Atmosphere”
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #11(Answer)
The correct answer is the “1E Building” or “Area 1.”
It is around the back of our beloved “TAIKI (Atmosphere)” statue.
Stay tuned on the “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #12 “University Hall”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found a photo of the campus taken in the 1970s, shortly after the opening of the university.
The area still under construction can be seen in the distance. What building is this photo from where?
Clue: Dr. KANO Jigoro statue
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is the “University Hall” as seen from the “1C Building.” Skipping the University Hall, the Area 1 buildings were built earlier after the Art and Physical Education Building!
Stay tuned on the “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #13 “Athletic Field”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We found photos of the campus taken in the 1970s, before or after the opening of the university.
Where is this place?
Clue: Many athletes have competed in the Olympics from here.
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is the “Athletic Field.” This is a view looking west from between the soccer field and the pedestrian bridge across the loop road. These photos were taken before/after the opening of the university when a group from a neighboring town or village came to visit.
Although the aging of the track and field was a concern, it was successfully renovated in 2023. Thank you to everyone who donated to this project!
Stay tuned on the “Tsukuba Nostalgia” photo section!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? #14 “A photo taken from Hirasuna 1, looking north”
■ Question
This October, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Mr. WATANABE Ayato, a first-generation student, provided us with this “legendary photo” taken in 1974, just after the opening of the university.
From where and in which direction was this photo taken?
Clue: When it rains, we wear boots to and from school; when the sun shines, dust and sand fly…
The answer will be given in next week!
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■ Correct Answer
The correct answer is “A photo taken from Hirasuna 1, looking north.”
Finally, the 50th anniversary celebrating ceremonies and events of the university will take place this weekend.
We look forward to your visit and watching live stream from the bottom of our hearts!
https://50th.projects.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/ceremony/
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Where is this place? (Acknowledgment)
University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary on coming October 1.
Many of the photos introduced in “Tsukuba Nostalgia” are based on those provided by Mr. SAITO Minoru, a first-generation student of the School of Natural Sciences, to the Public Relations Office at the “Gathering of First-generation Students” held in 2014.
We would like to thank Mr. SAITO, Mr. WATANABE, Mr. FURUHATA Tsubasa, who is the organizer of the original Everyday Tsukuba Project, Tsukuba City, Central Library, and others for their cooperation in providing us with the photos.
The commemorative ceremony and events will be held this weekend!
Please come and visit the “now” of the places we have introduced.
https://50th.projects.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/ceremony
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CAFETERIA STORIES
【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Cafeteria Stories #01 “Old and New Katsu-Ben (Pork Cutlet Lunchbox)”
Next year, the University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Let us introduce some episodes related to the “cafeterias”, which support campus lives. Today’s nostalgic photo is “Katsu-ben” (pork cutlet lunchbox) sold at the Area 2 Cafeteria commonly known as “Nishoku.”
The “sense of unity between the moist sauce-soaked batter and white rice” had many students hooked on this long-selling menu item, but it disappeared about 10 years ago. However, the renewed “Sauce Katsu-ben” has come back earlier this year! The sauce is slightly less, and the side dishes are added to make the meal more colorful and healthier. As the 50th anniversary is approaching, the taste of the cafeterias is changing as well.
What was your favorite cafeteria menu?
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Cafeteria Stories #02 “Torimeshi” (Chicken Rice)
The University of Tsukuba will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. We introduce “Torimeshi” (Chicken Rice), one of the oldest lunchboxes in the on-campus cafeterias.
“Torimeshi” features sweet soy-sauce flavoring and sakura-dembu. Using tender brand chicken and tasty Ibaraki rice, it has a mild, traditional Japanese flavor by “Nishoku (Area 2 Cafeteria),” whose motto is “food safety and reasonable prices.” It is a friend of students still available for less than 400 yen.
Changing and unchanging tastes in university cafeterias.
We’ll show you a much-changed cafe next time!
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【Tsukuba Nostalgia】Cafeteria Stories #02.5 “Salad Torimeshi” (Chicken Rice with Salad)
In response to the many comments received on “Torimeshi” of the Area 2 Cafeteria, we would like to introduce the recently debuted “Salad Torimeshi” (Chicken Rice with Salad). Vegetables are added to the regular “Torimeshi” to make it healthier without adding a side dish.
Also, some people mentioned the famous cashier staff, who could do arithmetic very quickly. She used to be called either “Arithmetic Sister” or “Kumon Auntie,” depending on age. She has already retired and seems to be nearly 90 years old.
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