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The Yoshida dormitory (吉田寮, Yoshidaryō) is a student dormitory on the Yoshida Campus of Kyoto University. Built in 1913, it is the oldest student dormitory in Japan. Its associated dining hall, built in 1889, is the oldest structure on any Kyoto University campus.

History

The community agreed to create the dormitory with the student body taking administrative responsibility, but starting in the early 1970s both the Ministry of Education and the university leadership attempted to shut down dorms, including Yoshida, that they identified as "hotbeds for various kinds of conflict." Residents of Yoshida consistently resisted these efforts, including refusing to leave the dorm when, in 1986, the university announced a deadline for demolishing the dormitory. In June 2009 Kyoto University authorities proposed a plan for the partial demolition of the old dormitory to increase on-campus living capacity, but after an informal debate was held between university authorities and the community, the proposal failed to achieve support from dormitory residents.

Festival

The Yoshida Dormitory Festival is one of the largest of the many events at Kyoto University. It is held in May every year and is open to external participants. Among its events are the Kamogawa Race, in which participants run from Sanzyō Big Bridge to Demachiyanagi via Kamo River, preceded by a costume party and river swim.

Rooms

The Yoshida dormitory consists of 120 Japanese-style rooms and has a kitchen, showers, bathrooms, laundry rooms, common rooms, and a vegetable garden.

References

1. 150529: 京都大学吉田寮の保存活用に関する要望書（近畿支部） 日本建築学会 2015年5月29日
2. 京都大学寄宿舎吉田寮食堂建築物の調査実測によるその京都大学内で最古の建築物である実証 山根芳洋 七灯社建築研究所
3. Berman, Roy (May 4, 2010). "Yoshidaryo: Japan's most famously decrepit dormitory". CNN. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
4. O'Donoghue, J. J. (September 26, 2018). "At the Kyoto dorm that time forgot, Japanese students dig in". The Japan Times. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
5. "吉田寮改築、予算見通し立たず 焦点は新Ａ棟と食堂". Kyoto University Press. June 1, 2009. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
6. Yoshida dormitory festival Committee. (2014, June 7). The summary of Hitch race 2014 Retrieved: .
7. Itoken (2009, July 7). Ryōsai no nidai event-Hitch race to Kamogawa race-(The two main events of the dormitory festival-Hitch race and Kamogawa race-). Retrieved: .

• "The Japanese student dorm that governs itself"
• "Midnight Cafe ShinShinShin" (2022 visit to Yoshida)

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