“Statement of Purpose” is here

Citizens' Association for the Conservation and Registration of the Yoshida Dormitory as an Architectural Cultural Property 

 Kyoto University’s Yoshida Dormitory was constructed in 1913. And after 113 years, it is one of the oldest surviving student dormitories in Japan. Most of the two-story wooden Old Dormitory retains its original appearance, making it an architecturally significant example of a large-scale Western-style wooden building from the early Taishō period. Moreover, part of the building incorporates structural timber reused from the dormitory of the former Third Higher Middle School, later the Third Higher School (Sankō). As such, Yoshida Dormitory embodies the history of the higher educational institution that was brought to Kyoto during the Meiji period and stands as a valuable cultural asset reflecting Kyoto’s modernization and its development as Japan’s leading university city. Most importantly, the building has continuously served as a student residence since its completion in 1913. Whereas many historic buildings survive only as museum pieces or frozen monuments, the Yoshida Dormitory has remained a rare example of living architectural heritage, inhabited and cared for by generations of students for more than a century. 

 Today, however, the Old Dormitory faces the imminent threat of demolition. 

 As widely reported, the lawsuit between Kyoto University and the residents of Yoshida Dormitory concluded with a court-mediated settlement on 25 August 2025. Under the settlement, the residents agreed to vacate the Old Dormitory, after which the University would undertake seismic improvement works—including the possibility of reconstruction—within five years. However, in the policy announced by Kyoto University on 14 April 2026, no detailed findings were presented regarding the feasibility of repairing or conserving the existing building. Instead, the document describes a plan to replace the Old Dormitory with a new building and envisages the construction of another facility on the site. 

 Kyoto University has repeatedly stated that it will give due consideration to the historical significance of the building. Yet it has provided no adequate explanation of how the architectural and historical values of the Yoshida Dormitory have been assessed, or how they might be conserved and passed on to future generations. Demolition takes only a moment. Once a historic building that has survived for 113 years is lost, it can never be recovered. We therefore seek to bring together architects, architectural historians, conservation specialists, and members of the public citizens to ensure that the Old Dormitory is must not demolished without thorough investigation and assessment after the residents have vacated it. We also wish to propose practical approaches for its conservation and continued use. One such approach is its registration as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. 

 Architectural experts have suggested that the wooden structure of Yoshida Dormitory may possess a cultural value comparable to that of nationally designated Important Cultural Properties. However, designation as an Important Cultural Property entails strict legal restrictions on alteration. By contrast, the Registered Tangible Cultural Property system provides greater flexibility for interior renovation and upgrading of facilities, making it possible to preserve historic buildings while adapting them to contemporary needs. Kyoto University already has many buildings on its campus registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. These registrations have enhanced the value of the University’s architectural heritage while contributing to the preservation of the historic townscape surrounding Yoshida Hill, located at the foot of Kyoto's Higashiyama Mountains. 

 As citizens who support both the continued development of Kyoto University and the harmonious preservation of the surrounding urban landscape, we call upon Kyoto University to register the historically significant buildings of the Yoshida Dormitory as cultural properties, to prepare a conservation and rehabilitation plan, and to incorporate them into its long-term vision for the campus. We also call upon the Kyoto City, other relevant public authorities, cultural heritage professionals, local residents, and all those who value our shared architectural heritage to support the conservation and transmission of this irreplaceable architectural cultural asset to future generations.