I even met a senior colleague who admired university founder Shigenobu Okuma so much that he always visited his grave on the anniversary of his death and had even built an altar at his home.

I know that kid too; he's what you'd call a "Waseda fanatic" (laughs). I was surprised to hear that he loves the "Square Cap" so much that he keeps getting his friends to buy him one after another.

I bought one too! I bought it at "Kinen Pennant Ogiwara," located just outside the east gate of Waseda Campus, after hearing about the history of the academic cap. It's a very memorable purchase for me.

Until around the 1960s, university students wore school uniforms instead of casual clothes. The cap they wore with them was called a "Square Cap." However, the number of students who wear mortarboards has drastically decreased, and Ogiwara's shop is the only one that sells them. Determined to prevent their extinction, they launched the "Square Cap Revival Project," raising funds through crowdfunding and working hard to establish a manufacturing route.

That makes me happy. When I enrolled, the Waseda Festival was on hiatus. The organizing committee's management system, including unclear financial statements, was being criticized. I'll never forget the sad look on the face of a senior member of the student club I was involved with, as he boasted, "Until recently, Waseda Festival even had events where celebrities were id." Later, when Waseda Festival was revived during my fourth year, I conducted  a performance of the Alma Mater as a member of the cheering squad on the closing stage. Standing on the special stage in front of the Okuma Auditorium, in front of students and visitors that filled as far as the eye could see, the moment I shouted, "Folks, the festival is just getting started!" is one of my best memories from my time at the university.

I'm involved in the activities of student staff at the "ICC (Intercultural Communication Center)." Even though we're in the global environment of Waseda University, opportunities to interact with international students are limited if you only attend classes. The ICC is a place you can easily visit, and you might even make a new friend while you're having lunch. We also plan many events, allowing you to experience various forms of intercultural exchange.

At Sanpin Shokudo, we've seen an increase in international students among our customers. At lunchtime, it's so crowded with foreign languages being spoken that you might wonder, "Is this really Japan?" 

I feel that Waseda truly has a lot of delicious restaurants, so much so that even discerning foodies frequent them. ICC also holds events that tour cultural properties and historical sites around the university, and I think the fact that it's an area where you can feel history and art is one of the great things about Waseda.

Speaking of student life, "Waseda Sports" is an essential part of it. Of course, there are famous events like the Hakone Ekiden (Track and Field Club) and Rugby matches(Rugby Football Club), but watching other sports is also fun. The "Waseda-Keio Regatta" (Rowing Club), held on the Sumida River in spring, is a boat competition that you don't see very often. I highly recommend going to see it in person.

I was deeply moved when I watched the Waseda-Keio baseball game. There were so many spectators, and I was overwhelmed by the passion of the cheering squad. When everyone sang the Alma Mater together, I thought, "This is Waseda!"

The essence of university sports lies in competing with tradition and pride. The differences in cheering culture among universities are also a highlight. However, many students may not know the songs, but don't worry. To start with, it's fine if you can just sing the phrase "Waseda, Waseda!"​

We had the pleasure of hearing from four wonderful individuals who are overflowing with love for Waseda. However, there may be some students who say, "I don't have any special affection for Waseda," or "It wasn't actually my first choice."

Actually, my first choice was a national university (laughs). When I first enrolled, I thought, "This is such a rough and tumble (bankara) university..." but that feeling didn't last long. I joined the karate club and spent my days training six days a week, turning down invitations to movies and group dates, and within a year, I had grown to love the gritty nature of Waseda.

Perhaps it was because the school had a culture that "respected students who dedicated themselves to something." Not only were there students who got all A's and got jobs at major companies, but there were also students who competed in the Olympics in sports, students who immersed themselves in literary works, and students who were absorbed in mathematics and physics. There was even a student who showed me a world I didn't know existed by putting on a play using only finger puppets. It was because all students respected each other that I also found my place.

The school's diverse atmosphere may have been cultivated since the time of its founder, Shigenobu Okuma. In his youth, Okuma was a highly capable bureaucrat in the Meiji government, and it is said that he was advised to be too strict with his subordinates. However, by the time he became Prime Minister, he had become a gentle and mild-mannered person. Okuma valued meeting people, and it is said that many people, from important figures both domestically and internationally to newspaper reporters and supporters, frequently visited him. There are also anecdotes of him treating students, as well as people from different regions and professions, on an equal footing, and approximately 300,000 people gathered at his funeral.

Throughout its history, Waseda has attracted students from all over Japan and even from overseas, who have made significant contributions. Today's open atmosphere can be seen as a continuation of that tradition.

Currently, many top executives in Japanese businesses are Waseda University graduates. They all say the same thing: "Waseda graduates approach organizational matters as if they were their own." When it comes to getting their hands dirty, many people make excuses and avoid it, but Waseda graduates are different. Many of them jump in without hesitation, which is why they are relied upon by those around them. Perhaps the large number of Waseda graduates in management positions is a result of this accumulation of experience. I am also happy that Waseda graduates are supported by people outside the university.

However, what makes me feel the most "love for Waseda" is not just the large number of Waseda graduates in business, but also the school's atmosphere and the spirit of Okuma, and especially when I witness the students working hard. For example, the baseball team competing at Jingu Stadium, the cheering squad enthusiastically encouraging others, the volunteer staff working to contribute to disaster-stricken areas, and even the kind-hearted students who ask "Which floor?" in the elevator during Waseda Festival—they are all working hard "for something" or "for someone." Such people are irreplaceable treasures to me.