Photography: Kota Nunokawa
We present messages from the deans of each Senior Dean and school to all of you who will graduate or complete your studies at Waseda University in March 2025. Please keep these words in mind as you move forward toward your dreams.
History is a never-ending dialogue between the present and the past (E.H. Carr)
Faculty of Political Science and Economics
Masato Shizume
These words are from the book "What is History?" by historian E.H. Carr. Carr further states that history is also a dialogue between the past and the future that lies beyond the present. Our society faces many challenges, including global environmental issues, global geopolitical changes, widening disparities, the rise of populism, the retreat of liberal democracy, and a declining population in Japan due to a low birth rate, and our actions in the present will create the future. Please remember that the daily activities of our predecessors have created the history of mankind, and while learning from the past with an open mind, create a new page in history with your own efforts.
Next One!
Faculty of Law
Tatsuhisa Tamura
Regardless of who said it (the painter Picasso or the comedian Chaplin), it is said that the answer to the question "What is your greatest masterpiece" was "Next One!". It is a word that expresses the feeling of not being satisfied with the current situation and aiming for even greater heights. Japan's economic society, which you are about to jump into, loudly demands innovation. In order to succeed, isn't it important to have a mindset of actively incorporating new things, that is, Enterprising Spirit? Cultivate this spiritnourishmentI would like to send these words to all of you who have participated in this event, wishing them all the best in their endeavors.
Big things are light, small things are heavy (Nabeshima Naoshige)
Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Akira Yanagisawa
I wouldn't call it a "motto," but for some time now, these words have often come to mind. Apparently they are the words of Nabeshima Naoshige, the founder of the Saga domain, but I don't really know what they originally meant. However, when faced with a big decision, it is often the case that no matter how much you worry, you won't find the right answer in the end, so it seems that following your intuition without thinking too deeply can actually bring about better results. Conversely, I think it is important to think carefully and make careful decisions about small things that may seem insignificant at first glance. I think that the accumulation of these small everyday experiences will help cultivate the intuition you need when you are faced with something important.
I thought I would stop by and take a look. (Zeami)
Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences
Kenji Hashimoto
I want to stop by and take a look. The lines full of curiosity of the traveling monk often appear at the beginning of Mugen Noh. The image of the monk visiting famous historical sites such as utamakura, ancient battlefields, and famous flower spots, with the hope of "taking a look," overlaps with modern content tourism. The monk's visit expands into the unique world of Mugen Noh, where the villager (the incarnation of the protagonist) introduces the historical background and the monk offers a prayer for the protagonist, and the spirit of the protagonist, dressed in ancient costume, performs a dance in gratitude for the prayer. Please cherish the curiosity of "taking a look," which can be an opportunity for unexpected and rich encounters.
The best people never stop going (Zhuangzi)
Faculty of Commerce
Masanori Yokoyama
These words are from Zhuangzi and are understood to explain the need for progress through ingenuity. Amidst the paradigm shift that continues from the pandemic, the new society in which you will face will be forced to change, and you will be required to act without being bound by preconceptions. From now on, it will probably be a repetition of trial and error, and in some cases, a repetition of error and error. Take advantage of the intellectual inquisitive spirit you cultivated during your student life and challenge your own possibilities while enjoying the unknown world. I wish you all the best in your endeavors.
There are many people in the world who have good ideas, but few who have the courage to put those ideas into practice. (Akio Morita)
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Nozomu Togawa
These are the words of Morita Akio, founder of Sony. There are many people in society who say, "If you want to, you can always do it," or "You can do it if you try." What you can do if you want to is very different from what you actually do. You need the courage to set out on the ocean of society and take a step forward. No matter how small it may be, take that step with courage. I believe that a new world that is bright and full of expectations, more than you could have ever imagined, awaits you there. I hope that all of you who have graduated will be extremely successful in all parts of the world.
I always listen to what I can leave out.
Faculty of Social Sciences
Yoichi Sato
Swimming in the sea of information, the whirlpool of people. To do that, you need to strip away. Jazz master Miles Davis once steered away from verbose expressions to reduce sound. What is needed is to strip away and highlight what is important. But to do that, you need to listen carefully and understand the essence. AI provides infinite information, and SNS feeds flow endlessly. Algorithms recommend, and search engines show answers. But is it really "your sound"? Listen carefully. And strip away. Your sound resonates in the margins.
Bringing the skills cultivated at Jinka (Faculty of Human Sciences) to society
Faculty of Human Sciences
Atsushi Ogihara
What you have learned at School of Human Sciences and Graduate School of Human Sciences is imbued with the deep study of "human science" - how people think, feel, act, and relate to others, nature, and the world. With that perspective, you have cultivated the ability to accept diverse values and differences in positions, find clues to solving problems, and take action through dialogue in order to realize a well-being society. I hope that you will contribute to society and play an active role with the "ability to see things from a bird's-eye view" that you have acquired at Tokocamp and Jinka, which are blessed with abundant greenery. I wholeheartedly support you so that your future will be full of hope and challenges.
You will never grow unless you challenge yourself to do more than you can (Ralph Emerson)
Faculty of Sport Sciences
Hirotaka Matsuoka
“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.” (Emerson) I believe that you have tried many things during your college life that you have not been able to do before. That is why you have grown. However, please do not stop here. From now on, please continue to take on new challenges, even if they are small, even if they are things you have never done before or cannot do. And please continue to feel the joy of achieving them. Even after you graduate, you have great potential to grow.
Festina lente.
Faculty of International Research and Education
Satoshi Inaba
This is a motto of Augustus, the first Roman emperor, and in Roman it means "make haste slowly." Currently, the world is in a situation where it is difficult to predict the future even for a moment. Make use of what you have learned at Waseda University, understand the values of diverse countries, and as a human being living on this earth that goes beyond your own picky judgments, "start as soon as possible and carefully" put into practice what you think is good for society. I look forward to seeing you meet many different people, have many discussions, believe in the potential of yourself and your colleagues, and become a leader who contributes to the world.
Beautiful, like the chance encounter of a sewing machine and a bat umbrella on a dissection table (Lautreamont)
Principal of Art and Architecture School
Katsuhiro Miyamoto
This is a famous passage from Lautréamont's "Chants of Maldoror." The attitude of finding beauty in the encounter of different things had a great influence on the Surrealists. This applies not only to the world of art, but also to the landscapes that surround us. Aren't we more attracted to strange intersections and topographies that were created by chance than to cities where everything has been planned thoroughly? The same is true of life. It is often in unexpected encounters with foreign objects that we find rich realizations. I hope that you too will carve out a richer life for yourself by coming face to face with different others.
![[Save version] Map of the four main campuses](https://www.waseda.jp/inst/weekly/assets/uploads/2025/09/17cb2975123fc5103172ef60bd98608d-610x458.jpg)
