Nostalgic flashbacks of your home away from home

Okuma Street shopping arcade in the Waseda district

Okuma Street shopping arcade in the 1940s and 50s. This is where the town and university have engraved the neighborhood’s history hand-in-hand.
(Photos from: Okuma Street shopping arcade’s KY Store chairman, Mr. Kenji Yabuuchi)

The university’s history also lies with the Waseda area.

Cozy and nostalgic stores line up along the timeless Okuma Street shopping arcade, a path starting from the footsteps of Okuma Auditorium reaching out to Ground Sakashita station just minutes away from Toei street car’s Waseda station.

This is home to Waseda students.

Dormitories, diners, bars, coffee houses, mahjong parlors, stationary shops, tailors, and bookstores… They all support the lives of students and staff as well as enrich the memories of Waseda fans.

The university, together with the community, has also been putting efforts into creating a new scene. Good Morning Cafe Waseda, a charming cafe with an open terrace, launched last autumn. Also, the market federation opened Machiarea to sell lunch boxes on campus.

Yet, walking through this arcade leaves us with reminiscence magically sinking into ours hearts.

Why?

Well, perhaps that’s because this road reminds us of our own path we crossed back in the day.