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Traditions & History

The origin of Yokohama City University can be traced back to Yokohama School of Commerce founded in 1882. Since the opening of the port, Yokohama turned into a center of trade in Japan. Yokohama School of Commerce was established to develop human resources equipped with western commercial techniques. Because of its policy of complete educational pragmatism, many children of merchants in Yokohama who had a strong interest in learning attended this school. After graduation, many of them contributed to the development of the city in the front lines of trade industry. Yokohama School of Commerce then developed into Yokohama City College of Commerce, which is the origin of Yokohama City University. Another origin of YCU is Juzen Hospital of Nogeyama in 1874. Although Yokohama was the center of western medicine at that time, there was no hospital for the citizens. Juzen Hospital was established to respond to the earnest needs of the community. Juzen Hospital then turned into Yokohama Municipal Medical College, which has developed into what is known today as the YCU Hospital and School of Medicine.
ycu hakkei campus 1966

Kanazawa-Hakkei Campus
1966

ABOUT > TRADITIONS & HISTORY

Traditions

Yokohama City University has evolved over the course of nearly a hundred years, but throughout our rich history, there are traditions which we honour and protect. We cherish long-held customs and embrace opportunities to build new traditions that unite us. It is through these traditions that we in YCU have pride in our university, grow closer to one another and continue to create history.

  • Graduation Ceremony

    Every year, by the end of March, universities across Japan have graduation ceremonies, including YCU. During these ceremonies, our students come in their best suits or traditional Japanese kimono. Besides speeches by the president and special guests, our new graduates also enjoy musical performances by the university's orchestra and mixed choir group. After the ceremony, the graduates exit the gymnasium to be greeted, congratulated, and celebrated by their club members and friends.

  • Annual Tokyo-Yokohama Games

    The annual Tokyo-Yokohama games take place between Yokohama City University and Tokyo Metropolitan University. Every year, the venue is alternated between both universities' main campuses. The students compete in games including rugby, handball, and so forth.

  • Yokohama Medical Festival

    The annual Yokohama Medical Festival is our Fukuura campus' school festival. Although smaller in size compared to our Hakkei campus' Hamadaisai, the Medical Festival is in no way less entertaining. Our medical school students sell food and drinks, have performances, and even have exhibitions to increase awareness in terms of healthcare. The Medical Festival usually takes place a week or two after Hamadaisai, as is also open to the general public to enjoy.

  • School Song

    YCU’s anthem was written by Yaso Saijo and composed by Yuji Koseki in 1955. Until the 1970s, it used to be included on the first page of every annual yearbook. Up to the present, the anthem has been played/sung during important sports tournaments, such as the annual YCU-TMU Inter-University Games. It is also played during Graduation and School Entrance Ceremonies. During these ceremonies, the anthem is performed by the orchestra, mixed choir, alongside the cheerleading (ouendan) club.

  • Entrance Ceremony

    The Entrance Ceremony takes place at the beginning of April, and is a foral ceremony where the new students are welcomed by the university. All of the freshmen will come dressed in business suits, with their families to accompany them througout the ceremony. What our current students usually do is; most clubs and societies send a few representatives, who will line up along the main street from outside the campus, right to the entrance of the gymnasium. As the freshmen make their way to the gymnasium, the older students will give the freshmen a huge round of applause while congratulating their juniors.

  • Hamadaisai (University Festival)

    Hamadaisai is Yokohama City University's annual school festival. During this festival, different clubs and societies sell food and drinks in tents alongside Hakkei campus' main streets, hold exhibitions, perform on stage and crown the year's Miss and Mister YCU pageant winners. The festival is usually held in November, just as the leaves of the campus' ginkgo trees turn a beautiful shade of gold, and is open for the general public to enjoy.
 

Historical Timeline

The origin of Yokohama City University can be traced back to Yokohama School of Commerce founded in 1882. Since the opening of the port, Yokohama turned into a center of trade in Japan. Yokohama School of Commerce was established to develop human resources equipped with western commercial techniques. Because of its policy of complete educational pragmatism, many children of merchants in Yokohama who had a strong interest in learning attended this school. After graduation, many of them contributed to the development of the city in the front lines of trade industry. Yokohama School of Commerce then developed into Yokohama City College of Commerce, which is the origin of Yokohama City University. In the following itmeline you can find out more about the history of YCU.

  • 1853 - 1859The Opening of the Port

    perry


    1853 Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry of the United States Navy arrives in Uraga.
    1858 Kanagawa was specified as one the five open ports by The US-Japan Treaty of Amity and Commerce.
    1859 The Port of Yokohama was opened.

  • 1872

    Yokohama Central Hospital was opened. It was later moved, and renamed Yokohama Kyoritsu Hospital.

  • 1874Yokohama Kyoritsu Hospital was renamed Juzen Hospital

    juzen hospital 1874


    The above photo shows the Juzen Hospital in Nogeyama. This building, the original hospital, was destroyed by fire in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923.

  • 1871

    The Provisional Hospital (Kari Byouin) was established by Yūteki Hayashi. This hospital is the original predecessor of YCU Hospital.

  • 1882The Yokohama Commercial School was established

    yokohama commercial school 1882

    A coloured postcard of the Yokohama Commercial School



    The Yokohama School of Commerce (Yokohama Shoho Gakko), later renamed Yokohama Commercial School (Yokohama Shogyo Gakko) was founded by 28 members of the Yokohama Trading Merchants Association in December 1881. The school was officially recognized by the Kanagawa prefectural government on March 20, 1882.

    At the time of the school's founding, the subjects offered were business, English, and the Chinese classics. Practical education formed the core of the school's business training and involved exercise which simulated real conditions.

    Kodama, S. (1990) Yokohama Past and Present. Yokohama, Kanagawa: Yokohama City University.

  • 1891

    Juzen Hospital was renamed Yokohama Municipal Juzen Hospital.

  • 1898

    Yokohama Municipal Juzen Nurses' Training School was established. This school is the original predecessor to YCU School of Medicine's Nursing Course.

  • 1917

    The Yokohama Commercial School was renamed the Yokohama City Municipal Commercial School when it came under the control of the city of Yokohama.

  • 1923The Great Kanto Earthquake

    The Great Kanto Earthquake struck on September 1 1923, causing destruction affecting 90% of Yokohama's population.

  • 1924-1928The Founding of Yokohama City Economics College (Y-sen)

    y-kou

    Photograph of Y-ko / Y-sen students



    In April 1924, Yokohama City Municipal Commercial School's curriculum was revised to a 5-year regular course of study and a 2-year special course. This special course was the predecessor of Y-sen.

    Nationwide applications to the Yokohama Higher Commercial School were so numerous that Yokohama residents were unable to get in. To rectify this situation, a new municipal higher school of commerce, Y-sen, was found in 1928. This is the predecessor to YCU's Department of Economics and Business Administration.

  • 1933

    Yokohama Economic Research Institute was established.

  • 1924 - 1944


    - Yokohama City College of Commerce was renamed Yokohama City Economics College.
    - Yokohama Municipal Medical College was established.
    - Yokohama Municipal Juzen Hospital was renamed Yokohama Municipal Medical College Juzen Hospital.

  • 1947

    Yokohama Municipal Medical College was promoted to Yokohama Medical School.

  • 1949


    - Yokohama City University (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration) was established under a new educational system.
    - Yokohama Economic Research Institute was renamed Yokohama City University Economic Research Institute.
    - Yokohama Municipal Medical College Juzen Hospital was renamed Yokohama Medical School Hospital.

  • 1952


    - The Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science was established.
    - Yokohama Medical School was integrated with Yokohama City University. The School of Medicine was established.
    - Yokohama Nurses' Training School was established.

  • 1954

    Yokohama Medical School Hospital was renamed Yokohama City University Medical School Hospital.

  • 1961

    The Graduate School of Medicine, Medical Studies Doctoral Program was established.

  • 1963

    honkosha

    Our iconic General Administration Building (Honkosha) under construction



    The General Education Department was established.

  • 1966

    Municipal Nursing High School and Nursing Assistant High School opened.

  • 1970

    The Graduate School of Business Administration, and The Graduate School of Economics were established.

  • 1971

    Municipal Nursing High School and Nursing Assistant High School were recognized and renamed School of Medicine Nursing High School.

  • 1984

    Kihara Institute for Biological Research was transferred from Kihara Institute for Biological Research Foundation.

  • 1989

    The Graduate School of Integrated Science was established.

  • 1991

    Yokohama City University Hospital and Yokohama City University Urafune Hospital opened.

  • 1993

    The Graduate School of International Cultural Studies was established.

  • 1995


    - The Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science was recognized and divided into the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Humanities and International Studies.
    - Yokohama City University College of Nursing was established.

  • 1997

    School of Medicine Nursing High School ceased operations.

  • 1998

    The Medical Studies Master’s Degree Program of the Graduate School of Medicine was established.

  • 2000

    Yokohama City University Urafune Hospital was renamed Yokohama City University Medical Center.

  • 2003YCU celebrates its 75th anniversary.

    The Medical Studies Doctoral Program of the Graduate School of Medicine was reorganized.

  • 2004

    history_ichonoyakata

    The Icho no Yakata building



    To commemorate our 75th annivesary, the Icho no Yakata building was erected on our Kanazawa-Hakkei campus.

  • 2005Yokohama City University inaugurated as a public university corporation.


    - Three faculties (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Faculty of Sciences, and Faculty of Humanities and International Studies) were integrated. International College of Arts and Sciences was established.
    - The College of Nursing, and the School of Medicine were established.
    - The Graduate School of Economics, the Graduate School of Business and Administration, the Graduate School of Integrated Science, and the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies were integrated. International Graduate School of Arts and Sciences was established.
    - The General Education Department and Yokohama City University Economic Research Institute ceased operations.
    - Yokohama City University Hospital and Yokohama City University Medical Center were renamed.

  • 2008

    Yokohama City University College of Nursing ceased operations.

  • 2009

    The International Graduate School of Arts and Sciences was reorganized and divided into the Graduate School of Urban Social and Cultural Studies, the Graduate School of International Management and the Graduate School of Nanobioscience.

  • 2010

    The Department of Nursing of the Graduate School of Medicine was established.

  • 2013

    The Graduate School of Medical Life Science was established.

  • 2018The School of Data Science was established.

    history_DS

    Faculty members together with the first cohort of the School of Data Science students



    In 2018, YCU became the first university in the metropolitan area to establish an undergraduate school focusing on the study of Data Science.

  • 2019

    The International College of Arts and Sciences was reorganized into three new undergraduate schools; the school of International Liberal Arts, the school of Economics and Business Administration, and the School of Science.

  • 2020

    The Graduate School of Data Science was established.