Todai's Hongo Campus

A couple of weeks ago, I took a walk through the University of Tokyo's Hongo campus. (Here are the famous red gates.)

We were merely passing by on our way to a museum, but the foliage was so beautiful, we took a detour through the campus and ended up forgoing the museum visit. There were so many couples and families walking along the gingko trees, enjoying the fall sun.

 

How old must this tree be?

Since I attended Waseda University, I was extremely jealous of the beautiful Todai campus. Waseda buildings are either run-down and colorless, or brand-new and generic. Few buildings that are commonly used by students give a sense of the school's history, or what the school stands for. These buildings say, "We are Todai, the best university in Japan. We have the history, we have the prestige, and we are proud of it." 

The fountain in front of the library.

A view from inside the library.

Deer heads and chandeliers could be seen from outside the library windows. I was surprised by the opulence of it all.

Sanshiro Pond, which dates back to 1615. It's not particularly known as a momiji-viewing (foliage viewing) spot, so we'll call it a well-kept secret.

An ibis kept pacing back and forth in the shallows, trying to catch fish.