Kyoto University Yoshida Dormitory Photo Book Sales Point

Built in 1913, the "Yoshida Dormitory" at Kyoto University is known as the oldest existing student dormitory in Japan. It operates on a system of self-governance, where residents make all decisions themselves—from managing the facilities to maintaining the property. This freedom does not mean a lack of responsibility; on the contrary, it demands greater personal involvement. When opinions clash, residents engage in open, equal dialogue—discussions that sometimes stretch late into the night. Students of diverse nationalities, cultures, and perspectives live here together, navigating the inconveniences of communal life side by side.

Living together, more often than not, descends into chaos. It is a place that is always, in every sense, unpredictable.

The weathered corridors—in use for over a century—and the pillars, repaired time and again, hold the layered memories of the countless people who have passed through them.

This book captures the true face of Yoshida Dormitory—a site long regarded as a piece of historic architecture and a symbol of student self-governance—revealing a space that is inconvenient and often troublesome, yet, in every respect, deeply cherished.