Meiji Jingu Gaien, the School of Medicine, and the Hospital
Image: Building 1 of the hospital has just been completed. To the south of the National Stadium, completed in 1958, Jingu Second Stadium, Jingu Stadium, and Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium can be seen (around 1965).
The area around Shinanomachi, where the ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app School of Medicine and Hospital are located, is divided into north and south by the JR Chuo-Sobu Line running east-west, with the School of Medicine located on the north side. To the south is Meiji Jingu Gaien, which houses the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery and the National Stadium. Construction of the Meiji Jingu Gaien on the site of the former Aoyama Military Parade Ground began in December 1919.
Looking at photos from around 1965 or 1966, the Jingu Pool (1930¨C2002) is visible in front of the National Stadium, which was the main venue for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and the Tokyo City Tram (1906¨C1969) runs along Gaien-higashi-dori Avenue, which curves in a "V" shape. On the road near Shinanomachi Station, there is a pedestrian bridge (1964), which was rare at the time and has become a "sacred site" for the film "Your Name." (directed by Makoto Shinkai).
The site of the School of Medicine and Hospital was formerly Army land, and boundary stones marked "Land under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Army" still remain on Gaien-higashi-dori Avenue. Three bridges once spanned the area between the site and the parade ground, but only one "Unnamed Bridge," which is now closed to cars, remains. Classes in Shinanomachi began in April 1919, the same year as the development of the Gaien, but the opening ceremony for the school and hospital was held in November 1920, awaiting the completion of the hospital. Most of those buildings were destroyed in the air raid on May 24, 1945, but fortunately, more than 200 inpatients were safely rescued. After the war, medical treatment began quickly in wooden hospital buildings. Subsequently, starting with Building "Ha" built in 1950, Building 2, Building 6, and Building 7 were completed by 1954, followed by the Central Building in 1963 and Building 1 in 1965. Additionally, at the School of Medicine, the First School Building, East School Building, and Second School Building were constructed between 1956 and 1961.
Even in the photo from 2021, 55 years later, the basic structure of the town has not changed significantly, but the New National Stadium, which served as the main venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, stands out. Furthermore, compared to the era when there were no large buildings other than the School of Medicine and Hospital, many buildings of similar height can now be seen in the surrounding area.
Leading up to the completion of Building 1 in 2018, Building 2, Building 3, the Integrated Medical Science Building, and the Clinical Research Building, as well as Koyosha and others, were constructed. Most buildings except for the Building for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, the Kitasato Memorial Medical Library, and the East School Building have been replaced. This spring, all renovation work will be completed, and the hospital will celebrate its grand opening. It is as if this symbolizes the prosperity and development of "´ºÓêÖ±²¥app Medical Science."
(Junzo Takeda, Professor Emeritus of ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app and President of the School of Medicine Sanshikai)