A large arched arcade in the center of the East Wing of Keio University's Mita Campus

A red brick building stands along Route 1 in Mita. It is the East Building of Keio University's Mita Campus. Although it looks as if it was built with red bricks to give the appearance of a historic building, it is not a historic building. It was completed in 2000, only about 20 years after it was built. There are buildings on Keio University's Mita Campus that are more than 100 years old, such as the former Keio University Library and Mita Speech Hall, both of which are designated as important cultural properties of Japan. Therefore, a building that is only 20 years old must be like a sniveling little boy.

What I am interested in is not the style of the exterior but the arcade with a large arched opening in the center of it. If people were just passing through, there would be no need for such a large opening. It is only necessary to allow people to pass through the interior of the building. Therefore, there must be a purpose behind the construction of such an arcade. Standing on the other side of the street and looking through the pedestrian crossing, I caught a glimpse of the old Keio University Library, the symbolic building of Keio University, beyond the arcade. The library is a symbol of knowledge. I felt that the arcade was meant to show people outside the university that there is a path here that leads to knowledge.

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