Mission & History
In 1874, when St. Paul's College was founded, Japan was in the midst of the Meiji era rush to catch up to the West. Higher education at the time was utilitarian, centering on developing Japan's nascent economic, industrial, medical, legal, and political institutions. In contrast, Bishop Williams founded his small school, teaching English and Bible study, with the firm belief that the young people of Japan needed spiritual education.
Williams emphasized that education based on spiritual growth would allow young people to walk into the world of the future and seek the truth. He believed that utilitarian education could provide practical knowledge, but what was needed was the ability to search on a higher plane. Only students taught to know the meaning of truth would be able to make what they had learned useful for human beings and society. Thus, from its foundation, Rikkyo has been a university that develops human resources: people who work for the benefit of others, and to improve society.
Bishop Williams was a studiously humble man, who Rikkyo graduates honored with the commemorative phrase "michi o tsutaete o nore o tsutaezu," which means roughly that the teacher should teach the way and not the self. Williams avoided any ostentation or false displays of goodwill. The spirit of Christian values in education that has come down to Rikkyo in the present day is still one of unadorned pursuit of truth and concern for the well being of others. The Christian value in education practiced at Rikkyo is that true Christianity frees humans to search for the truth unhindered.
In the early 1900's, Bishop Reifsneider, who was chancellor when the campus was moved to Ikebukuro, said that the university's philosophy of education was based on three important points: physical education, intellectual education, and spiritual education. However, the foremost of these was spiritual education. He encouraged humanitarian education based upon Christian belief. He warned that too much intellectual education would alter a person's balance such that they could not love other people and sympathize with their pain. Under Reifsneider's leadership, Rikkyo developed not only a firm physical and organizational foundation, but also developed a reputation as a liberal arts school that educated students to a high moral standard.
Spiritual Life
There are a number of Christian groups on campus which function as service organizations. The students in these groups offer their services to the university mainly through the chapel, and also serve the community working as volunteers in various community welfare offices. At Christmas time a number of the Christian groups cooperate, and, through an inter-club Christmas Committee coordinate and promote a number of Christmas activities and events. One of the most widely known of these activites is the annual performance of Handel's "Messiah", which is organized by the Committee and invloves the participation of the Concert Choir, the Glee Club, the Rikkyo Orchestra, professional musicians, and a number of volunteer singers from on campus. These concerts have become well known throughout Tokyo and are widely attended by many people outside of the Rikkyo community.
Library and Internet Facility
The old library, built in the Tudor Gothic style, was erected in 1919. This library was named the "Mather Library" after a donor from the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. The Main Library, a three story structure, was built in 1960 and was designed by the prominent architect, Kenzo Tange.
In 1982, the Niiza Deposit Library was constructed; it houses rare books. In 1998, the Musashino Niiza Library was built in conjunction with the expansion of the Niiza campus and the lauching of two colleges. The Media Library was founded in 2000 and is located next to the Main Library.
The Ikebukuro campus was reorganized in 2001 and 2002, and a number of departmental libraries were merged into the Social Sciences Library, the Humanities Library, and the Natural Science Library. The holdings of Rikkyo University Libraries now total 1.5 million volumes. The collection includes early translations of the Bible, microfilm, and electronic resources. These resources can be accessed by students, faculty and researchers through the use of the internet. The total holding of all library collections is estimated as 1,578,675.
Tuition and Housing Costs
The average total amount of monthly living expenses for Rikkyo students who live in a private apartment is 155,400yen.
International Students & Exchanges Opportunities
International students may be admitted to Rikkyo University under one of three statuses: Regular Student, Non-degree Student (with credit), or Special International Student (a student of non-degree candidate status who comes to Rikkyo under the sponsorship and/or with the recommendation of an institution or organization whose objective is the promotion of education, such as a university, a foundation, or a government organ). At the present time there are about three hundred students in these three categories who have come from abroad to study at Rikkyo. Inquiries from prospective applicants from abroad should be addressed to the Center for International Studies, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo.
