2026·R8.6.6 It was open during the Hokudai Festival; this was a return visit. I enjoyed seeing the various interesting exhibits. The staff also explained several things, which was very helpful. Thank you for teaching me so much, including that 「琢堂」 was the pen name of the first president, Shosuke Sato, who wrote the calligraphy for "寄宿舎跡之碑", and that he called himself 「北海農人」; that Inazo Nitobe, who founded 「遠友夜学校」, sympathized with Lincoln and wrote his words in calligraphy; and that this university archive was originally a building for international exchange called "留学生センター", later repurposed as an archive (so the exhibition hall windows’ design has nothing to do with the shape of a book, and it wasn’t made pointed to accommodate the Clark statue). Come to think of it, there was a discreetly placed "南鷹次郎胸像" at the back of the 2nd floor. He was in the second class of Sapporo Agricultural College, served as farm director for about 30 years from his appointment as 「農園監督」 in 1888·M21 until 1919·T8, and became the first dean of the Faculty of Agriculture that same year. In 1930·S5~1933·S8, he served as the second president of Hokkaido Imperial University, following Shosuke Sato (the first). Why is it here? Perhaps because the stone busts "理学博士 宮部金吾先生像" and "農学博士 南鷹次郎先生像" (both by Yoshiji Hori) stand on either side of the second-floor stair hall reached from the main entrance of Hokudai’s Faculty of Agriculture, and placing those stone statues as a pair left this bust without a place, so it was moved here? ↓ 2026·R8.5.6 This was my first visit, but it was closed for the holiday. I had heard there were large glass windows seemingly modeled on an open book and wanted to see them, so that was disappointing. This facility collects, organizes, preserves, and researches historical official documents and various materials related to the history of Hokkaido University, making them available through exhibitions and public access. Established in 2005·H17.5月, it is open 月~金 from 9:30~16:30 (excluding holidays and the year-end/New Year period 12/29~1/3). Apparently about 2万 historical official documents and other items, around 4千 institutional history materials, and about 8千 institutional history publications are being organized. There seem to be permanent exhibitions themed 「北大生の群像――北大150年の主人公たち」 and 「新渡戸稲造と遠友夜学校」, so I’ll come back another time.

+3

The Inazo Nitobe exhibit was interesting, including his grades as a student. There is also a bust of Dr. Clark. Admission is free, and I thought it might be a surprisingly little-known gem.

This facility collects, organizes, preserves, and researches historical materials related to Hokkaido University, but apparently members of the public can use it too. It also holds exhibitions, and when I visited, the theme was 「北大生の群像ー北大150年の主人公たち」. I could see 「有島武郎が作成した農学実科の英語試験問題」 and materials about 「遊戯会」, which apparently used to be held. Amid the bustle of the university festival, I could view the exhibits quietly here.

There’s a Clark statue here too