General Information

1 Wayo Women's University E mpowering Women to Make a Difference Wayo Women’s University was built on the foundations of Wayo Sewing Women’s Institute in Chiyo- da ward, Tokyo. Our founder, Chiyo Horikoshi, distressed by the undeveloped state of women’s ed- ucation, decided to open a school for girls in 1897. Her thoughts at the time are recorded in the alumni magazine Ronsetsukouwa: “To prevent Japan from being left behind other countries, it is vital to educate our children who will lead the future. Nevertheless, the education of women who will become their mothers is especially behind the times. She concluded that women’s education was essential for the modernization of Japan.” “Japanese literature and Chinese classics cultivate emotional intelligence; while mastering tea cere- mony, flower arrangement, and manners balances the mind and body. Furthermore, mathematics and chemistry foster rational thinking, so that one is not swayed by passing rumors or sentiment. She wrapped up by stressing the importance of nurturing an independent mind as well as a refined character through these studies.” Wayo Women’s University carries on the essence of Chiyo Horikoshi’s legacy “to nurture a spirit of self-reliance backed up by deep knowledge; to refine character by a broad education.” In the twen- ty-first century, urban infrastructure and communication technology have transformed society into one in which people can easily connect, crossing national and cultural borders, and then integrate to create new values and culture. Even today, Chiyo Horikoshi’s goals for women’s education of “nurturing eyes that see the truth” and “fostering mutual understanding among diversity” are rele- vant. It is our mission to ensure that students of Wayo Women’s University become women equipped with self-reliance and dignity, and our educational goal is to empower them to become active leaders at the core of our diverse society. H istory of Excellence Wayo has received recognition for its excellence in women’s education since it was founded. In an era when education was not open to women, Chiyo Horikoshi founded Wayo Sewing Women’s Institute in 1897. The Institute focused on teaching both Japanese dressmaking and western dressmaking, which was new at that time in Japan. The Institute’s educational goal was to teach sewing skills for domestic life and to prepare women to teach these skills to others. As a result, Wayo produced many excellent home economics teachers, some of whom later became the founders and presidents of women’s universities, which is one of Wayo’s greatest contributions to Women’s education. The sewing institute grew into a technical college that aimed to prepare women to be self-re- liant and play vital roles in modernizing Japan. In 1949, Wayo Women’s University was orga- nized under the new Japanese educational system. Wayo started to expand into new educa- tional areas. Wayo is one of the universities in Japan that have met the new, rigorous standards of the Japan University Accreditation Association. Throughout its long history, many leaders and outstanding women have graduated from Wayo. For these reasons, Wayo has been appreciated in the world of Japanese women’s education since it was founded. Message from President KISHIDA Koji