Universities lure students with upscale dorms

By Masaaki Kameda. Universities in Japan are doing everything they can to attract students amid the aging society and decline in young people. One approach to lure applicants is to provide dormitories with state-of-the-art facilities. Takushoku University opened a dormitory in April last year at its Hachioji campus in western Tokyo. The orange and brown College House Fuso complex includes four four-story buildings and a three-floor one. They only admit residents who have cleared its strict security system.
There are 405 individual rooms in the dorm, each just over 17.5 sq. meters and featuring a bath, toilet, kitchen, bed, desk and a chair. The rent is ¥58,000 a month, which also includes two meals a day. The dorm also boasts a cafeteria, a convenience store and a bicycle shop for students. What makes Takushoku’s Hachioji dorm unique is its upmarket facilities — a large bathing area featuring a sauna and whirlpool spa, and a training gym — for use by dorm residents only. Read more...