History and changes at Katahira Campus

The history of the Katahira Campus dates back to 1887, when the former Second Tertiary School was first established. Since then, over the past 130 years, the campus has served as the center of the academic city of Sendai by serving as the home to the Sendai Medical College, the SKK High School, the Tohoku Imperial University, and the Tohoku University. In 2017, the Katahira Campus became the first ever university campus to be awarded the special award by the urban space designing department of the City Townscape Awards. The landscape, featuring historical buildings along with new buildings designed to harmonize with the previous buildings, and the open space rich in natural greenery, was highly praised as being a campus that is openly available to the local residents.

Changes in the campus Timeline for changes within the campus

Meiji period

1887:: Establishment of the Second Tertiary School
1894:: Renamed Second Senior High School based on the High School Ordinance of 1894
1901:: Establishment of the Sendai Medical College (formerly the Medical Department of the Second Tertiary School)
1906:: Establishment of the SKK High School
1907:: Establishment of the Tohoku Imperial University
Opening of the SKK High School
1911:: Opening of the Tohoku Imperial University’s Faculty of Science
1912:: Sendai Medical College and SKK High School subsumed into the Tohoku Imperial University Specialized Medical Department and Specialized Industrial Department

Taisho period

1915:: College of Medicine founded at Seiryo Town, and the Specialized Medical Department in Katahira was abolished
Applied Chemistry Department established in the vacated buildings
1919:: Establishment of the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Engineering, and the Steel Research Laboratory
SKK High School was separated, and the Shichikencho Road was opened
1921:: Establishment of the Faculty of Law and Literature
1922:: Second Senior High School was relocated to Kita 6 Bancho, and Second Senior High School land was acquired
1925:: Completion of the Main Gate

Showa period

Before World War II

1935:: Completion of the building for the Faculty of Science’s Chemistry Lecture Room Building at Tohoku Imperial University
1936:: Completion of the major road to the Main Gate
Commemorative ceremony to celebrate the 25th anniversary since the university’s founding
1945:: Lost approximately 40% of all the buildings in the air raid

After World War II

1949:: Reorganization of the university under a new system
University site area becomes the current size
1957:: Commemorative ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary since the university’s founding
1973:: Faculty of Science relocated to the Aobayama Campus
First floor of the Faculty of Science’s Chemistry Lecture Room Building is changed to a specimen room
Attached library is relocated to Kawauchi
1986:: Vacated building of the former attached library was renovated into the new Tohoku University Memorial Archive Building

Heisei period

1995:: Completion of the Museum of Natural History in Aobayama Campus
The specimen room in the Faculty of Science’s Chemistry Lecture Room Building is relocated to the Museum
2000:: Tohoku University Memorial Archive Building reorganized into the Tohoku University Archives
2004:: The vacated Faculty of Science’s Chemistry Lecture Room Building was renovated as the Tohoku University Administration Building
Commemorative ceremony to celebrate the 100th anniversary since the university’s founding
2011:: Great East Japan Earthquake
2011:: Buildings within the campus were also damaged by the disaster