The University of Nagano believes the 1st year of university education is an extremely important part of life at this school. At the Zozan Dormitory on the Gocho Campus, 1st year students live together, learn together, help each other, and develop communication skills, independence, and sociability. In addition to interactions with other students, they also proactively take part in local festivals and events. The dormitory is located in the heart of Nagano City, on the site of the former local Gocho Elementary School. The open space that was the schoolyard now contains a Class D51 locomotive that was beloved by the children. This area is open to the public. The adjoining facility owned by the city includes a multipurpose hall, and floats used in the local Nagano Gionsai festival are stored and displayed here. The Zozan Dormitory is a place to live, but it is also another place of learning to develop human skills and enjoy campus life.

The dormitory is named after Sakuma Zozan, an educator in his home region of the Matsushiro Domain. He was a learned man who aspired to travel abroad at an early stage during Japan’s period of national isolation, and had major impacts on many imperial loyalists at the end of the Edo Period, including Sakamoto Ryoma and Yoshida Shoin. This expresses our wish to cultivate many independent human resources who will create innovations from a global viewpoint.