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What does DCU mean?

DCU is an abbreviation corresponding to the initials of "Den-en Chofu University".
The official abbreviated name of our school will be used in various situations.

School Emblem

School Emblem

The arrangement of the five petals of the school emblem are a transformation of the school symbol of "Nadeshiko" (referring to a fringed pink flower), which has been the school symbol since its foundation in 1926. The emblem inherits the solid traditions of the school.The five petals, when turned in any direction, reflect the Japanese character for "big", representing a character used in the word for "university". In addition to being a symbol of the university, the spreading out of the line that stretches from the center expresses the rich personalities and the unique freedom of mind of our students.Our school emblem is one that can be remembered by everyone, easily being drawn in the mind.

School Flag

校旗(スクールカラーズ)

The design of our school flag represents the school motto.Our school was founded on the personal funds of Shohei Nishimura in 1926. Mr.
Nishimura spent time working as the captain of foreign routes for the Japanese company Nippon Yusen. During his duties, he had the chance to observe the developed nations in Europe as well as the United States.
He was impressed by the importance placed on education and strongly sensed the necessity for private schools with higher ideals. It was after this that he dedicated the rest of his life to the field of education. The school flag partially represents the flag of Nippon Yusen on the basis of the inspiring opportunities he was provided with, while also reflecting the passionate beliefs and admirable fighting spirit of the school's founder. The school flag incorporates the colors red and white expressing the flower-pedals of the traditional school symbol of "Nadeshiko" as well as the color green representing green leaves in nature.In addition, the two-colored lines that penetrate to the upper right of the flag express the strong development and prosperity of the university.

School Motto of "Shaga-shojin"

建学の精神「捨我精進」

"Shaga-shojin" is a Japanese word that refers to trying one's best to deny selfish ideas and desires, while putting all of one's energy into a social cause or duty. The school motto of "shaga-shojin" was established by the Risuke Kawamura, the first principal of Chofu Girl's School, which was the predecessor school of Den-en Chofu University.

School History

1926
Established Chofu Girl's School (currently Den-en Chofu Junior and Senior High School) and Chofu Kindergarten in Den-en Chofu, Tokyo.
1967
Established Chofu Girl's Junior College and started an English Course in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
1990
Started the Japanese Language and Culture Course.
1998
Started the Human Welfare Course and changed the College name to Chofu Junior College to accommodate a co-education program.
1999
Changed the name of the English Language and Literature Course to the English Communication Course, and started to implement college-wide co-education.
2002
Opened Den-en Chofu University and the Human Welfare Department.
Changed the name of Chofu Junior College to Den-en Chofu University Junior College Department.
Reorganized the English Communication Course and the Japanese Language and Culture Course, and opened the Human Culture Course.
2006
Started the Children's Family Welfare Course in the Human Welfare Department.
2008
Disbanded the Den-en Chofu University Junior College Department.
2010
Changed the name of the Human Welfare Department to the Department of Social Welfare and established the Department of Psychology and Welfare.
Reorganized the Department of Family and Child Welfare to be the Department of Child Educare and Child Development in the Faculty of Child Educare and Child Development.
Established the Den-en Chofu University Kindergarden and Day Care Center.
2015
Established the Graduate School of Human Science and the Course of Child Studies as Human Science.

Principal Risuke Kawamura (1867 - 1947)

Principal Risuke Kawamura

Principal Risuke Kawamura was born in Okami, Ibaraki Prefecture in 1867. He went to school at Ibaraki Normal School, and thereafter, continued his studies at Tokyo Higher Normal School (currently the University of Tsukuba) from which he graduated at the top of his class. After this, he displayed his own brilliance by becoming the principal of Wakayama Normal School (currently Wakayama University) at the young age of 28. However, he suffered from family problems with his 2-year-old son being mentally disabled due to meningitis and his wife being bedridden and paralyzed on one side due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Principal Kawamura spent nearly 30 years of his life providing care to his family. However, it was during the course of his severe care giving duties that he discovered the path of "shaga-shojin", previously written about above. In 1926, he became the principal of Chofu Girl's School at the invitation of the school’s founder, Shohei Nishimura. Principal Kawamura spent the next 20 years diligently educating his students as principal of the girl's school.

School Founder Shohei Nishimura (1876 - 1933)

School Founder Shohei Nishimura

Shohei Nishimura was born in 1876 in Iwakura, Tokushima Prefecture. He later studied at the government-established Merchant Marine School (currently Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology), and went on to become the captain of foreign routes for Nippon Yusen. After this, he established Chofu Girl's School in Den-en-chofu and invited Risuke Kawamura to be the school's principal.
「Shohei Nishimura then took the initiative to put "shaga-shojin" into practice by not only managing the operations of the school, but by also carrying out various odd duties such as cleaning and lighting the stoves of each classroom. A sculpture of Shohei Nishimura carrying out his duties for his students was erected at the main building of the school and it still remains there today in commemoration of him.