Memories that will remain in the school city. Conveying the excitement and joy of student athletes to the present

Do you know the domed building near Gakuentoshi Station in Kobe City’s Nishi Ward? The exterior of the building reminds me of a Greek historical building. Curious, I immediately went to check it out.

When I approached the dome, I was first surprised at its size! And since there are universities, kindergartens, and shopping malls nearby, people of all ages could be seen resting and chatting in the shadows, creating a friendly atmosphere.

During the hot summer season, there seems to be a place where mist is emitted, making it cooler. On holidays, it is used as a venue for events, and seems to be a place of relaxation for local residents.

Once inside, warm wooden chairs are placed around the center of the dome, creating a theater-like structure.

The ceiling and floor are decorated with drawings of constellations, creating a slightly mystical atmosphere. What in the world was the purpose of this building? I am becoming more and more curious!

From the explanation written on the dome, we learned that this building is called “Universiadome” and was built to commemorate the 1985 Universiade Kobe.

The Universiade is an international all-around athletic competition for students organized by the International University Sports Federation, with the first Summer Games held in Torino, Italy in 1959, and the Kobe Games being the 13th Summer Games. 4,000 athletes from 106 countries participated in 120 events in 10 sports.

In the year of the Games, the school city was also opened as an athletes’ village. The “UniverDome” was used as a plaza for the awards ceremony. There was another monument in front of the East Wing of Campus Square that conveyed the excitement of that time. It is the “Medalist Monument.

The explanation reads, “We preserve the handprints and footprints of the gold medalists in the hope that they will keep these emotions in their hearts for a long time and pass them on from now to the future.

Today, with five universities gathered in the vicinity, this is a school town bustling with many students. I could not help but feel a sense of fateful connection when I learned that the festival started as a sports festival by students.

Detailed Information

Location

University Dome
(1-13 Gakuen-Nishi-machi, Nishi-ku, Kobe City)
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