A new cafeteria — Tsubame Terrace — has opened on the second floor of West Building 5 on Ookayama Campus. The new eatery, which opened its doors on October 2, has a total of 626 seats, 84 of which are on a spacious outdoor terrace where visitors can enjoy the sunshine while fueling up.
Tsubame Terrace was named after a call for proposals from the students, staff, and faculty members of Tokyo Tech. Many proposals included the word tsubame, the Japanese term for "swallow," which is also on the Tokyo Tech Seal and is often associated with the Institute. The name aims to reflect an open atmosphere where students, faculty members, and others gather to illuminate new paths and discoveries in various research fields.
Tsubame Terrace offers customers traditional popular dishes, but also freshly baked bread, a salad bar, and a soup bar at lunchtime. The cafeteria is constantly creating new ideas for the future. One current plan is an open kitchen that would allow visitors to view the kitchen staff at work.
After lunchtime on weekdays, a portion of the space transforms into a student lounge where food and drinks are allowed. The space is also equipped with a microphone and projector for parties and events.
Tsubame Terrace opening hours
- Lunchtime: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays only
Open to members of the public, but can get crowded particularly between 12:15 and 1:30 p.m.
- Student lounge: 2 to 6 p.m. (after lunchtime) on weekdays only
South Hall and terrace seats, open to Tokyo Tech students, faculty, and staff only.
- Party and event use: 5 to 8 p.m. on weekdays
Generally, for Tokyo Tech members only. Reservations required, please consult in advance regarding use on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
For details, check the University Co-op website (Japanese).
Tsubame Terrace pre-opening event with students, President Kazuya Masu, and other executive management members
User-friendly facilities
In response to requests from students, the nearby restroom facilities have also been designed with user-friendliness in mind. The women's restroom on the 2nd floor of the building includes added features such as a vanity space and a changing booth. The multipurpose restroom is ostomy-friendly, and includes a diaper changing station, a fitting board on which users can stand while changing clothes, and other features to meet the needs of the community.
Tsubame Terrace opening ceremony
To celebrate the launch of the new facility, an opening ceremony was held on September 29. President Kazuya Masu kicked things off with some brief words. Next, Associate Professor Satoshi Nasu from the School of Environment and Society, who led the design of the building in which the cafeteria is located, spoke about features of the new structure. Executive Vice President for Education Jun-ichi Imura followed with his views on the concept of the cafeteria, while Professor Shin-ya Nishizaki from the Global Scientific Information and Computing Center, who is also the director of the University Co-op, spoke about Tsubame Terrace operations.
Assoc. Prof. Nasu, designer of West Building 5
(from left) EVP for Education Imura, President Masu, University Co-op Director Nishizaki
Tokyo Tech welcomes all students, faculty, staff, and members of the broader community to come and enjoy Tsubame Terrace.
