Dutch King Willem-Alexander visited Tekijuku, where President Atsushi Kumanogoh and others explained the significance of Japan-Netherlands exchange

On May 22, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, who came to Japan for the Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, visited Tekijuku in Kitahama, Chuo-ku, Osaka, and learned about the history of Japan-Netherlands relations.

The delegation was welcomed by President Atsushi Kumanogoh, Executive Vice President Keiko Takemura, and Director of the Tekijuku Commemoration Center Shoichi Shimada. First, Moeka Nishiura (4th year, School of Economics), who studied at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands last year, gave a speech stating, “I had a wonderful experience interacting with local students and learning about Dutch culture.” Next, Akira Hirane and Yuri Sasabe (Tekijuku student staff members, 4th year in the School of Human Sciences) explained in front of a portrait of Ogata Koan, "Tekijuku, established during the Edo period, was a place to study Western scientific knowledge through the Dutch language. Many individuals who later contributed greatly to the modernization of Japan studied here. The founder, Ogata Koan, made significant contributions to the development of Japan not only through education and medical research but also through medical activities." They also answered questions from the king.

In the Japanese-style guest room, nine people from both countries took a commemorative photo with the garden as a backdrop. They were then guided to the second floor, where President Kumanogoh talked about the significance of Japan acquiring knowledge through Dutch studies during the period of national isolation and gave an explanation of the “Kaitai Shinsho (New Book of Anatomy).” Director Shimada showed an actual copy of the “Doeff Halma” and introduced Tekijuku's educational policy of learning Dutch studies through the original Dutch textbooks, as well as the daily lives of the then students.

The group was seen off by students waving small Dutch flags and headed to the Nakanoshia Qross (International Institute of Future Medicine), which signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Netherlands on future medicine.

Related links
The Osaka University of Osaka Tekijuku Commemoration Center