School Garden

School Garden (学舎の園 (まなびやのその)) is an area located within district 7 of Academy City. It is similar to other areas in the district as it is simply an area composed of schools and other establishments like shops and restaurants, however what makes the area different from others is that it is composed of 5 elite schools for girls and the establishments that tend to its population is similarly high-classed. Tokiwadai Middle School is located here along with one of its dormitories.

Appearance
With its reddish sett- and cobble-stoned roads and streets tessellated in strange designs, and showering fountains in their open squares, litten by wrought metal lamps. With its traditional brick and mortar buildings, roofs such as flat types, gables and spires, and their tasteful parapets and the corbels that support them, and of the smokestacks resting upon them. With its balconies upon windows with metal balusters of arabesque designs that surround it, and the awning above them. With its subtle crosswalk and unique traffic lights different from the rest of the city. With its gates that provided the entrance to the area, and its baroque colonnades and entablature.

In volume 8 of the Index novel, it is depicted to be cramped with buildings, and despite the School Garden's large size, the roads are narrow. This maybe due to the area focusing on aesthetics rather than practicality.

Demographics
The area is a cluster of elite schools which are obviously frequented by elite students. Since Tokiwadai is located here, there are many students here that are at least Level 3 espers. The population is largely composed of students with wealthy upbringings who can afford the schools here.

Access and Security
Students who reside within the city or go to school here have cards that they use in order to pass the entrance of the area. Ordinary students require permission in order to gain access to the area; it is shown the student from the area can invite the students from the outside to be able to enter the area. Barricades are not only used to keep out intruders, but also to seperate different areas, such as housing and experimental facilities.

For security reasons there are 2,458 cameras in total monitoring the streets and establishments of School Garden.

Level Upper Arc
The area is featured prominently on the 3rd episode of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun anime. Here Juufuku Miho enacts her vengeance upon unsuspecting Tokiwadai students such as Kongou Mitsuko by drawing large eyebrows on them. Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari are invited by Shirai Kuroko into the School Garden, in a strange mishap Ruiko slips on a puddle and gets her uniform wet and is forced to wear a Tokiwadai uniform that was borrowed from Misaka Mikoto, unfortunately because of this Ruiko is attacked by Miho.

Miho is then cornered after being caught in Mikoto and company's trap; she is then quickly defeated by Mikoto. Miho then states that she only did it because her lover fell in love with a Tokiwadai student and that he had a problem with her large eyebrows. After getting cheered up by Ruiko, Miho gains a crush on her and willingly gives into the custody of Anti-Skill.

Poltergeist Arc
The School Garden is briefly seen during another poltergeist-related earthquake, during which Kongo Mitsuko is attacked by her doll collection by the effect of the poltergeist and is hospitalized.

Tree Diagram Remnant Arc
School Garden is featured in the 8th Light Novel volume, where Mikoto and Kuroko are shopping for lingerie. Here, they comment on the unusual increase of space missions of several countries, including Academy City during the past few days. They later part ways when Kuroko receives a message from Kazari to head to the Judgment 177 Branch Office, during this scene Mikoto says to Kuroko that there might be rain later, which to Kuroko seemed unusual, because Academy City has a flawless record in knowing the weather due to the Tree Diagram -- which unknown to her, has been destroyed in the Index Arc.

It is also revealed during the events of the novel that School Garden is not used as an arena for the Daihasei Sports Festival.

Notable Locations

 * Tokiwadai Middle School
 * Pasticceria Manicagni