Kōdōkan (Mito)

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Gateway to the Kōdōkan

The Kōdōkan ( Japanese 弘道 館 ) was founded in 1841 by Tokugawa Nariaki in Mito ( Ibaraki Prefecture ). It quickly developed into the largest of all Han schools .

background

By the time Tokugawa Nariaki founded the school, the power of the Tokugawa was already waning. On the one hand, the attitude of Bakufu towards the European and American pressure to open up the country was felt to be too weak and, on the other hand, the government was inadequate in coping with the increasing famine in the country.

The school orientation

Seichō (main building)
Kōdōkan plan, preserved: white (main building, gate), green: park, light brown: used for other purposes

Under these circumstances, the school founded by Nariaki in Mito-han should not only teach traditional education and military arts, it should also create the basis for a new national feeling. To this end, the role of the emperor should be strengthened and the Shinto should be given more weight alongside Confucianism . The school established its own teaching, the Mito-gaku .

From the beginning, the doctrine of the individual and the values ​​to be protected by the government ( 大義 名分 論 , Taigimeibun-ron ) played a role, coupled with the demand "Honor the emperor - drive out the barbarians" ( 尊王攘夷 , Sonnō jōi ) as they were represented by Yoshida Shōin , Kusaka Genzui (1840–1864) and Umeda Umbin (1815–1859), among others .

In the department called Bunkan ( 文 館 ) the teaching of Confucius ( 儒教 ), moral behavior, ( 礼儀 ), history, astronomy, mathematics, geography, poetry ( 和 歌 ), music and others were taught. In the department called Bukan 武館 fencing, archery, military studies, shooting with rifles and cannons, horsemanship, swimming and other were taught. There was also a medical department ( 医学 館 , Igakukan ).

The attachment

After the buildings for literature, military arts and other things were completed in 1841, the building for medical studies followed in 1843. In 1857 the entire construction was completed. What have been preserved are:

  1. the main gate ( 正門 , seimon ) on the east side of the campus, which was protected by two guard houses ( 番 所 , banjo ),
  2. the main building, Seichō ( 正 庁 ) called, to which a side wing with the designation "Hall of the achieved good" ( 至 end , Shizendō ) and the
  3. Memorial to Confucius ( 孔子 廟 , Kōshi-byō ). That was rebuilt
  4. Octagonal pavilion Hakke-dō ( 八卦 道 ) and probably the
  5. Kashima-jinja related to the not far away Kashima-jingū , in which protectors of the samurai are venerated.
  6. There was the building of the humanities ( 分 館 , bunkan ). In the now completely built-up area were
  7. several buildings for military instruction ( 武館 , bukan ),
  8. the medical department ( 医学 館 , igakukan ),
  9. the observatory,
  10. a horse train,
  11. a wide-ranging exercise area,
  12. a small cherry tree hill,
  13. another horse tram,
  14. Horse stables,
  15. an archer's place and
  16. a gunner's place.

The main building, including the side wing and main gate, are considered to be an important cultural asset of Japan , and the site has been a special historical site in Japan since 1952 .

Although the Mito-han had tried to get closer to the forces that represented the emperor, the school went up in flames during the unrest during the Meiji Restoration, so only the buildings mentioned above remained. Most of the facility is now used for other purposes.

Remarks

  1. ↑ All three did not experience the Meiji Restoration . Yoshida and Umeda died during the Ansei Purge , Kusaka committed seppuku .

literature

  • Kōdōkan jimushō (ed.): Various leaflets on the Kōdōkan (Japanese and English)

Web links

Commons : Kōdōkan (Mito)  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 36 ° 22 ′ 31.1 ″  N , 140 ° 28 ′ 37.2 ″  E