Revisiting Japan’s Revolutionary Past
In my previous article, I shared the story of Yoshida Shoin, the young genius who mentored Japan’s future changemakers at Shokasonjuku Academy. This time, we’ll explore another fascinating piece of history in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture: Hagi Domain School Meirinkan (萩藩校明倫館).
What Was Meirinkan?
Located just a five-minute drive from Shokasonjuku, Meirinkan was the domain school of the Choshu Domain. Let’s break this down:
- Domain (藩, han): In Japan’s Edo period, domains were territories governed by feudal lords under the shogunate. They can be compared to states in the U.S., as each had its own laws and governance.
- Domain School (藩校, hanko): These were schools established by each domain to educate future leaders. Meirinkan was one such school for the Choshu Domain.
Founded by Lord Mouri Yoshimoto to foster talent within the domain, Meirinkan played a pivotal role in nurturing individuals who would eventually contribute to the fall of the Edo Shogunate.
Choshu Domain: The Heart of Change
The map below illustrates Japan’s administrative divisions from around 700 CE to the late 1800s.
Hagi, where both Shokasonjuku and Meirinkan are located, is marked in red.
This area was known as the Choshu Domain during the Edo period.
The Choshu Domain is well-known in Japanese history as a key player in toppling the Edo Shogunate. It is a mandatory topic in middle school history classes, as it marked a turning point from the Edo period to the Meiji era.
Today, the site of Meirinkan has been renovated to recreate the classrooms of old Japan, offering a glimpse into the educational environment of the time.
A Walk Down Memory Lane with My Parents
When my 77-year-old father and 75-year-old mother saw the recreated classroom, they exclaimed, “This is so nostalgic!” It seems the classroom setup resembled what they remembered from their own childhoods.
Here’s a snippet of our conversation:
Father: “Wow, this looks exactly like the classrooms we had as kids!”
Mother: “I remember opening these desks to store our textbooks.”
Me: (opening the desk) “It actually opens!”
Father: “The teachers were scary back then. If you misbehaved even a little, chalk would come flying your way.”
Me: (thinking to myself) “That’d get a teacher fired instantly these days…”
Father: “But really, it’s just as I remember.”
My father was so impressed that he pretended to be a teacher, sitting at the podium and mimicking a lesson. My mother, meanwhile, happily opened desks and reminisced about her school days. Seeing them so joyful made the visit even more worthwhile.
Reflecting on Education Then and Now
As we left the classroom, I couldn’t help but marvel at how much education has changed over the years. Listening to my father’s stories made me wonder what truly drove Japan’s rapid economic growth during its post-war era, as well as how it compares to the challenges the country faces today. I’ll delve deeper into these thoughts in a future article.
Learning from History
This visit to Meirinkan offered valuable insight into how education was conducted during Japan’s Edo period. Although we can now only study these methods through historical records, there is much to learn from the past. Perhaps history holds the keys to improving education in the present and future.
A Thought-Provoking Quote
To close, I’d like to share a quote from E. H. Carr’s classic work, What is History?:
My first answer therefore to the question ‘What is history?’ is that it is a continuous process of interaction between the historian and his facts, an unending dialogue between the present and the past.
Let’s continue learning from history, applying its lessons to build a better tomorrow.
This concludes my series on the historical gems of Hagi City, from the transformative influence of Shoin Yoshida to the educational legacy of Meirinkan Academy. Exploring Hagi has deepened my appreciation for the foundations of Japan’s modernization.
Next, I plan to delve into a completely different topic, so stay tuned for more insights and discoveries. Thank you for joining me on this journey!