Hagi Meirin Gakusha

Overview

Hagi Meirin Gakusha is a facility in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, built by renovating the former Meirin Elementary School building, which sits on the site of the former Meirin-kan, the Hagi Han School that produced many leaders of the Meiji Restoration. It was reborn as a center for preserving history and culture to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration. Hagi Han School, Meirin-kan, founded in 1718 (Kyōhō 3), was known as one of Japan's three great academies, alongside Mito Domain's Kōdōkan and Okayama Domain's Kangei Kō. Meirin-kan taught Confucianism, martial arts, and military science, producing many talented individuals. The former Meirin Elementary School was built on the site of Meirin-kan in 1929 (Shōwa 4) and was in use until March 2014 (Heisei 26). The school building was then renovated and reborn as Hagi Meirin Gakusha. At Hagi Meirin Gakusha, you can see valuable remnants from the han school era and the Meiji-era wooden school building. It also houses a tourist information center and event space, providing opportunities to learn about Hagi's history and culture. The main building, in particular, is registered as a nationally important cultural property, offering a chance to see the architectural style of a Meiji-era wooden schoolhouse. The Meirin-kan exhibition room displays documents and photographs from the han school era, allowing visitors to learn about its history. Hagi Meirin Gakusha is a precious facility where you can learn about Hagi's history and culture. Be sure to visit Hagi Meirin Gakusha when you visit Hagi.