Aizu Wakamatsu Castle - Domain School Nisshinkan
Aizu-Wakamatsu Hankō: Nisshinkan (Kawahigashi, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima) 会津若松藩校日新館［福島県会津若松市河東町］ Nisshinkan is the clan school of Aizu. Clan schools were used to train elite youth in military and academic arts so as to better marshal the human resources under each clan. Clan schools in Edo Japan
Aizu Wakamatsu Castle - Domain School Nisshinkan
会津若松藩校日新館
Aizu-Wakamatsu Hankō: Nisshinkan (Kawahigashi, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima) 会津若松藩校日新館［福島県会津若松市河東町］
Nisshinkan is the clan school of Aizu. Clan schools were used to train elite youth in military and academic arts so as to better marshal the human resources under each clan. Clan schools in Edo Japan numbered over 300 and the one at Aizu was renowned as one of the best – and biggest. It was built in 1803 under Lord Matsudaira Katanobu at the urging of his chief retainer, Tanaka Harunaka. The Byakkotai were taught here. The original structures were destroyed in the autumn of 1868 during the Boshin War. It was wholly reconstructed by 1987, off-site.
Domain schools were part of the administrative infrastructure of the Daimyate, and usually part of castles; most were located near or within the grounds of a castle, and this is true also for the Nisshinkan which was constructed next to Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle to the west. To this day there still exists a stone-clad tumulus (tenmondai) originally used for astronomy lessons at the school. However, it was decided to reconstruct the school in a new location in modern times, probably due to land availability.
Rules for students enrolled at the Nisshinkan:
1. Do as your seniors instruct.
2. Bow to your seniors.
3. Do not tell lies.
4. Do not be a coward.
5. Do not bully those weaker than yourself.
6. Do not eat in public.
7. Do not talk with outside women.
Frankly I cannot commend the last rule more heartily. The school motto, or final rule, was 'Naranu koto wa naranu mono desu (ならぬことはならぬものです)', or, “Do not do that which you must not do”.
Back in the day in Aizu-han, education actually started for all children of the nobility at age 6. They were enrolled at Nisshinkan aged 10. Older students were taught at the Daigaku after they graduated Sodokusho, elementary. At the higher level students participated in debates and studied the analects of Confucius (Kōshi). Students of this higher education were either typically the eldest sons of rich land owners who could pay the school fees, or students of outstanding character or intellect for whom fees defrayed.
List of buildings at the school:
砲術場 Firing Range for Gunnery Practice
西塾 West School
東塾・素読所 East School / Sudokusho, elementary classes in reading took place here. Children were enrolled from the age of 10 up.
弓道場 Archery Range Building
第二武道場 Dojo, now also set up for archery practice
旧岡崎家 This is a dilapidated traditional homestead beside the school. 武講殿 Bukou Building
木馬場 Room used for practicing horse riding… with wooden horses. 'Wooden Horse Room'.
資料館 Literally 'Documentation Room'.
大成殿 ・孔子の像Taiseiden. Confucius is enshrined here.
大学 ‘University’, place of learning for graduates of Sudokusho. The Daigaku building hosts an altar to Confucious. Daigaku literally means “Big School” and is the modern Japanese word for 'university'.
水練水馬池 Japan’s 'first swimming pool'!
天文台 Tenmondai, or ‘observatory mound’.
戟門 Gekimon, main inner gate building. From here a drum was hit to announce the start of classes.
西門、東門 West Gate, East Gate. Where students entered.
南門 South Gate. Only the Lord and upper ranking samurai could pass through the main gate here.
刀術の道場 Gallery for Sword Training. Now museum area with exhibits. The floor is stone but a gallery of tatami matting behind a sort of elevated wooden balustrade runs the length of the room on the right side.
Gallery by ART.
Gallery
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