| Known as the largest Clan school of the Edo Period, The Kodokan Hall was built in
1841 by the ninth Mito Clan Lord, Nariaki Tokugawa. It was an important policy of
the Mito clan at that time to nurture proficient men to overcome internal and external
troubles and the school was opened to educate scholars and feudal retainers. The
spirit and curriculum of the school was described in the "Records of Kodokan
Hall" the school pioneered in lecturing on such varied subjects as medicine,mathematics
and astronomy as well as Confucian studies and military arts. Through its scholars
the school had a great influence on the movement to"Revere the Emperor and Expulsion
of Foreigners"toward the end of the Edo Period and it produced many leadersD The only structures surrounded by the white clay wall that have survived natural disasters are the Main Gate, the Main Hall and the Hall of Supreme Good. During the Meiji Restoration the 15th Shogun Yoshinobu Tokugawa was confined here after handing his rule back to the Court. A look at this hall brings his image to mind. |
