History of the Education

History

     There are many schools in Japan.  All children who are from six to twelve age must go to erementaly school and all children who are from thirteen to fifteen age must go to junior high school in Japan.  Then, when Japanese education was executed?  Most of people may think, it was started from Terakoya(寺子屋), but it is a bit wrong.  Terakoya(寺子屋) was opened as a school for the commonalty at the Edo period.  The education for noblemen, politicians, warriors was started maybe at the Nara or Heian period.  However, before the age, Japanese have given manifold wisdom from Chinese.

Nara(奈良) and Heian(平安) Period

      At the Nara period, Buddhism was introduced into Japan from China.  Moreover, The first education system in Japan is Taiho Code, adopted officially in 701, it was also from China.  By this system, a college dormitory was located in the capital.  People most of who were noblemen learned Myogyodo(明経道, subject for study Confucianism(儒教)), Sando(算道, subject like mathematics), Ondo(音道, subject for maybe learn how to sound books) and Shodo(書道, subject like calligraphy) there.

  Kamakura(鎌倉) and Muromachi(室町) period

     The noblemen in Kyoto were main researchers of read in classics and Japanese custom styles.  However, for the reason of decline of the capital, learned Buddhist monks would be the main pivots.  At the Muromachi period, Ashikaga school(足利学校) was revived by Norizane Uesugi(上杉 憲実) in Kanto area.  This school was thought the best school to learn, and missionaries of Christianity said "it is a university of Bando."  The other famous schools for Westerners are Koyasan(高野山) and Hieizan(比叡山).

Edo(江戸) Period

     The education system of Edo period, it was devided because of the system Shinokosyo(士農工商).  There are main two types of schools for swordsmen one was a school which was under the direct control of Edo shogunate, and the other was clan school(藩校) which was governed by clan.  Schools for commonalties were Terakoya(寺子屋), Gogaku(郷学) and cram schools.

Famous school which was under the direct control of Edo shogunate was Shoheizaka Gakumonjo(昌平坂学問所).  At the school, students were lectured, read Keisho(経書, that was important books of Confucianism) and took an examinations every month.

On the clan school, most of scions of clan swordmen were entered this school under coercion.  They learned wisdom and military arts there.  At the end of Edo period, some subjects were added.  For example, swordplay, the art of spear, Japanese archery, gunnery, horsemanship and the art of judo as military arts, and Dutch studies.

On Terakoya, students were taught how to read, write and calculate.

After Meiji Period

The Rescript on Education(教育勅語) and the first school system in Japan were issued.  Postwar education system was established new system under the guidance of GHQ.  However, there are many problems in Japan.  For instance, education of leisure, synthesis learning and so on.

References:

• http://educationjapan.org/jguide/origins.html
• http://www.answers.com/topic/history-of-education-in-japan
• http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2130.html
• http://www.hyperhistory.org/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=737&op=page
• http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/55a/555.html
• http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/55a/index-d.html

Images

1. http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~vg5s-ttm/2004hana/big204hana4_2.htm
2. http://www.guruguru360.com/blog/archives/158.html
3. http://www.hekinan-h.aichi-c.ed.jp/bukatsu/kyudo/kyudo.htm

Posted by Yumiko Okada