Edo

Era Education: Undermining the Roots of Modern

Japan's Successful School System
by Jumaidil Awal

Introduction
Modern Japan's school system might not be the most freedom-friendly education system you'd
ever encounter on Earth but it is undoubtedly one of the most successful ones. How is it so? How
did it emerge? How did it grow?

As a preliminary to an upcoming visit to Shizutani School, the oldest public school in Japan, this
article was written in hopes of giving the readers--and rst of all the writer himself--a glimpse of
what might be the reason behind modern Japan's successful school system, in particular, and
education, in general.

A Brief History of Edo Era Education

Tokugawa Bakufu, despite its renowned trademark as a militaristic feudal government, had
actually been giving a signi cant peaceful atmosphere to its society for about two and a half
centuries during the "self-embargo" period. This self-imposed isolation had given the Japanese
people a signi cant amount of time to develop and mature as a society. This period witnessed
the birth and growth of several types of schools, namely: (1) hanko, (2) gougaku, (3) terakoya,
and (4) shijuku.

Hankō the Fief Schools

Hankō was the type of schools that primarily provides education in Chinese literature study
(kangaku) and Confucianism. Confucianism classics, historical works, and poem anthologies were
used as textbooks. Calligraphy, kokugaku (Japanese-breed of philosophy) and medicine were
included as well.

Hankō operated under strict control of Tokugawa Shogunate as the central government. Hankō
only provided education for the ruling class, i.e. the noble families, the bureaucrats, and the
samurai. All hankō were modeled after the rst and foremost academy of Confucianism, the
Shōheikō of Yushima Seido, which eventually became a state-run school under the Kansei Edict.
The Shōheikō was founded by Hayashi Razan and headed successively by his descendants.

Gōgaku the Provincial Schools

Gōgaku was the type of schools that, just like hankō, provides education in Chinese literature
study (kangaku) and Confucianism. However, there are two fundamental differences between
the two: (1) gōgaku were domain-run instead of state-run and (2) gōgaku provided education for
all people regardless of their social status.

Being a type of schools that provide "education for all", gōgaku had the most diverse contents,
audience, and origins among the other types in Edo era. Some gōgaku were established by the
domain lords from the beginning while some others started out as a people's initiative which
then grew and were eventually adopted by the domain lords as gōgaku.

Terakoya the Temple Schools

Terakoya was the most democratic type of schools in Edo period. It de nitely ts the jargon
"from the people, by the people, and for the people". Terakoya mainly focused on educating
people on practical life skills, especially literacy, which they needed to survive as commoners.
Terakoya provided education primarily in reading and writing as well as calligraphy. Arithmetic
came a bit later during the end of Edo period. Before, arithmetic was taught at homes. Here we
can see just how mathematically-literate the Japanese were even before the encounter with
Western civilizations.

Terakoya's history dated back to the end of medieval era when educational facilities were
founded at Buddhist temples (寺 tera), hence the "tera-" element of the name. From the middle
of Edo era, terakoya started to increase in number and, by the end of the era, terakoya became
common throughout Japan, especially in the cities. Due to its widespread existence, terakoya
became the basis for elementary schools throughout Japan which were founded after the
proclamation of Education System Order (Gakusei) in 1872.

Shijuku the Private Schools

Shijuku was the most liberal type of schools in Edo period. It was free from official control. It had
no uniform pattern. Some private schools operated just like terakoya, providing education in
literacy and arithmetic. Some others chose to provide their students with education in Chinese,
Dutch, and national studies along with practical arts.

Due to its liberal nature, shijuku proved to serve as a "fertile soil" for the growth of progressive
thoughts and attitude among their students. Various shijuku became centers of discussions
among students of highly various backgrounds. Many of those who were actively engaged in
shijuku became important leaders that brought an end to Tokugawa Bakufu and made way for
the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

Conclusion
The education in Edo-jidai Japan was run in general by the following schools:

• state-organized schools with centralized curriculum planning for the ruling class,
• independent schools with speci c curriculum tailored for speci c needs of the
commoners,
• private, liberal schools with broad spectrum of curriculum; some even managed to
produce leaders of social reform, and
• not-so-common, locally-organized provincial schools which provide education for all
social classes of people.

Here, it is visible that the general characteristics of Edo-jidai education, except for the ruling
class, are as follows:

• decentralized,
• speci c, and
• pro-choice.

As for the ruling class, the characteristics are all the opposite: centralized, uniform, and
compulsory. Thanks to Edo era education and the end of Tokugawa Bakufu, the Japanese society
could consistently ourish under the succeeding governments due to their maturity in terms of
literacy, philosophy, and of course arithmetic.
References
• Saito, Y. 2011. Education in Japan: Past and Present. https://www.nier.go.jp/English/
educationjapan/pdf/201103EJPP.pdf
• Hays, J. 2013. History of Education in Japan. Early History of Japanese Education. http://
factsanddetails.com/japan/cat23/sub150/entry-2794.html
• Ojala, A., Yasushi, T. (Ed.) and Turunen O. 2014. Comparing Post-War Japanese and Finnish
Economies and Societies: Longitudinal Perspectives. Higher education systems and labour
market outcomes in Japan and Finland, 1950 - 2010. Routledge.
• http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/html/others/detail/1317227.htm
• http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/html/others/detail/1317226.htm
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/education/Education-in-the-Tokugawa-era