Shōkasonjuku Academy
松下村塾 · 하기시
historic academy in Yamaguchi, Japan
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation1:53
Welcome to Shokasonjuku, a site of immense historical significance that belies its modest appearance. Located in the quiet castle town of Hagi, this tiny wooden schoolhouse was the intellectual birthplace of the Meiji Restoration. …
Listen in the app2The Schoolhouse — A Classroom of Ten and a Half Mats1:51
We stand now before the main school building of Shokasonjuku. At first glance, it is remarkably small—a simple wooden structure with a tiled roof. …
Listen in the app3The Sugi Family Residence — Shoin’s Birthplace1:43
Adjacent to the school is the Sugi family residence, where Yoshida Shoin was born as the second son of Sugi Yurinosuke. This is a typical samurai house of the middle rank, featuring low ceilings and sturdy timber construction. …
Listen in the app4Yushu-shitsu — The Room of House Arrest1:39
Within the Sugi residence, we find the Yushu-shitsu, a small room of only three tatami mats. This was the 'prison' where Yoshida Shoin spent two years under house arrest following his failed attempt at illegal overseas travel. …
Listen in the app5Ito Hirobumi and Yamagata Aritomo — The Pupils1:44
As we walk the paths between the school and the nearby shrine, let us reflect on the men who sat in that ten-mat room. Perhaps the most famous was Ito Hirobumi. …
Listen in the app6Shoin Shrine — The Deification of a Revolutionary1:40
Our path leads us to the Shoin Shrine, built to honor the spirit of the man who started it all. Following his execution in 1859, Shoin was initially buried in a common grave in Edo. …
Listen in the app7The Legacy of Hagi — A World Heritage Site1:42
In 2015, Shokasonjuku Academy was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the 'Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.' This recognition highlights the school's role not just in political history, but in the…
Listen in the app8Closing1:21
Our exploration of Shokasonjuku Academy comes to an end. We have seen how a tiny room of ten and a half mats served as the launchpad for a new nation. …
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What is Shōkasonjuku Academy?
Shōkasonjuku Academy is a place in 하기시 with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | 하기시 |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Total length | 13 min 33 s in all |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 34.4122, 131.4173 |
| Last updated |
