I was surprised to learn that Meirin Gakusha (the former wooden school building) served as a public elementary school until 2014 (it has since relocated to the neighboring property).
Four buildings are lined up in parallel, connected by walkways.
Building 2 is the museum, which requires an admission fee, and the other buildings include administrative facilities, restaurants, shops, and a public gallery.
The principal's office and some classrooms from the elementary school era remain.
The museum is packed with exhibits related to science, technology, and industrial development from the late Edo period to the Meiji era, and it would probably take half a day to explore them all.
The Yubikan (a training hall for swordsmanship and spearmanship) on the premises is a cultural property that has been restored and renovated from a building dating back to the Edo period.
When I first entered the building, a guide came and told me about the history and the facility in general.
I learned a lot!
This is a place where you can learn more about the Choshu Five and Yoshida Shoin. It costs money to enter Building 2, but the videos you can see there are extremely worthwhile, and you can learn about the aspirations of the people who were active at the end of the Edo period and during the Meiji Restoration. I was so engrossed that an hour and a half had passed before I realized it. I think this is the first place you should visit in Hagi.
Monday, March 25, 2024
It had been raining since the day before, but it has now lightened up a bit (^.^)
A family member who loves history said that it was good to visit Hagi City twice, so I also visited Meirinkan (o^^o)
The official website has detailed information such as a map of the museum❗️
It says that it was opened in 1719 as a domain school for the children of vassals, and expanded and moved to this location in 1849.
I can now see how important education is❗️
The fifth domain lord, Mori Yoshimoto, must have been a smart man‼️...He had foresight‼️
I'm not very knowledgeable about history, so when I see the exhibits here, everything is exciting to me.
I felt guilty for not knowing about it (^ω^)
Even today, it can't be called a city🙇♀️🙇♀️ This place of Hagi has produced many talented people, including Yoshida Shoin, Takasugi Shinsaku, and many others❗️
These people built the foundations of the Meiji era and contributed to the development of the country❗️...it warms my heart‼ ️
The swimming pond is apparently the only one remaining in a domain school in the country❗️
The spirit of excellence in both the arts and martial arts was cultivated☺️☺️☺️
They used to put off things they had to do because they thought studying was hard, but they used what they learned for the country‼ ️ What great people who had such grand ideas and pushed forward‼ ️
It is true that I was quite shocked to see the great trajectory of my predecessors (´；Д；`)
I never got bored no matter how many hours I spent looking around 😄😄
The memorial hall was nearby from my childhood, so I had seen and heard about the name of Ino Tadataka❗️
Maps and other various exhibits... it's a huge collection😁😁
Also Hiraga Gennai's tools of the electric light maker❗️
The greatness of Ogawa's achievements, collected privately❗️... I'm in awe.
In 1935, an elementary school was built on the site of the Meirinkan domain school, and it was renovated and renovated in 2017, and continues to this day as [Hagi Meirinkan Gakusha] (^O^)
The staff who explained the inside of the museum were all polite and kind❗️
I especially thank the woman Y-san for her help‼ ️
You have a huge amount of knowledge and a wonderful way of speaking, so we had a very fun and meaningful time together 🎵
Thank you ☺️☺️☺️
Thank you‼️
☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆
There were a lot of products in the souvenir shop (^.^)
I don't buy souvenirs that often, but I couldn't help but look❗️
The people who ate at the restaurant said that the food was delicious❗️
I wasn't hungry, so I had yuzu tea and dumplings at the cafe in the information center.
The sound of walking through the wooden buildings was wonderful (o^^o)
The main building is free. Building 2 costs 300 yen (adults), 200 yen (high school students), and 100 yen (elementary/middle school students). Building 2 contains the World Heritage Visitor Center and Bakumatsu Museum with approximately 620 artifacts from the late Edo period.
From JR Shin-Yamaguchi Station: Take "Super Express Hagi-Go" bus to Hagi Meirin Center stop (60+ minutes, 1,600 yen one way). From Yamaguchi Station: Take JR bus to Hagi Bus Center (1,800 yen, covered by Japan Rail Pass), then walk 6 minutes. Buses run approximately every 1-2 hours. Local buses also connect from Higashi-Hagi Station.
Visitors can explore nine distinct spaces in the main building, including a 90-meter-long corridor, restored principal's office, recreated classroom with original desks, and an attic observation room. The Bakumatsu Museum in Building 2 displays late Edo period scientific instruments, firearms, and medical equipment. Original structures from the domain school era include the Yubikan martial arts dojo and Suiren Ike pond. Volunteer guides are available for detailed explanations, and the facility includes a cafe restaurant serving local Hagi cuisine.
The facility closes on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of February each year. Otherwise, it operates throughout the year, allowing visitors to explore both the free main building and the paid Building 2 exhibits.
