I took an off-the-beaten-path trip here! If you like medical history, visiting this location is a good change of pace. It's not that large of an area, but the Meji Era building design and garden are very relaxing.
We visited the "Former Sakura Juntendo (Sakura Juntendo Memorial Hall)" in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture.
Founded by Sato Taizen at the end of the Edo period, this is Japan's oldest Dutch medical school and a must-see for history buffs!
Inside the building, surgical tools and medical books from the time are on display, and the passionate, enterprising atmosphere is overwhelming. The tranquil Japanese architecture is beautiful, and the garden view from the window is a relaxing experience.
This is a tourist spot we highly recommend to fans of the world of the TV drama "JIN."
There are also samurai residences nearby, making it the perfect place for a historical stroll.
There is a parking lot, although it has limited space.
I visited on a Sunday.
It seemed there was a guide, so I requested one.
It was an elderly woman 👵. She explained the medical practices of the time in detail; it was easy to understand.
She also answered my questions thoroughly.
Photography is prohibited in some areas.
The interior isn't very spacious.
The garden was also lovely.
Founded as a Dutch medical school and clinic during the late Edo period, the current building was constructed in 1858. Admission is 100 yen. Inside, the museum introduces the founder, Yasutsune Sato, and other great figures who contributed to the development of medicine during the Meiji period. To be honest, they were all so obscure that I had never heard of them. What was even more chilling was the fact that surgeries at the time were performed without anesthesia. Isn't it true that the person undergoing surgery is more important than the person performing the surgery?
A Chiba Prefecture designated historical site.
Founded in 1843 by the Dutch-style physician Sato Taizen as a Dutch-style medical school and clinic, Juntendo University Hospital is now part of the building preserved as the Sakura Juntendo Memorial Museum.
Right next door is the Juntendo Hospital, directly descended from Taizen's lineage. (I believe I heard it's the 7th or 8th generation...)
Along with Ogata Koan's Tekijuku in the west, this is a memorable place that greatly contributed to the development of modern medicine in Japan.
It is said that Sato Taizen established his school here at the invitation of the Sakura Domain, and the deep understanding of Dutch studies by the domain lord, Hotta Masayoshi, who also served as a senior councilor, seems to have supported his activities.
Shiba Ryotaro's novel "The Butterfly's Dream" depicts the lives of Sato Taizen and the Sato family, as well as the turmoil of the late Edo period and the medical world.
This novel centers around the Sato family and is written based on many historical facts, making it perfect for understanding the historical context of the time. If you're interested in Sato Taizen or those around him, I highly recommend reading it...
(Although, having read it when I was younger, I've forgotten quite a bit.)
Nearby are the "Sakura Samurai Residence" and the "Former Hotta Residence," both designated cultural properties by the national and prefectural governments. A combined admission ticket for all three is available.
These three museums are closed on Mondays, or Tuesdays if Monday is a public holiday. Admission is free for elementary and junior high school students on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
