Shijuku

Shijuku

Shijuku was a school dedicated to the study of Dutch, founded in 1838 by Ogata Kōan (1810–1863), a renowned doctor and educator of the late Edo period. It is located near the Tosabori River in Kitahama, Chuo Ward, Osaka, and is still in use today. Originally established as a private academy for medical education, students here were exposed to the latest knowledge and various forms of technical and cultural learning brought over from the Netherlands, which gradually transformed it into a school for Rangaku (Dutch Studies).

Shijuku is the origin of both Osaka University and Keio University in modern Japan, and it is the only surviving institution in Japan where Western science was taught in the Dutch language. The well-preserved building of Shijuku still features the typical machiya (townhouse) architectural style of the Edo period. Inside, numerous items related to Ogata and his students are kept intact, including a notable Dutch-Japanese dictionary. Though the dictionary is now very worn, it vividly reflects the students’ enthusiasm for learning. Many graduates of this school went on to become leading figures in Japan, making significant contributions to the modernization of Japan during the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration. Today, the interior of Shijuku has been restored to reflect Ogata Kōan’s living environment of the time, and the surrounding area has been developed into a historical park. Both relics from Shijuku and artifacts from the Edo period have been designated as Important Cultural Properties.

Tekijuku

Why Go: The only surviving school in Japan where Western science was taught in the Dutch language

Continent: Asia

Country/Region: Japan

Province/State: Osaka Prefecture

City: Osaka